diff --git a/assert/assertions.go b/assert/assertions.go
index 6950636d3..64857c6ef 100644
--- a/assert/assertions.go
+++ b/assert/assertions.go
@@ -1708,21 +1708,25 @@ func ErrorContains(t TestingT, theError error, contains string, msgAndArgs ...in
 }
 
 // matchRegexp return true if a specified regexp matches a string.
-func matchRegexp(rx interface{}, str interface{}) bool {
+func matchRegexp(rx interface{}, str interface{}) (bool, error) {
 	var r *regexp.Regexp
 	if rr, ok := rx.(*regexp.Regexp); ok {
 		r = rr
 	} else {
-		r = regexp.MustCompile(fmt.Sprint(rx))
+		var err error
+		r, err = regexp.Compile(fmt.Sprint(rx))
+		if err != nil {
+			return false, err
+		}
 	}
 
 	switch v := str.(type) {
 	case []byte:
-		return r.Match(v)
+		return r.Match(v), nil
 	case string:
-		return r.MatchString(v)
+		return r.MatchString(v), nil
 	default:
-		return r.MatchString(fmt.Sprint(v))
+		return r.MatchString(fmt.Sprint(v)), nil
 	}
 }
 
@@ -1735,7 +1739,11 @@ func Regexp(t TestingT, rx interface{}, str interface{}, msgAndArgs ...interface
 		h.Helper()
 	}
 
-	match := matchRegexp(rx, str)
+	match, err := matchRegexp(rx, str)
+	if err != nil {
+		Fail(t, fmt.Sprintf("Invalid regexp \"%v\": %s", rx, err), msgAndArgs...)
+		return false
+	}
 
 	if !match {
 		Fail(t, fmt.Sprintf("Expect \"%v\" to match \"%v\"", str, rx), msgAndArgs...)
@@ -1752,7 +1760,11 @@ func NotRegexp(t TestingT, rx interface{}, str interface{}, msgAndArgs ...interf
 	if h, ok := t.(tHelper); ok {
 		h.Helper()
 	}
-	match := matchRegexp(rx, str)
+	match, err := matchRegexp(rx, str)
+	if err != nil {
+		Fail(t, fmt.Sprintf("Invalid regexp \"%v\": %s", rx, err), msgAndArgs...)
+		return false
+	}
 
 	if match {
 		Fail(t, fmt.Sprintf("Expect \"%v\" to NOT match \"%v\"", str, rx), msgAndArgs...)
diff --git a/assert/assertions_test.go b/assert/assertions_test.go
index 4975f5e41..d5f3a7a6f 100644
--- a/assert/assertions_test.go
+++ b/assert/assertions_test.go
@@ -2557,6 +2557,21 @@ func TestRegexp(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestRegexpWithInvalidRegex(t *testing.T) {
+	// Issue #1794: Regexp should fail gracefully on invalid regex, not panic
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	mockT := new(testing.T)
+
+	// Should not panic; should return false (assertion fails)
+	False(t, Regexp(mockT, `\C`, "any string"))
+	False(t, NotRegexp(mockT, `\C`, "any string"))
+
+	// Another invalid pattern
+	False(t, Regexp(mockT, `(?P<open>[)`, "test"))
+	False(t, NotRegexp(mockT, `(?P<open>[)`, "test"))
+}
+
 func testAutogeneratedFunction() {
 	defer func() {
 		if err := recover(); err == nil {