diff --git a/pyomo/opt/results/__init__.py b/pyomo/opt/results/__init__.py
index 12d29f37cb3..0d5a66eb363 100644
--- a/pyomo/opt/results/__init__.py
+++ b/pyomo/opt/results/__init__.py
@@ -11,7 +11,8 @@
 #from old_results import *
 from pyomo.opt.results.container import *
 import pyomo.opt.results.problem
-from pyomo.opt.results.solver import SolverStatus, TerminationCondition, check_optimal_termination
+from pyomo.opt.results.solver import SolverStatus, TerminationCondition, \
+    check_optimal_termination, assert_optimal_termination
 from pyomo.opt.results.problem import ProblemSense
 from pyomo.opt.results.solution import SolutionStatus, Solution
 from pyomo.opt.results.results_ import SolverResults
diff --git a/pyomo/opt/results/solver.py b/pyomo/opt/results/solver.py
index 63dc614bd0b..ae61067f5f8 100644
--- a/pyomo/opt/results/solver.py
+++ b/pyomo/opt/results/solver.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 #  This software is distributed under the 3-clause BSD License.
 #  ___________________________________________________________________________
 
-__all__ = ['SolverInformation', 'SolverStatus', 'TerminationCondition', 'check_optimal_termination']
+__all__ = ['SolverInformation', 'SolverStatus', 'TerminationCondition', 'check_optimal_termination', 'assert_optimal_termination']
 
 from pyutilib.enum import Enum
 from pyomo.opt.results.container import MapContainer, ScalarType
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@
     )
 
 
-def check_optimal_termination(results, suppress_exception=False):
+def check_optimal_termination(results):
     """
     This function returns True if the termination condition for the solver
     is 'optimal', 'locallyOptimal', or 'globallyOptimal', and the status is 'ok'
@@ -86,14 +86,25 @@ def check_optimal_termination(results, suppress_exception=False):
         or results.solver.termination_condition == TerminationCondition.locallyOptimal
         or results.solver.termination_condition == TerminationCondition.globallyOptimal):
         return True
+    return False
+
+
+def assert_optimal_termination(results):
+    """
+    This function checks if the termination condition for the solver
+    is 'optimal', 'locallyOptimal', or 'globallyOptimal', and the status is 'ok'
+    and it raises a RuntimeError exception if this is not true.
 
-    if not suppress_exception:
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    results : Pyomo results object returned from solver.solve
+    """
+    if not check_optimal_termination(results):
         msg  = 'Solver failed to return an optimal solution. ' \
             'Solver status: {}, Termination condition: {}'.format(results.solver.status,
                                                                   results.solver.termination_condition)
         raise RuntimeError(msg)
-    return False
-
+    
 
 class BranchAndBoundStats(MapContainer):
 
diff --git a/pyomo/opt/tests/base/test_sol.py b/pyomo/opt/tests/base/test_sol.py
index 1b150ec3ef2..0f3040cd453 100644
--- a/pyomo/opt/tests/base/test_sol.py
+++ b/pyomo/opt/tests/base/test_sol.py
@@ -23,7 +23,8 @@
 from pyomo.opt import (TerminationCondition,
                        SolutionStatus,
                        SolverStatus,
-                       check_optimal_termination)
+                       check_optimal_termination,
+                       assert_optimal_termination)
 
 old_tempdir = pyutilib.services.TempfileManager.tempdir
 
@@ -62,13 +63,10 @@ def test_infeasible1(self):
             self.assertEqual(soln.solver.status,
                              SolverStatus.warning)
             
-            self.assertFalse(check_optimal_termination(soln, suppress_exception=True))
+            self.assertFalse(check_optimal_termination(soln))
 
             with self.assertRaises(RuntimeError):
-                check_optimal_termination(soln, suppress_exception=False)
-
-            with self.assertRaises(RuntimeError):
-                check_optimal_termination(soln)
+                assert_optimal_termination(soln)
 
     def test_infeasible2(self):
         with pyomo.opt.ReaderFactory("sol") as reader:
@@ -94,9 +92,7 @@ def test_conopt_optimal(self):
             self.assertEqual(soln.solver.status,
                              SolverStatus.ok)
             self.assertTrue(check_optimal_termination(soln))
-            self.assertTrue(check_optimal_termination(soln, suppress_exception=True))
-            self.assertTrue(check_optimal_termination(soln, suppress_exception=False))
-
+            assert_optimal_termination(soln)
 
     def test_bad_options(self):
         with pyomo.opt.ReaderFactory("sol") as reader: