diff --git a/net/tap-linux.c b/net/tap-linux.c
index 059f5f34ab..0a6acc7d5a 100644
--- a/net/tap-linux.c
+++ b/net/tap-linux.c
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ int tap_probe_vnet_hdr_len(int fd, int len)
     if (ioctl(fd, TUNSETVNETHDRSZ, &orig) == -1) {
         fprintf(stderr, "TUNGETVNETHDRSZ ioctl() failed: %s. Exiting.\n",
                 strerror(errno));
-        assert(0);
+        abort();
         return -errno;
     }
     return 1;
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ void tap_fd_set_vnet_hdr_len(int fd, int len)
     if (ioctl(fd, TUNSETVNETHDRSZ, &len) == -1) {
         fprintf(stderr, "TUNSETVNETHDRSZ ioctl() failed: %s. Exiting.\n",
                 strerror(errno));
-        assert(0);
+        abort();
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/net/tap-win32.c b/net/tap-win32.c
index 3052bbac14..601437ee2d 100644
--- a/net/tap-win32.c
+++ b/net/tap-win32.c
@@ -762,5 +762,5 @@ int tap_has_vnet_hdr_len(NetClientState *nc, int len)
 
 void tap_set_vnet_hdr_len(NetClientState *nc, int len)
 {
-    assert(0);
+    abort();
 }