diff --git a/sapi/fuzzer/fuzzer-execute-common.h b/sapi/fuzzer/fuzzer-execute-common.h
index 4febd88fafbe..7fb9ef1598df 100644
--- a/sapi/fuzzer/fuzzer-execute-common.h
+++ b/sapi/fuzzer/fuzzer-execute-common.h
@@ -146,3 +146,12 @@ ZEND_ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED static void opcache_invalidate(void) {
 	zval_ptr_dtor(&retval);
 	EG(exception) = exception;
 }
+
+ZEND_ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED static void set_jit_option(zend_string *jit_option, const char *value) {
+	if (zend_alter_ini_entry_chars(
+			jit_option, value, strlen(value), PHP_INI_USER, PHP_INI_STAGE_RUNTIME) == FAILURE) {
+		/* Fail loudly instead of silently fuzzing without the JIT. */
+		fprintf(stderr, "Failed to set opcache.jit=%s\n", value);
+		abort();
+	}
+}
diff --git a/sapi/fuzzer/fuzzer-function-jit.c b/sapi/fuzzer/fuzzer-function-jit.c
index d949995f8a23..7b3b18db12b6 100644
--- a/sapi/fuzzer/fuzzer-function-jit.c
+++ b/sapi/fuzzer/fuzzer-function-jit.c
@@ -27,15 +27,13 @@ int LLVMFuzzerTestOneInput(const uint8_t *Data, size_t Size) {
 	 * we bail out here, as the JIT code may loop infinitely. */
 	steps_left = MAX_STEPS;
 	bailed_out = false;
-	zend_alter_ini_entry_chars(
-		jit_option, "off", sizeof("off")-1, PHP_INI_USER, PHP_INI_STAGE_RUNTIME);
+	set_jit_option(jit_option, "off");
 	fuzzer_do_request_from_buffer(
 		FILE_NAME, (const char *) Data, Size, /* execute */ 1, opcache_invalidate);
 
 	if (!bailed_out) {
 		steps_left = MAX_STEPS;
-		zend_alter_ini_entry_chars(jit_option,
-			"function", sizeof("function")-1, PHP_INI_USER, PHP_INI_STAGE_RUNTIME);
+		set_jit_option(jit_option, "function");
 		zend_execute_ex = orig_execute_ex;
 		fuzzer_do_request_from_buffer(
 			FILE_NAME, (const char *) Data, Size, /* execute */ 1, opcache_invalidate);
@@ -50,6 +48,8 @@ int LLVMFuzzerTestOneInput(const uint8_t *Data, size_t Size) {
 int LLVMFuzzerInitialize(int *argc, char ***argv) {
 	char ini_buf[512];
 	snprintf(ini_buf, sizeof(ini_buf),
+		/* The default opcache.jit=disable does not allow enabling the JIT at runtime. */
+		"opcache.jit=off\n"
 		"opcache.validate_timestamps=0\n"
 		"opcache.file_update_protection=0\n"
 		"opcache.jit_buffer_size=128M\n"
diff --git a/sapi/fuzzer/fuzzer-tracing-jit.c b/sapi/fuzzer/fuzzer-tracing-jit.c
index e15f5b4bac51..d56913222394 100644
--- a/sapi/fuzzer/fuzzer-tracing-jit.c
+++ b/sapi/fuzzer/fuzzer-tracing-jit.c
@@ -27,15 +27,13 @@ int LLVMFuzzerTestOneInput(const uint8_t *Data, size_t Size) {
 	 * we bail out here, as the JIT code may loop infinitely. */
 	steps_left = MAX_STEPS;
 	bailed_out = false;
-	zend_alter_ini_entry_chars(
-		jit_option, "off", sizeof("off")-1, PHP_INI_USER, PHP_INI_STAGE_RUNTIME);
+	set_jit_option(jit_option, "off");
 	fuzzer_do_request_from_buffer(
 		FILE_NAME, (const char *) Data, Size, /* execute */ 1, opcache_invalidate);
 
 	if (!bailed_out) {
 		steps_left = MAX_STEPS;
-		zend_alter_ini_entry_chars(jit_option,
-			"tracing", sizeof("tracing")-1, PHP_INI_USER, PHP_INI_STAGE_RUNTIME);
+		set_jit_option(jit_option, "tracing");
 		zend_execute_ex = orig_execute_ex;
 		/* Trace & compile */
 		fuzzer_do_request_from_buffer(
@@ -54,6 +52,8 @@ int LLVMFuzzerTestOneInput(const uint8_t *Data, size_t Size) {
 int LLVMFuzzerInitialize(int *argc, char ***argv) {
 	char ini_buf[512];
 	snprintf(ini_buf, sizeof(ini_buf),
+		/* The default opcache.jit=disable does not allow enabling the JIT at runtime. */
+		"opcache.jit=off\n"
 		"opcache.validate_timestamps=0\n"
 		"opcache.file_update_protection=0\n"
 		"opcache.memory_consumption=1024\n"