--- a/hotspot/src/share/vm/runtime/arguments.cpp	Wed Jul 05 18:00:52 2017 +0200
+++ b/hotspot/src/share/vm/runtime/arguments.cpp	Thu Mar 29 18:55:32 2012 -0400
@@ -3002,12 +3002,14 @@
     }
   }
 
+#ifdef ASSERT
   // Parse default .hotspotrc settings file
   if (!settings_file_specified) {
     if (!process_settings_file(".hotspotrc", false, args->ignoreUnrecognized)) {
       return JNI_EINVAL;
     }
   }
+#endif
 
   if (PrintVMOptions) {
     for (index = 0; index < args->nOptions; index++) {