version(assert) defined variables

[Shachar Shemesh via Digitalmars-d]

Hi all,

Please consider the following program:
int main()
{
    version(assert) int var;
    assert(var == 0);

    return 0;
}

When compiled with "dmd test.d", it passes without a problem. When 
compiled with "dmd test.d -release", it produces the following error:
test.d(5): Error: undefined identifier var

This makes no sense. In order to make the program compile, I need to do 
the (quite nonsensical):

version(assert) assert(var == 0);

Is this on purpose?

Shachar