diff --git a/src/lread.c b/src/lread.c
index bd7182c398f..f280dad97c0 100644
--- a/src/lread.c
+++ b/src/lread.c
@@ -4198,10 +4198,14 @@ intern_c_string_1 (const char *str, ptrdiff_t len)
 
   if (!SYMBOLP (tem))
     {
-      /* Creating a non-pure string from a string literal not implemented yet.
-	 We could just use make_string here and live with the extra copy.  */
-      eassert (!NILP (Vpurify_flag));
-      tem = intern_driver (make_pure_c_string (str, len), obarray, tem);
+      Lisp_Object string;
+
+      if (NILP (Vpurify_flag))
+	string = make_string (str, len);
+      else
+	string = make_pure_c_string (str, len);
+
+      tem = intern_driver (string, obarray, tem);
     }
   return tem;
 }