diff --git a/include/internal/catch_stringref.cpp b/include/internal/catch_stringref.cpp
index 5b6970d0..e209cf39 100644
--- a/include/internal/catch_stringref.cpp
+++ b/include/internal/catch_stringref.cpp
@@ -14,8 +14,8 @@
 #include "catch_stringref.h"
 
 #include <ostream>
-#include <cassert>
 #include <cstring>
+#include <stdexcept>
 
 
 
@@ -43,12 +43,12 @@ namespace Catch {
         other.m_data = nullptr;
     }
 
-    StringRef::StringRef( char const* rawChars ) noexcept
-    :   m_start( rawChars ),
-        m_size( static_cast<size_type>( std::strlen( rawChars ) ) )
-    {
-        assert( rawChars != nullptr );
-    }
+    StringRef::StringRef(char const* rawChars) noexcept
+        :   m_start(rawChars),
+            m_size( (rawChars != nullptr)?
+                    (static_cast<size_type>(std::strlen(rawChars))):
+                     throw std::domain_error("Cannot create StringRef from nullptr"))
+    {}
 
     StringRef::StringRef( char const* rawChars, size_type size ) noexcept
     :   m_start( rawChars ),