diff --git a/repos/base-nova/include/nova/util.h b/repos/base-nova/include/nova/util.h
index 752bee67892..d4d19d97e57 100644
--- a/repos/base-nova/include/nova/util.h
+++ b/repos/base-nova/include/nova/util.h
@@ -17,12 +17,6 @@
 #include <base/log.h>
 #include <base/thread.h>
 
-__attribute__((always_inline))
-inline void nova_die()
-{
-	asm volatile ("ud2a");
-}
-
 
 inline void request_event_portal(Genode::addr_t const cap,
                                  Genode::addr_t const sel, Genode::addr_t event)
diff --git a/repos/base-nova/src/lib/base/thread_start.cc b/repos/base-nova/src/lib/base/thread_start.cc
index 1717227a34c..964aa23a9b1 100644
--- a/repos/base-nova/src/lib/base/thread_start.cc
+++ b/repos/base-nova/src/lib/base/thread_start.cc
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ void Thread::_thread_start()
 			      "died because of an uncaught exception");
 		} catch (...) {
 			/* die in a noisy way */
-			nova_die();
+			*(unsigned *)0 = 0xdead;
 		}
 
 		throw;