diff --git a/src/assert.cc b/src/assert.cc
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c0b782a1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/assert.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+#include "assert.hh"
+
+namespace Kakoune
+{
+
+assert_failed::assert_failed(const std::string& message)
+{
+    m_message = message;
+}
+
+std::string assert_failed::description() const
+{
+    return m_message;
+}
+
+}
diff --git a/src/assert.hh b/src/assert.hh
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c1bfd66b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/assert.hh
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+#ifndef assert_hh_INCLUDED
+#define assert_hh_INCLUDED
+
+#include "exception.hh"
+
+namespace Kakoune
+{
+
+struct assert_failed : logic_error
+{
+    assert_failed(const std::string& message);
+    std::string description() const;
+
+private:
+    std::string m_message;
+};
+
+}
+
+#define STRINGIFY(X) #X
+#define TOSTRING(X) STRINGIFY(X)
+
+#ifdef assert
+#undef assert
+#endif
+
+#define assert(condition) \
+    if (not (condition)) \
+        throw assert_failed("assert failed \"" #condition "\" at " __FILE__ ":" TOSTRING(__LINE__))
+
+#endif // assert_hh_INCLUDED
diff --git a/src/buffer.cc b/src/buffer.cc
index 1f9503b0..1997cf81 100644
--- a/src/buffer.cc
+++ b/src/buffer.cc
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@
 
 #include "buffer_manager.hh"
 #include "window.hh"
+#include "assert.hh"
 
-#include <cassert>
 #include <algorithm>
 
 namespace Kakoune
diff --git a/src/buffer_manager.cc b/src/buffer_manager.cc
index db355ae5..eb75c3a7 100644
--- a/src/buffer_manager.cc
+++ b/src/buffer_manager.cc
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 #include "buffer_manager.hh"
 
-#include <cassert>
-
+#include "assert.hh"
 #include "buffer.hh"
 #include "window.hh"
 #include "exception.hh"
diff --git a/src/file.cc b/src/file.cc
index a7907897..8636422c 100644
--- a/src/file.cc
+++ b/src/file.cc
@@ -2,12 +2,13 @@
 
 #include "buffer.hh"
 #include "buffer_manager.hh"
+#include "assert.hh"
 
 #include <sys/types.h>
 #include <sys/stat.h>
 #include <fcntl.h>
 #include <cstring>
-#include <cassert>
+
 
 namespace Kakoune
 {
diff --git a/src/main.cc b/src/main.cc
index 1ec5de6f..d53a059e 100644
--- a/src/main.cc
+++ b/src/main.cc
@@ -1,13 +1,13 @@
-#include <ncurses.h>
 #include "window.hh"
 #include "buffer.hh"
 #include "file.hh"
 #include "regex_selector.hh"
 #include "command_manager.hh"
 #include "buffer_manager.hh"
+#include "assert.hh"
 
 #include <unordered_map>
-#include <cassert>
+#include <ncurses.h>
 
 using namespace Kakoune;
 
@@ -331,6 +331,13 @@ int main()
         }
         deinit_ncurses();
     }
+    catch (Kakoune::exception& error)
+    {
+        deinit_ncurses();
+        puts("uncaught exception:\n");
+        puts(error.description().c_str());
+        return -1;
+    }
     catch (...)
     {
         deinit_ncurses();
diff --git a/src/utils.hh b/src/utils.hh
index 50297f8d..d495afeb 100644
--- a/src/utils.hh
+++ b/src/utils.hh
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 #ifndef utils_hh_INCLUDED
 #define utils_hh_INCLUDED
 
+#include "exception.hh"
+
 #include <memory>
 
 namespace Kakoune
@@ -37,7 +39,6 @@ bool operator== (const std::unique_ptr<T>& lhs, T* rhs)
     return lhs.get() == rhs;
 }
 
-
 }
 
 #endif // utils_hh_INCLUDED