diff --git a/src/runtime/gc_blocks.go b/src/runtime/gc_blocks.go
index 4d3577e52..0cb11c00f 100644
--- a/src/runtime/gc_blocks.go
+++ b/src/runtime/gc_blocks.go
@@ -416,7 +416,7 @@ func alloc(size uintptr, layout unsafe.Pointer) unsafe.Pointer {
 	size += bytesPerBlock - 1
 	if size < rawSize {
 		// The size overflowed.
-		runtimePanicAt(returnAddress(0), "out of memory")
+		runtimeFatal("out of memory")
 	}
 	neededBlocks := size / bytesPerBlock
 	size = neededBlocks * bytesPerBlock
@@ -465,7 +465,7 @@ func alloc(size uintptr, layout unsafe.Pointer) unsafe.Pointer {
 		// Unfortunately the heap could not be increased. This
 		// happens on baremetal systems for example (where all
 		// available RAM has already been dedicated to the heap).
-		runtimePanicAt(returnAddress(0), "out of memory")
+		runtimeFatal("out of memory")
 	}
 
 	// Set the block states.
diff --git a/src/runtime/gc_boehm.go b/src/runtime/gc_boehm.go
index 2b2159f5d..a0adc93d3 100644
--- a/src/runtime/gc_boehm.go
+++ b/src/runtime/gc_boehm.go
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ func alloc(size uintptr, layout unsafe.Pointer) unsafe.Pointer {
 	gcResumeWorld()
 	gcLock.Unlock()
 	if ptr == nil {
-		runtimePanic("gc: out of memory")
+		runtimeFatal("gc: out of memory")
 	}
 
 	return ptr
diff --git a/src/runtime/gc_leaking.go b/src/runtime/gc_leaking.go
index 51ae247f7..1467cb6bc 100644
--- a/src/runtime/gc_leaking.go
+++ b/src/runtime/gc_leaking.go
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ func alloc(size uintptr, layout unsafe.Pointer) unsafe.Pointer {
 			continue
 		}
 		// Failed to make the heap bigger, so we must really be out of memory.
-		runtimePanic("out of memory")
+		runtimeFatal("out of memory")
 	}
 	gcLock.Unlock()
 
diff --git a/src/runtime/panic.go b/src/runtime/panic.go
index c8dc027fd..3c5b4029a 100644
--- a/src/runtime/panic.go
+++ b/src/runtime/panic.go
@@ -91,6 +91,18 @@ func runtimePanic(msg string) {
 	runtimePanicAt(returnAddress(0), msg)
 }
 
+// runtimeFatal terminates for runtime failures that cannot safely be
+// recovered, such as exhausting the heap.
+func runtimeFatal(msg string) {
+	if panicStrategy() == tinygo.PanicStrategyTrap {
+		trap()
+	}
+	printstring("fatal error: ")
+	printstring(msg)
+	printnl()
+	abort()
+}
+
 func runtimePanicAt(addr unsafe.Pointer, msg string) {
 	if panicStrategy() == tinygo.PanicStrategyTrap {
 		trap()