diff --git a/src/ana/api/binary_streams.hpp b/src/ana/api/binary_streams.hpp
index fbcdb3e97f56..5db4e1e16646 100644
--- a/src/ana/api/binary_streams.hpp
+++ b/src/ana/api/binary_streams.hpp
@@ -325,7 +325,7 @@ namespace ana
                 ~container_writer()
                 {
                     if ( _elements_left != 0 )
-                        throw/* std::runtime_error*/("More elements were expected to be written.");
+                        assert(false && "More elements were expected to be written.");
                 }
             private: