diff --git a/src/cbmc/all_properties.cpp b/src/cbmc/all_properties.cpp
index b1e0e3a8ab9..e7c0e8274cb 100644
--- a/src/cbmc/all_properties.cpp
+++ b/src/cbmc/all_properties.cpp
@@ -70,6 +70,10 @@ class bmc_all_propertiest:
       case SUCCESS: return "SUCCESS";
       case ERROR: return "ERROR";
       }
+
+      // make some poor compilers happy
+      assert(false);
+      return "";
     }
     
     explicit goalt(