diff --git a/src/alloc.c b/src/alloc.c
index 5a89831a..c0940088 100644
--- a/src/alloc.c
+++ b/src/alloc.c
@@ -803,11 +803,11 @@ static bool mi_try_new_handler(bool nothrow) {
   if (h==NULL) {
     _mi_error_message(ENOMEM, "out of memory in 'new'");      
     if (!nothrow) {
-#ifdef __EXCEPTIONS
-      throw std::bad_alloc();
-#else 
-      abort();
-#endif
+      #if defined(__GNUC__) && !defined(__EXCEPTIONS)
+        abort();
+      #else 
+        throw std::bad_alloc();
+      #endif
     }
     return false;
   }