diff --git a/include/util/assert.hpp b/include/util/assert.hpp
deleted file mode 100644
index d9bfb9542..000000000
--- a/include/util/assert.hpp
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,20 +0,0 @@
-#ifndef OSRM_ASSERT_HPP
-#define OSRM_ASSERT_HPP
-
-#include <boost/assert.hpp>
-
-#include <stdexcept>
-
-namespace osrm
-{
-namespace util
-{
-// Assertion type to be thrown for stack unwinding
-struct assertionError final : std::logic_error
-{
-    assertionError(const char *msg) : std::logic_error{msg} {}
-};
-}
-}
-
-#endif
diff --git a/src/util/assert.cpp b/src/util/assert.cpp
index 70517840a..03c37adc5 100644
--- a/src/util/assert.cpp
+++ b/src/util/assert.cpp
@@ -1,16 +1,17 @@
-#include "util/assert.hpp"
+#include <boost/assert.hpp>
 
-#include <sstream>
+#include <exception>
+#include <iostream>
 
 namespace
 {
-// We throw to guarantee for stack-unwinding and therefore our destructors being called.
+// We hard-abort on assertion violations.
 void assertion_failed_msg_helper(
     char const *expr, char const *msg, char const *function, char const *file, long line)
 {
-    std::ostringstream fmt;
-    fmt << file << ":" << line << "\nin: " << function << ": " << expr << "\n" << msg;
-    throw osrm::util::assertionError{fmt.str().c_str()};
+    std::cerr << "[assert] " << file << ":" << line << "\nin: " << function << ": " << expr << "\n"
+              << msg;
+    std::terminate();
 }
 }