diff --git a/include/coro/ring_buffer.hpp b/include/coro/ring_buffer.hpp
index 30b7ffb4..8784727a 100644
--- a/include/coro/ring_buffer.hpp
+++ b/include/coro/ring_buffer.hpp
@@ -32,15 +32,9 @@ class ring_buffer
     };
 
     /**
-     * @throws std::runtime_error If `num_elements` == 0.
+     * static_assert If `num_elements` == 0.
      */
-    ring_buffer()
-    {
-        if (num_elements == 0)
-        {
-            throw std::runtime_error{"num_elements cannot be zero"};
-        }
-    }
+    ring_buffer() { static_assert(num_elements != 0, "num_elements cannot be zero"); }
 
     ~ring_buffer()
     {
diff --git a/test/test_ring_buffer.cpp b/test/test_ring_buffer.cpp
index 7f50cd02..2cda5d22 100644
--- a/test/test_ring_buffer.cpp
+++ b/test/test_ring_buffer.cpp
@@ -5,11 +5,6 @@
 #include <chrono>
 #include <thread>
 
-TEST_CASE("ring_buffer zero num_elements", "[ring_buffer]")
-{
-    REQUIRE_THROWS(coro::ring_buffer<uint64_t, 0>{});
-}
-
 TEST_CASE("ring_buffer single element", "[ring_buffer]")
 {
     const size_t                   iterations = 10;