diff --git a/src/cairoint.h b/src/cairoint.h
index 6f009bfd7..75e8a08d4 100644
--- a/src/cairoint.h
+++ b/src/cairoint.h
@@ -140,7 +140,10 @@ CAIRO_BEGIN_DECLS
 #define ASSERT_NOT_REACHED		\
 do {					\
     assert (!"reached");		\
+    abort ();                           \
 } while (0)
+
+
 #define COMPILE_TIME_ASSERT1(condition, line)		\
     typedef int compile_time_assertion_at_line_##line##_failed [(condition)?1:-1]
 #define COMPILE_TIME_ASSERT0(condition, line)	COMPILE_TIME_ASSERT1(condition, line)