diff --git a/benchmark/axis_index.cpp b/benchmark/axis_index.cpp
index f00e1be1..884a1ab9 100644
--- a/benchmark/axis_index.cpp
+++ b/benchmark/axis_index.cpp
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 
 #include <benchmark/benchmark.h>
 #include <boost/histogram/axis.hpp>
-#include <boost/histogram/detail/throw_exception.hpp>
+#include "throw_exception.hpp"
 
 using namespace boost::histogram;
 
diff --git a/benchmark/histogram_filling.cpp b/benchmark/histogram_filling.cpp
index 8e378f2f..e2598b49 100644
--- a/benchmark/histogram_filling.cpp
+++ b/benchmark/histogram_filling.cpp
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 
 #include <benchmark/benchmark.h>
 #include <boost/histogram/axis/regular.hpp>
-#include <boost/histogram/detail/throw_exception.hpp>
+#include "throw_exception.hpp"
 #include <boost/histogram/storage_adaptor.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/unlimited_storage.hpp>
 
diff --git a/benchmark/histogram_filling_experiments.cpp b/benchmark/histogram_filling_experiments.cpp
index 36b1012d..2d20bc9c 100644
--- a/benchmark/histogram_filling_experiments.cpp
+++ b/benchmark/histogram_filling_experiments.cpp
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 #include <boost/histogram/axis.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/axis/traits.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/detail/axes.hpp>
-#include <boost/histogram/detail/throw_exception.hpp>
+#include "throw_exception.hpp"
 #include <boost/mp11/algorithm.hpp>
 #include <random>
 #include <tuple>
diff --git a/benchmark/histogram_filling_gsl.cpp b/benchmark/histogram_filling_gsl.cpp
index 2241d5a2..47ac6bac 100644
--- a/benchmark/histogram_filling_gsl.cpp
+++ b/benchmark/histogram_filling_gsl.cpp
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 #include <benchmark/benchmark.h>
 #include <random>
 
-#include <boost/histogram/detail/throw_exception.hpp>
+#include "throw_exception.hpp"
 
 #include <gsl/gsl_histogram.h>
 #include <gsl/gsl_histogram2d.h>
diff --git a/benchmark/histogram_iteration.cpp b/benchmark/histogram_iteration.cpp
index 695f6d9e..08a3aef1 100644
--- a/benchmark/histogram_iteration.cpp
+++ b/benchmark/histogram_iteration.cpp
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 #include <benchmark/benchmark.h>
 #include <boost/histogram/axis/integer.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/axis/regular.hpp>
-#include <boost/histogram/detail/throw_exception.hpp>
+#include "throw_exception.hpp"
 #include <boost/histogram/histogram.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/indexed.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/literals.hpp>
diff --git a/benchmark/histogram_parallel_filling.cpp b/benchmark/histogram_parallel_filling.cpp
index d0e98419..bcf8c40d 100644
--- a/benchmark/histogram_parallel_filling.cpp
+++ b/benchmark/histogram_parallel_filling.cpp
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 #include <benchmark/benchmark.h>
 #include <boost/histogram/accumulators/thread_safe.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/axis/regular.hpp>
-#include <boost/histogram/detail/throw_exception.hpp>
+#include "throw_exception.hpp"
 #include <boost/histogram/histogram.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/make_histogram.hpp>
 #include <chrono>
diff --git a/include/boost/histogram/detail/throw_exception.hpp b/benchmark/throw_exception.hpp
similarity index 100%
rename from include/boost/histogram/detail/throw_exception.hpp
rename to benchmark/throw_exception.hpp
diff --git a/test/algorithm_project_test.cpp b/test/algorithm_project_test.cpp
index 72b7f434..62b3dc37 100644
--- a/test/algorithm_project_test.cpp
+++ b/test/algorithm_project_test.cpp
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 #include <boost/histogram/algorithm/project.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/algorithm/sum.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/axis/integer.hpp>
-#include <boost/histogram/detail/throw_exception.hpp>
+#include "throw_exception.hpp"
 #include <boost/histogram/literals.hpp>
 #include <vector>
 #include "utility_histogram.hpp"
diff --git a/test/algorithm_reduce_test.cpp b/test/algorithm_reduce_test.cpp
index c8eeecb5..619fc0b2 100644
--- a/test/algorithm_reduce_test.cpp
+++ b/test/algorithm_reduce_test.cpp
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 #include <boost/histogram/axis/integer.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/axis/regular.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/axis/variable.hpp>
-#include <boost/histogram/detail/throw_exception.hpp>
+#include "throw_exception.hpp"
 #include <boost/histogram/unsafe_access.hpp>
 #include <vector>
 #include "utility_histogram.hpp"
diff --git a/test/algorithm_sum_test.cpp b/test/algorithm_sum_test.cpp
index 398b44c1..53f80ac9 100644
--- a/test/algorithm_sum_test.cpp
+++ b/test/algorithm_sum_test.cpp
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 #include <boost/histogram/accumulators/weighted_sum.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/algorithm/sum.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/axis/integer.hpp>
-#include <boost/histogram/detail/throw_exception.hpp>
+#include "throw_exception.hpp"
 #include <unordered_map>
 #include <vector>
 #include "utility_histogram.hpp"
diff --git a/test/axis_category_test.cpp b/test/axis_category_test.cpp
index 2d025237..12d5afd8 100644
--- a/test/axis_category_test.cpp
+++ b/test/axis_category_test.cpp
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 
 #include <boost/core/lightweight_test.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/axis/category.hpp>
-#include <boost/histogram/detail/throw_exception.hpp>
+#include "throw_exception.hpp"
 #include <limits>
 #include <sstream>
 #include <string>
diff --git a/test/axis_integer_test.cpp b/test/axis_integer_test.cpp
index 938b2d7b..7ec0a030 100644
--- a/test/axis_integer_test.cpp
+++ b/test/axis_integer_test.cpp
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 
 #include <boost/core/lightweight_test.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/axis/integer.hpp>
-#include <boost/histogram/detail/throw_exception.hpp>
+#include "throw_exception.hpp"
 #include <limits>
 #include <type_traits>
 #include "utility_axis.hpp"
diff --git a/test/axis_regular_test.cpp b/test/axis_regular_test.cpp
index 1589a3e1..96ef9317 100644
--- a/test/axis_regular_test.cpp
+++ b/test/axis_regular_test.cpp
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 
 #include <boost/core/lightweight_test.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/axis/regular.hpp>
-#include <boost/histogram/detail/throw_exception.hpp>
+#include "throw_exception.hpp"
 #include <limits>
 #include <sstream>
 #include <type_traits>
diff --git a/test/axis_traits_test.cpp b/test/axis_traits_test.cpp
index d6b04d8d..e0046c5b 100644
--- a/test/axis_traits_test.cpp
+++ b/test/axis_traits_test.cpp
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 #include <boost/core/lightweight_test_trait.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/axis.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/axis/traits.hpp>
-#include <boost/histogram/detail/throw_exception.hpp>
+#include "throw_exception.hpp"
 #include <boost/mp11.hpp>
 #include "utility_axis.hpp"
 
