diff --git a/src/die.hpp b/src/die.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..633b22ed
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/die.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include "fmt/core.h"
+
+[[noreturn]]
+static
+inline
+void
+die(std::string_view msg_)
+{
+  fmt::println(stderr,"FATAL: {}",msg_);
+  std::abort();
+}
diff --git a/src/fs_stat.hpp b/src/fs_stat.hpp
index c3e60c98..160d8621 100644
--- a/src/fs_stat.hpp
+++ b/src/fs_stat.hpp
@@ -97,6 +97,7 @@ namespace fs
         return rv;
       }
 
+    die("Should never reach this");
     return -ENOENT;
   }
 }