diff --git a/src/alloc.c b/src/alloc.c
index 0fed5e75..010c435b 100644
--- a/src/alloc.c
+++ b/src/alloc.c
@@ -465,7 +465,11 @@ static bool mi_try_new_handler(bool nothrow) {
     _mi_error_message(ENOMEM, "out of memory in 'new'");
     #if defined(_CPPUNWIND) || defined(__cpp_exceptions)  // exceptions are not always enabled
     if (!nothrow) {
-      throw std::bad_alloc();
+      #if defined(__GNUC__) && !defined(__EXCEPTIONS)
+        abort();
+      #else 
+        throw std::bad_alloc();
+      #endif
     }
     #else
     MI_UNUSED(nothrow);