diff --git a/test/axis_variable_test.cpp b/test/axis_variable_test.cpp
index 719a02eb..ff3b4c54 100644
--- a/test/axis_variable_test.cpp
+++ b/test/axis_variable_test.cpp
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 
 #include <boost/core/lightweight_test.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/axis/variable.hpp>
-#include <boost/histogram/detail/throw_exception.hpp>
+#include "throw_exception.hpp"
 #include <limits>
 #include <type_traits>
 #include <vector>
diff --git a/test/axis_variant_serialization_test.cpp b/test/axis_variant_serialization_test.cpp
index 758bed70..9f71b5df 100644
--- a/test/axis_variant_serialization_test.cpp
+++ b/test/axis_variant_serialization_test.cpp
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 #include <boost/histogram/axis/integer.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/axis/regular.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/axis/variant.hpp>
-#include <boost/histogram/detail/throw_exception.hpp>
+#include "throw_exception.hpp"
 #include <boost/histogram/serialization.hpp>
 #include "utility_axis.hpp"
 #include "utility_serialization.hpp"
diff --git a/test/axis_variant_test.cpp b/test/axis_variant_test.cpp
index 4924b1f9..b0834c93 100644
--- a/test/axis_variant_test.cpp
+++ b/test/axis_variant_test.cpp
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 #include <boost/histogram/axis/regular.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/axis/variant.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/detail/cat.hpp>
-#include <boost/histogram/detail/throw_exception.hpp>
+#include "throw_exception.hpp"
 #include <boost/histogram/detail/type_name.hpp>
 #include <sstream>
 #include <string>
diff --git a/test/boost_accumulators_support_test.cpp b/test/boost_accumulators_support_test.cpp
index 3f684f2c..b394342b 100644
--- a/test/boost_accumulators_support_test.cpp
+++ b/test/boost_accumulators_support_test.cpp
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 #include <boost/accumulators/statistics/stats.hpp>
 #include <boost/core/lightweight_test.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/axis/integer.hpp>
-#include <boost/histogram/detail/throw_exception.hpp>
+#include "throw_exception.hpp"
 #include <boost/histogram/make_histogram.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/storage_adaptor.hpp>
 
