diff --git a/libcutils/ashmem-dev.c b/libcutils/ashmem-dev.c
index d6a48c953..4a07d66bb 100644
--- a/libcutils/ashmem-dev.c
+++ b/libcutils/ashmem-dev.c
@@ -118,15 +118,16 @@ static int __ashmem_is_ashmem(int fd)
     }
 
     if (rdev) {
-        ALOGE("illegal fd=%d mode=0%o rdev=%d:%d expected 0%o %d:%d",
+        LOG_ALWAYS_FATAL("illegal fd=%d mode=0%o rdev=%d:%d expected 0%o %d:%d",
           fd, st.st_mode, major(st.st_rdev), minor(st.st_rdev),
           S_IFCHR | S_IRUSR | S_IWUSR | S_IRGRP | S_IWGRP | S_IROTH | S_IRGRP,
           major(rdev), minor(rdev));
     } else {
-        ALOGE("illegal fd=%d mode=0%o rdev=%d:%d expected 0%o",
+        LOG_ALWAYS_FATAL("illegal fd=%d mode=0%o rdev=%d:%d expected 0%o",
           fd, st.st_mode, major(st.st_rdev), minor(st.st_rdev),
           S_IFCHR | S_IRUSR | S_IWUSR | S_IRGRP | S_IWGRP | S_IROTH | S_IRGRP);
     }
+    /* NOTREACHED */
 
     errno = ENOTTY;
     return -1;