diff --git a/tt_metal/hw/inc/debug/assert.h b/tt_metal/hw/inc/debug/assert.h
index 4f1b27f696f..c90c682020b 100644
--- a/tt_metal/hw/inc/debug/assert.h
+++ b/tt_metal/hw/inc/debug/assert.h
@@ -17,12 +17,14 @@ void assert_and_hang(uint32_t line_num) {
         v->which = debug_get_which_riscv();
     }
 
-    // Update launch msg to show that we've exited.
+    // Hang, or in the case of erisc, early exit.
+#if defined(COMPILE_FOR_ERISC)
+    // Update launch msg to show that we've exited. This is required so that the next run doesn't think there's a kernel
+    // still running and try to make it exit.
     tt_l1_ptr launch_msg_t *launch_msg = GET_MAILBOX_ADDRESS_DEV(launch);
     launch_msg->go.run = RUN_MSG_DONE;
 
-    // Hang, or in the case of erisc, early exit.
-#if defined(COMPILE_FOR_ERISC)
+    // This exits to base FW
     internal_::disable_erisc_app();
     erisc_early_exit(eth_l1_mem::address_map::ERISC_MEM_MAILBOX_STACK_SAVE);
 #endif
diff --git a/tt_metal/hw/inc/debug/sanitize_noc.h b/tt_metal/hw/inc/debug/sanitize_noc.h
index 563fcb4c31e..7daa0cdf805 100644
--- a/tt_metal/hw/inc/debug/sanitize_noc.h
+++ b/tt_metal/hw/inc/debug/sanitize_noc.h
@@ -130,11 +130,12 @@ inline void debug_sanitize_post_noc_addr_and_hang(
         v[noc_id].invalid = invalid;
     }
 
-    // Update launch msg to show that we've exited.
+#if defined(COMPILE_FOR_ERISC)
+    // Update launch msg to show that we've exited. This is required so that the next run doesn't think there's a kernel
+    // still running and try to make it exit.
     tt_l1_ptr launch_msg_t *launch_msg = GET_MAILBOX_ADDRESS_DEV(launch);
     launch_msg->go.run = RUN_MSG_DONE;
 
-#if defined(COMPILE_FOR_ERISC)
     // For erisc, we can't hang the kernel/fw, because the core doesn't get restarted when a new
     // kernel is written. In this case we'll do an early exit back to base FW.
     internal_::disable_erisc_app();