Index: code/gamehelp/contexthelp.cpp
===================================================================
--- code/gamehelp/contexthelp.cpp	(revision 10846)
+++ code/gamehelp/contexthelp.cpp	(working copy)
@@ -482,7 +482,7 @@
 
 			} else {
 				// help.tbl is corrupt
-				Assert(0);
+				Error(LOCATION, "help.tbl appears to be corrupt; expected [+pline], [+text], [+right_bracket], [+left_bracket], or [$end], found [%.32s] instead.\n", next_tokens());
 
 			}		// end if