diff --git a/format.cc b/format.cc
index fbb0d967..4974b355 100644
--- a/format.cc
+++ b/format.cc
@@ -66,8 +66,10 @@ using fmt::internal::Arg;
 #ifndef FMT_THROW
 # if FMT_EXCEPTIONS
 #  define FMT_THROW(x) throw x
+#  define FMT_RETURN_AFTER_THROW(x)
 # else
 #  define FMT_THROW(x) assert(false)
+#  define FMT_RETURN_AFTER_THROW(x) return x
 # endif
 #endif
 
@@ -251,7 +253,7 @@ class WidthHandler : public fmt::internal::ArgVisitor<WidthHandler, unsigned> {
 
   unsigned visit_unhandled_arg() {
     FMT_THROW(fmt::FormatError("width is not integer"));
-    return 0;
+    FMT_RETURN_AFTER_THROW(0);
   }
 
   template <typename T>
@@ -273,7 +275,7 @@ class PrecisionHandler :
  public:
   unsigned visit_unhandled_arg() {
     FMT_THROW(fmt::FormatError("precision is not integer"));
-    return 0;
+    FMT_RETURN_AFTER_THROW(0);
   }
 
   template <typename T>