--- a/langtools/src/share/classes/com/sun/tools/javac/comp/Attr.java	Fri Sep 03 11:25:43 2010 +0530
+++ b/langtools/src/share/classes/com/sun/tools/javac/comp/Attr.java	Fri Sep 03 12:36:43 2010 +0530
@@ -328,6 +328,12 @@
             attribExpr(expr, env);
         } catch (BreakAttr b) {
             return b.env;
+        } catch (AssertionError ae) {
+            if (ae.getCause() instanceof BreakAttr) {
+                return ((BreakAttr)(ae.getCause())).env;
+            } else {
+                throw ae;
+            }
         } finally {
             breakTree = null;
             log.useSource(prev);
@@ -342,6 +348,12 @@
             attribStat(stmt, env);
         } catch (BreakAttr b) {
             return b.env;
+        } catch (AssertionError ae) {
+            if (ae.getCause() instanceof BreakAttr) {
+                return ((BreakAttr)(ae.getCause())).env;
+            } else {
+                throw ae;
+            }
         } finally {
             breakTree = null;
             log.useSource(prev);

--- /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
+++ b/langtools/test/tools/javac/T6956462/T6956462.java	Fri Sep 03 12:36:43 2010 +0530
@@ -0,0 +1,126 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2010, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
+ * DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER.
+ *
+ * This code is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+ * under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2 only, as
+ * published by the Free Software Foundation.
+ *
+ * This code is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
+ * ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
+ * FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License
+ * version 2 for more details (a copy is included in the LICENSE file that
+ * accompanied this code).
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License version
+ * 2 along with this work; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation,
+ * Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
+ *
+ * Please contact Oracle, 500 Oracle Parkway, Redwood Shores, CA 94065 USA
+ * or visit www.oracle.com if you need additional information or have any
+ * questions.
+ */
+
+/*
+ * @test
+ * @bug 6956462
+ * @summary AssertionError exception throws in the Compiler Tree API in JDK 7.
+ *
+ * @build TestClass T6956462
+ * @run main T6956462
+ */
+
+import java.io.*;
+import java.net.URISyntaxException;
+import java.util.*;
+import javax.tools.*;
+import javax.tools.JavaCompiler.CompilationTask;
+import com.sun.source.tree.*;
+import com.sun.source.util.*;
+
+public class T6956462 {
+    public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
+        JavaCompiler compiler = ToolProvider.getSystemJavaCompiler();
+        if (compiler == null) {
+            throw new RuntimeException("can't get javax.tools.JavaCompiler!");
+        }
+        StandardJavaFileManager fm = compiler.getStandardFileManager(null, null, null);
+        List<File> files = new ArrayList<File>();
+        files.add(new File(T6956462.class.getResource("TestClass.java").toURI()));
+        final CompilationTask task = compiler.getTask(null, fm, null,
+            null, null, fm.getJavaFileObjectsFromFiles(files));
+        JavacTask javacTask = (JavacTask) task;
+        for (CompilationUnitTree cu : javacTask.parse()) {
+            cu.accept(new MyVisitor(javacTask), null);
+        }
+    }
+
+    private static class MyVisitor extends SimpleTreeVisitor<Tree, Void> {
+        private final Trees trees;
+        private CompilationUnitTree file;
+
+        private MyVisitor(JavacTask javac) {
+            this.trees = Trees.instance(javac);
+        }
+
+        @Override
+        public Tree visitCompilationUnit(CompilationUnitTree file, Void v) {
+            this.file = file;
+            for (Tree typeDecl : file.getTypeDecls()) {
+                typeDecl.accept(this, v);
+            }
+            return null;
+        }
+
+        @Override
+        public Tree visitImport(ImportTree imp, Void v) {
+            return null;
+        }
+
+        @Override
+        public Tree visitMethodInvocation(MethodInvocationTree invoke, Void v) {
+            invoke.getMethodSelect().accept(this, v);
+            return null;
+        }
+
+        @Override
+        public Tree visitBlock(BlockTree block, Void v) {
+            for (StatementTree stat : block.getStatements()) {
+                stat.accept(this, v);
+            }
+            return null;
+        }
+
+        @Override
+        public Tree visitClass(ClassTree clazz, Void v) {
+            for (Tree member : clazz.getMembers()) {
+                member.accept(this, v);
+            }
+            return null;
+        }
+
+        @Override
+        public Tree visitIdentifier(IdentifierTree ident, Void v) {
+            trees.getScope(trees.getPath(file, ident));
+            return null;
+        }
+
+        @Override
+        public Tree visitMethod(MethodTree method, Void v) {
+            method.getBody().accept(this, v);
+            return null;
+        }
+
+        @Override
+        public Tree visitMemberSelect(MemberSelectTree select, Void v) {
+            select.getExpression().accept(this, v);
+            return null;
+        }
+
+        @Override
+        public Tree visitVariable(VariableTree var, Void v) {
+            var.getInitializer().accept(this, v);
+            return null;
+        }
+    }
+}

--- /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
+++ b/langtools/test/tools/javac/T6956462/TestClass.java	Fri Sep 03 12:36:43 2010 +0530
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2010, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
+ * DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER.
+ *
+ * This code is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+ * under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2 only, as
+ * published by the Free Software Foundation.
+ *
+ * This code is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
+ * ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
+ * FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License
+ * version 2 for more details (a copy is included in the LICENSE file that
+ * accompanied this code).
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License version
+ * 2 along with this work; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation,
+ * Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
+ *
+ * Please contact Oracle, 500 Oracle Parkway, Redwood Shores, CA 94065 USA
+ * or visit www.oracle.com if you need additional information or have any
+ * questions.
+ */
+
+import java.io.PrintStream;
+
+abstract class TestClass {
+    private void test() {
+        final PrintStream out = System.out;
+    }
+}