diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 68adfa9..7988c50 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 * 2.6.next in progress
   * Fix [#553](https://github.com/seancorfield/honeysql/issues/553) by adding `:not-between` as special syntax via PR [#554](https://github.com/seancorfield/honeysql/pull/554) [@plooney81](https://github.com/plooney81)
+  * Fix [#552](https://github.com/seancorfield/honeysql/issues/552) by changing the assert-on-load behavior into an explicit test in the test suite.
   * Fix [#551](https://github.com/seancorfield/honeysql/issues/551) by supporting multiple `WINDOW` clauses.
   * Fix [#549](https://github.com/seancorfield/honeysql/issues/549) by using `:bb` conditionals to support Babashka (and still support Clojure 1.9.0), and add testing against Babashka so it is fully-supported as a target via PR [#550](https://github.com/seancorfield/honeysql/pull/550) [@borkdude](https://github.com/borkdude)
   * Address [#532](https://github.com/seancorfield/honeysql/issues/532) by adding support for `EXCLUDE` and `RENAME` and starting to write tests for XTDB compatibility.
diff --git a/src/honey/sql/helpers.cljc b/src/honey/sql/helpers.cljc
index 0f51c1d..680a33d 100644
--- a/src/honey/sql/helpers.cljc
+++ b/src/honey/sql/helpers.cljc
@@ -1186,20 +1186,6 @@
   [k args]
   (generic-1 k args))
 
-#?(:clj
-   (do
-     ;; #409 this assert is only valid when :doc metadata is not elided:
-     (when (-> #'generic-helper-unary meta :doc)
-       ;; ensure #295 stays true (all public functions have docstring):
-       (assert (empty? (->> (ns-publics *ns*) (vals) (c/filter (comp not :doc meta))))))
-     ;; ensure all public functions match clauses:
-     (assert (= (c/set (conj @#'honey.sql/default-clause-order
-                             :composite :filter :lateral :over :within-group
-                             :upsert
-                             :generic-helper-variadic :generic-helper-unary))
-                (c/set (conj (map keyword (keys (ns-publics *ns*)))
-                             :nest :raw))))))
-
 (comment
   (-> (delete-from :table)
       (where [:in (composite :first :second)
diff --git a/test/honey/sql/helpers_test.cljc b/test/honey/sql/helpers_test.cljc
index 1e7c92c..62bf953 100644
--- a/test/honey/sql/helpers_test.cljc
+++ b/test/honey/sql/helpers_test.cljc
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@
 
 (ns honey.sql.helpers-test
   (:refer-clojure :exclude [filter for group-by partition-by set update])
-  (:require [clojure.test :refer [deftest is testing]]
+  (:require [clojure.core :as c]
+            [clojure.test :refer [deftest is testing]]
             [honey.sql :as sql]
             [honey.sql.helpers :as h
              :refer [add-column add-index alter-table columns create-table create-table-as create-view
@@ -20,6 +21,23 @@
                      values where window with with-columns
                      with-data within-group]]))
 
+#?(:clj
+   (deftest helpers-are-complete
+     (let [helpers-ns (find-ns 'honey.sql.helpers)]
+       (testing "all public helpers have docstrings"
+         ;; #409 this assert is only valid when :doc metadata is not elided:
+         (when (-> #'h/generic-helper-unary meta :doc)
+           ;; ensure #295 stays true (all public functions have docstring):
+           (is (= [] (->> (ns-publics helpers-ns) (vals) (c/filter (comp not :doc meta)))))))
+       (testing "all clauses have public helpers"
+         ;; ensure all public functions match clauses:
+         (is (= (c/set (conj @#'honey.sql/default-clause-order
+                             :composite :filter :lateral :over :within-group
+                             :upsert
+                             :generic-helper-variadic :generic-helper-unary))
+                (c/set (conj (map keyword (keys (ns-publics helpers-ns)))
+                             :nest :raw))))))))
+
 (deftest test-select
   (testing "large helper expression"
     (let [m1 (-> (with [:cte (-> (select :*)