diff --git a/ndn-cxx/delegation-list.cpp b/ndn-cxx/delegation-list.cpp
index d999f92..47cf021 100644
--- a/ndn-cxx/delegation-list.cpp
+++ b/ndn-cxx/delegation-list.cpp
@@ -185,8 +185,8 @@
       }
       return false;
   }
-  BOOST_ASSERT_MSG(false, "Unknown onConflict");
-  return false;
+
+  NDN_THROW(std::invalid_argument("Unknown InsertConflictResolution"));
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/ndn-cxx/detail/common.hpp b/ndn-cxx/detail/common.hpp
index b63d709..e80af57 100644
--- a/ndn-cxx/detail/common.hpp
+++ b/ndn-cxx/detail/common.hpp
@@ -20,8 +20,8 @@
  */
 
 /** \file
- *  \brief import common constructs for ndn-cxx library internal use
- *  \warning This file is an implementation detail of ndn-cxx library.
+ *  \brief Common includes and macros used throughout the library.
+ *  \warning This file is an implementation detail of the ndn-cxx library.
  *           Aliases imported in this file MUST NOT be used outside of ndn-cxx.
  */
 
@@ -30,6 +30,11 @@
 
 #include "ndn-cxx/detail/config.hpp"
 
+// require C++14
+#if __cplusplus < 201402L
+#error "ndn-cxx applications must be compiled using the C++14 standard (-std=c++14)"
+#endif
+
 // ndn-cxx specific macros declared in this and other headers must have NDN_CXX_ prefix
 // to avoid conflicts with other projects that include ndn-cxx headers.
 #ifdef NDN_CXX_HAVE_TESTS
@@ -44,11 +49,6 @@
 #define NDN_CXX_PROTECTED_WITH_TESTS_ELSE_PRIVATE private
 #endif
 
-// require C++14
-#if __cplusplus < 201402L
-#error "ndn-cxx applications must be compiled using the C++14 standard (-std=c++14)"
-#endif
-
 #include <algorithm>
 #include <cstddef>
 #include <cstdint>
diff --git a/ndn-cxx/encoding/tlv.hpp b/ndn-cxx/encoding/tlv.hpp
index 06a431a..5706e52 100644
--- a/ndn-cxx/encoding/tlv.hpp
+++ b/ndn-cxx/encoding/tlv.hpp
@@ -352,8 +352,7 @@
         return true;
       }
       default: {
-        BOOST_ASSERT(false);
-        return false;
+        NDN_CXX_UNREACHABLE;
       }
     }
   }
diff --git a/ndn-cxx/impl/name-component-types.hpp b/ndn-cxx/impl/name-component-types.hpp
index 63fa4f2..2a8563c 100644
--- a/ndn-cxx/impl/name-component-types.hpp
+++ b/ndn-cxx/impl/name-component-types.hpp
@@ -91,10 +91,9 @@
    *  \pre getAltUriPrefix() != nullptr
    */
   virtual Component
-  parseAltUriValue(const std::string& input) const
+  parseAltUriValue(const std::string&) const
   {
-    BOOST_ASSERT(false);
-    return Component();
+    NDN_CXX_UNREACHABLE;
   }
 
   /** \brief Write URI representation of \p comp to \p os.
diff --git a/ndn-cxx/impl/pending-interest.hpp b/ndn-cxx/impl/pending-interest.hpp
index 15cedbc..a766056 100644
--- a/ndn-cxx/impl/pending-interest.hpp
+++ b/ndn-cxx/impl/pending-interest.hpp
@@ -56,8 +56,7 @@
     case PendingInterestOrigin::FORWARDER:
       return os << "forwarder";
   }
-  BOOST_ASSERT(false);
-  return os;
+  NDN_CXX_UNREACHABLE;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/ndn-cxx/key-locator.cpp b/ndn-cxx/key-locator.cpp
index a482e19..2084dc1 100644
--- a/ndn-cxx/key-locator.cpp
+++ b/ndn-cxx/key-locator.cpp
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@
   case 3:
     return get<uint32_t>(m_locator);
   default:
-    BOOST_ASSERT(false);
+    NDN_CXX_UNREACHABLE;
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/ndn-cxx/util/backports.hpp b/ndn-cxx/util/backports.hpp
index adb8d03..afe0036 100644
--- a/ndn-cxx/util/backports.hpp
+++ b/ndn-cxx/util/backports.hpp
@@ -24,6 +24,10 @@
 
 #include "ndn-cxx/detail/common.hpp"
 
+#include <boost/predef/compiler/clang.h>
+#include <boost/predef/compiler/gcc.h>
+#include <boost/predef/compiler/visualc.h>
+
 #ifdef __has_cpp_attribute
 #  define NDN_CXX_HAS_CPP_ATTRIBUTE(x) __has_cpp_attribute(x)
 #else
@@ -42,12 +46,23 @@
 #  define NDN_CXX_FALLTHROUGH [[clang::fallthrough]]
 #elif NDN_CXX_HAS_CPP_ATTRIBUTE(gnu::fallthrough)
 #  define NDN_CXX_FALLTHROUGH [[gnu::fallthrough]]
-#elif defined(__GNUC__) && (__GNUC__ >= 7)
+#elif BOOST_COMP_GNUC >= BOOST_VERSION_NUMBER(7,0,0)
 #  define NDN_CXX_FALLTHROUGH __attribute__((fallthrough))
 #else
 #  define NDN_CXX_FALLTHROUGH ((void)0)
 #endif
 
+#ifndef NDEBUG
+#  define NDN_CXX_UNREACHABLE BOOST_ASSERT(false)
+#elif BOOST_COMP_GNUC || BOOST_COMP_CLANG
+#  define NDN_CXX_UNREACHABLE __builtin_unreachable()
+#elif BOOST_COMP_MSVC
+#  define NDN_CXX_UNREACHABLE __assume(0)
+#else
+#  include <cstdlib>
+#  define NDN_CXX_UNREACHABLE std::abort()
+#endif
+
 #include "ndn-cxx/util/backports-ostream-joiner.hpp"
 #include "ndn-cxx/util/nonstd/any.hpp"
 #include "ndn-cxx/util/nonstd/optional.hpp"