diff --git a/src/GUI/MessageBox.cxx b/src/GUI/MessageBox.cxx
index 1d8e5742f..0a36688a6 100644
--- a/src/GUI/MessageBox.cxx
+++ b/src/GUI/MessageBox.cxx
@@ -148,16 +148,16 @@ MessageBoxResult modalMessageBox(const std::string& caption,
 #endif
 }
 
-[[noreturn]] void fatalMessageBox(const std::string& caption,
-                                  const std::string& msg,
-                                  const std::string& moreText)
+MessageBoxResult fatalMessageBox(const std::string& caption,
+    const std::string& msg,
+    const std::string& moreText)
 {
 #if defined(SG_WINDOWS)
-    win32MessageBox(caption, msg, moreText);
+    return win32MessageBox(caption, msg, moreText);
 #elif defined(SG_MAC)
-    cocoaFatalMessage(msg, moreText);
+    return cocoaFatalMessage(msg, moreText);
 #elif defined(HAVE_QT)
-    QtMessageBox(caption, msg, moreText, true);
+    return QtMessageBox(caption, msg, moreText, true);
 #else
     std::string s = "FATAL: "+ msg;
     if (!moreText.empty()) {
@@ -171,9 +171,8 @@ MessageBoxResult modalMessageBox(const std::string& caption,
         dlg->setStringValue("text/label", s  );
         _gui->showDialog("popup");
     }
+    return MSG_BOX_OK;
 #endif
-
-    std::abort();
 }
 
 } // of namespace flightgear
diff --git a/src/GUI/MessageBox.hxx b/src/GUI/MessageBox.hxx
index 0811ceef0..686b53b78 100644
--- a/src/GUI/MessageBox.hxx
+++ b/src/GUI/MessageBox.hxx
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ MessageBoxResult modalMessageBox(const std::string& caption,
     const std::string& msg,
     const std::string& moreText = std::string());
 
-[[noreturn]] void fatalMessageBox(const std::string& caption,
+MessageBoxResult fatalMessageBox(const std::string& caption,
     const std::string& msg,
     const std::string& moreText = std::string());
 
diff --git a/tests/testStubs.cxx b/tests/testStubs.cxx
index 1f8a3e702..84b9522d3 100644
--- a/tests/testStubs.cxx
+++ b/tests/testStubs.cxx
@@ -113,11 +113,11 @@ namespace flightgear
 	  return MSG_BOX_OK;
   }
 
-  [[noreturn]] void fatalMessageBox(const std::string& caption,
+  MessageBoxResult fatalMessageBox(const std::string& caption,
       const std::string& msg,
       const std::string& moreText)
   {
-	  std::abort();
+	  return MSG_BOX_OK;
   }
 }