diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 3264055..a8cf40b 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -388,6 +388,14 @@ else()
     add_bundled_fmtlib()
 endif()
 
+check_cxx_source_compiles(
+    "
+    #include <stdexcept>
+    int main() { throw std::runtime_error(\"\"); }
+    "
+    HAVE_EXCEPTIONS
+)
+
 check_cxx_source_compiles(
     "
     #include <algorithm>
diff --git a/aulib_config.h.in b/aulib_config.h.in
index 82598f6..88f31d6 100644
--- a/aulib_config.h.in
+++ b/aulib_config.h.in
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 #cmakedefine USE_RESAMP_SOXR 1
 #cmakedefine USE_RESAMP_SRC 1
 
+#cmakedefine HAVE_EXCEPTIONS 1
 #cmakedefine HAVE_STD_CLAMP 1
 
 /*
diff --git a/include/aulib_global.h b/include/aulib_global.h
index 8b4a398..df0512a 100644
--- a/include/aulib_global.h
+++ b/include/aulib_global.h
@@ -1,8 +1,32 @@
 // This is copyrighted software. More information is at the end of this file.
 #pragma once
 
+#include "aulib_config.h"
 #include "aulib_export.h"
 
+#if not HAVE_EXCEPTIONS
+#include <cstdio>
+#include <cstdlib>
+#include <exception>
+#endif
+
+namespace Aulib {
+namespace priv {
+
+template <typename Exception>
+[[noreturn]] void throw_(Exception&& e)
+{
+#if HAVE_EXCEPTIONS
+    throw e;
+#else
+    std::fprintf(stderr, "exception: %s\n", e.what());
+    std::abort();
+#endif
+}
+
+} // namespace priv
+} // namespace Aulib
+
 /*
 
 Copyright (C) 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 Nikos Chantziaras.
diff --git a/src/SdlMutex.cpp b/src/SdlMutex.cpp
index 7163e55..dfa3cf5 100644
--- a/src/SdlMutex.cpp
+++ b/src/SdlMutex.cpp
@@ -1,25 +1,26 @@
 // This is copyrighted software. More information is at the end of this file.
 #include "SdlMutex.h"
+#include "aulib_global.h"
 #include <stdexcept>
 
 SdlMutex::SdlMutex()
 {
     if (not mutex_) {
-        throw std::runtime_error(SDL_GetError());
+        Aulib::priv::throw_(std::runtime_error(SDL_GetError()));
     }
 }
 
 void SdlMutex::lock()
 {
     if (SDL_LockMutex(mutex_) != 0) {
-        throw std::runtime_error(SDL_GetError());
+        Aulib::priv::throw_(std::runtime_error(SDL_GetError()));
     }
 }
 
 void SdlMutex::unlock()
 {
     if (SDL_UnlockMutex(mutex_) != 0) {
-        throw std::runtime_error(SDL_GetError());
+        Aulib::priv::throw_(std::runtime_error(SDL_GetError()));
     }
 }