diff --git a/libnetutil/netutil.cc b/libnetutil/netutil.cc
index 0e02c628a..e32132302 100644
--- a/libnetutil/netutil.cc
+++ b/libnetutil/netutil.cc
@@ -157,9 +157,6 @@ int netutil_fatal(const char *str, ...){
   va_end(list);
 
   exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
-
-  return 0;
-
 } /* End of fatal() */
 
 /** Print error messages to stderr and then return. A newline
diff --git a/libnetutil/netutil.h b/libnetutil/netutil.h
index 6b4cf91e0..0a3202d3e 100644
--- a/libnetutil/netutil.h
+++ b/libnetutil/netutil.h
@@ -115,6 +115,7 @@ enum { OP_FAILURE = -1, OP_SUCCESS = 0 };
 #endif
 
 int netutil_fatal(const char *str, ...)
+     __attribute__ ((noreturn))
      __attribute__ ((format (printf, 1, 2)));
 
 int netutil_error(const char *str, ...)