diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Core and Builtins/2023-10-06-12-00-43.gh-issue-110455.8BjNGg.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Core and Builtins/2023-10-06-12-00-43.gh-issue-110455.8BjNGg.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..47bf17da757d12
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Core and Builtins/2023-10-06-12-00-43.gh-issue-110455.8BjNGg.rst	
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+Guard ``assert(tstate->thread_id > 0)`` with ``#ifndef HAVE_PTHREAD_STUBS``.
+This allows for for pydebug builds to work under WASI which (currently)
+lacks thread support.
diff --git a/Python/pystate.c b/Python/pystate.c
index b77827ff8efa28..6f60c3dccce222 100644
--- a/Python/pystate.c
+++ b/Python/pystate.c
@@ -264,10 +264,10 @@ static void
 unbind_tstate(PyThreadState *tstate)
 {
     assert(tstate != NULL);
-    // XXX assert(tstate_is_alive(tstate));
     assert(tstate_is_bound(tstate));
-    // XXX assert(!tstate->_status.active);
+#ifndef HAVE_PTHREAD_STUBS
     assert(tstate->thread_id > 0);
+#endif
 #ifdef PY_HAVE_THREAD_NATIVE_ID
     assert(tstate->native_thread_id > 0);
 #endif