diff --git a/include/mruby/error.h b/include/mruby/error.h
index 752baae84..225234a77 100644
--- a/include/mruby/error.h
+++ b/include/mruby/error.h
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ struct RException {
 #define mrb_exc_ptr(v) ((struct RException*)mrb_ptr(v))
 #define MRB_EXC_MESG_STRING_FLAG 0x100
 
-MRB_API void mrb_sys_fail(mrb_state *mrb, const char *mesg);
+MRB_API mrb_noreturn void mrb_sys_fail(mrb_state *mrb, const char *mesg);
 MRB_API mrb_value mrb_exc_new_str(mrb_state *mrb, struct RClass* c, mrb_value str);
 #define mrb_exc_new_lit(mrb, c, lit) mrb_exc_new_str(mrb, c, mrb_str_new_lit(mrb, lit))
 MRB_API mrb_value mrb_make_exception(mrb_state *mrb, mrb_int argc, const mrb_value *argv);
diff --git a/src/error.c b/src/error.c
index 2c2f709b1..643279bd4 100644
--- a/src/error.c
+++ b/src/error.c
@@ -521,7 +521,7 @@ exception_call:
   return mesg;
 }
 
-MRB_API void
+MRB_API mrb_noreturn void
 mrb_sys_fail(mrb_state *mrb, const char *mesg)
 {
   struct RClass *sce;
@@ -537,9 +537,8 @@ mrb_sys_fail(mrb_state *mrb, const char *mesg)
       mrb_funcall_id(mrb, mrb_obj_value(sce), MRB_SYM(_sys_fail), 1, mrb_fixnum_value(no));
     }
   }
-  else {
-    mrb_raise(mrb, E_RUNTIME_ERROR, mesg);
-  }
+
+  mrb_raise(mrb, E_RUNTIME_ERROR, mesg);
 }
 
 MRB_API mrb_noreturn void