diff --git a/code/cgame/cg_local.h b/code/cgame/cg_local.h
index b347bcdf..41fb5618 100644
--- a/code/cgame/cg_local.h
+++ b/code/cgame/cg_local.h
@@ -1193,7 +1193,7 @@ const char *CG_ConfigString( int index );
 const char *CG_Argv( int arg );
 
 void QDECL CG_Printf( const char *msg, ... ) __attribute__ ((format (printf, 1, 2)));
-void QDECL CG_Error( const char *msg, ... ) __attribute__ ((format (printf, 1, 2)));
+void QDECL CG_Error( const char *msg, ... ) __attribute__ ((noreturn, format (printf, 1, 2)));
 
 void CG_StartMusic( void );
 
@@ -1475,7 +1475,7 @@ void CG_CheckChangedPredictableEvents( playerState_t *ps );
 void		trap_Print( const char *fmt );
 
 // abort the game
-void		trap_Error( const char *fmt );
+void		trap_Error(const char *fmt) __attribute__((noreturn));
 
 // milliseconds should only be used for performance tuning, never
 // for anything game related.  Get time from the CG_DrawActiveFrame parameter
diff --git a/code/cgame/cg_syscalls.c b/code/cgame/cg_syscalls.c
index 83606acd..010be948 100644
--- a/code/cgame/cg_syscalls.c
+++ b/code/cgame/cg_syscalls.c
@@ -46,8 +46,11 @@ void	trap_Print( const char *fmt ) {
 	syscall( CG_PRINT, fmt );
 }
 
-void	trap_Error( const char *fmt ) {
-	syscall( CG_ERROR, fmt );
+void trap_Error(const char *fmt)
+{
+	syscall(CG_ERROR, fmt);
+	// shut up GCC warning about returning functions, because we know better
+	exit(1);
 }
 
 int		trap_Milliseconds( void ) {