diff --git a/include/c/defs.h b/include/c/defs.h
index ef90939bd6..8051c23cf9 100644
--- a/include/c/defs.h
+++ b/include/c/defs.h
@@ -90,5 +90,9 @@
         } while (0)
 /* c3_malloc(): asserting malloc
  */
-void*
-c3_malloc(size_t s);
+#define c3_malloc(s) ({                         \
+      void* rut = malloc(s);                    \
+      if ( 0 == rut ) {                         \
+        c3_assert(!"memory lost");              \
+      }                                         \
+      rut;})
diff --git a/v/main.c b/v/main.c
index b179a7ea7d..2b6afcac4d 100644
--- a/v/main.c
+++ b/v/main.c
@@ -256,16 +256,6 @@ static void _main_cont(void *arg1, void *arg2, void *arg3)
   siglongjmp(Signal_buf, 1);
 }
 
-void*
-c3_malloc(size_t s)
-{
-  void* rut = malloc(s);
-  if ( u2_nul == rut ) {
-    c3_assert(!"memory lost");
-  }
-  return rut;
-}
-
 static void
 overflow_handler(int emergency, stackoverflow_context_t scp)
 {