diff --git a/test/boost_range_support_test.cpp b/test/boost_range_support_test.cpp
index b939d6d3..cf1bedc3 100644
--- a/test/boost_range_support_test.cpp
+++ b/test/boost_range_support_test.cpp
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 
 #include <boost/core/lightweight_test.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/axis/integer.hpp>
-#include <boost/histogram/detail/throw_exception.hpp>
+#include "throw_exception.hpp"
 #include <boost/histogram/histogram.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/make_histogram.hpp>
 #include <boost/range/adaptor/filtered.hpp>
diff --git a/test/boost_units_support_test.cpp b/test/boost_units_support_test.cpp
index 610a08cd..1a3df653 100644
--- a/test/boost_units_support_test.cpp
+++ b/test/boost_units_support_test.cpp
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 #include <boost/core/lightweight_test.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/axis/ostream.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/axis/regular.hpp>
-#include <boost/histogram/detail/throw_exception.hpp>
+#include "throw_exception.hpp"
 #include <boost/histogram/histogram.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/indexed.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/literals.hpp>
diff --git a/test/deduction_guides_test.cpp b/test/deduction_guides_test.cpp
index 2ac2fe89..8918ab28 100644
--- a/test/deduction_guides_test.cpp
+++ b/test/deduction_guides_test.cpp
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 #include <boost/histogram/accumulators/weighted_sum.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/axis.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/axis/ostream.hpp>
-#include <boost/histogram/detail/throw_exception.hpp>
+#include "throw_exception.hpp"
 #include <boost/histogram/histogram.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/ostream.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/storage_adaptor.hpp>
diff --git a/test/detail_meta_test.cpp b/test/detail_meta_test.cpp
index 7530f60a..5cb87ff2 100644
--- a/test/detail_meta_test.cpp
+++ b/test/detail_meta_test.cpp
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 #include <boost/histogram/axis/regular.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/axis/variant.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/detail/meta.hpp>
-#include <boost/histogram/detail/throw_exception.hpp>
+#include "throw_exception.hpp"
 #include <boost/histogram/histogram.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/unlimited_storage.hpp>
 #include <deque>
diff --git a/test/detail_misc_test.cpp b/test/detail_misc_test.cpp
index 44e80f1c..66ebeabc 100644
--- a/test/detail_misc_test.cpp
+++ b/test/detail_misc_test.cpp
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 #include <boost/histogram/detail/axes.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/detail/cat.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/detail/common_type.hpp>
-#include <boost/histogram/detail/throw_exception.hpp>
+#include "throw_exception.hpp"
 #include <boost/histogram/literals.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/storage_adaptor.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/unlimited_storage.hpp>
diff --git a/test/detail_variant_test.cpp b/test/detail_variant_test.cpp
index 14c70c2b..553249df 100644
--- a/test/detail_variant_test.cpp
+++ b/test/detail_variant_test.cpp
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 
 #include <boost/core/lightweight_test.hpp>
 #include <boost/core/lightweight_test_trait.hpp>
-#include <boost/histogram/detail/throw_exception.hpp>
+#include "throw_exception.hpp"
 #include <boost/histogram/detail/variant.hpp>
 #include <boost/throw_exception.hpp>
 #include <sstream>
diff --git a/test/histogram_dynamic_test.cpp b/test/histogram_dynamic_test.cpp
index 8611e5ab..320d7967 100644
--- a/test/histogram_dynamic_test.cpp
+++ b/test/histogram_dynamic_test.cpp
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 #include <algorithm>
 #include <boost/core/lightweight_test.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/axis.hpp>
-#include <boost/histogram/detail/throw_exception.hpp>
+#include "throw_exception.hpp"
 #include <boost/histogram/histogram.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/make_histogram.hpp>
 #include <cstdlib>
diff --git a/test/histogram_growing_test.cpp b/test/histogram_growing_test.cpp
index 0154405f..3fb713ea 100644
--- a/test/histogram_growing_test.cpp
+++ b/test/histogram_growing_test.cpp
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 #include <boost/core/lightweight_test.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/algorithm/sum.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/axis.hpp>
-#include <boost/histogram/detail/throw_exception.hpp>
+#include "throw_exception.hpp"
 #include <boost/histogram/histogram.hpp>
 #include <string>
 #include <utility>
diff --git a/test/histogram_mixed_test.cpp b/test/histogram_mixed_test.cpp
index 049a770e..6370d03f 100644
--- a/test/histogram_mixed_test.cpp
+++ b/test/histogram_mixed_test.cpp
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 #include <boost/core/lightweight_test.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/axis/integer.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/axis/regular.hpp>
-#include <boost/histogram/detail/throw_exception.hpp>
+#include "throw_exception.hpp"
 #include <boost/histogram/histogram.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/literals.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/storage_adaptor.hpp>
diff --git a/test/histogram_operators_test.cpp b/test/histogram_operators_test.cpp
index ba0ab976..bba7dadd 100644
--- a/test/histogram_operators_test.cpp
+++ b/test/histogram_operators_test.cpp
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 #include <boost/core/lightweight_test.hpp>
 #include <boost/core/lightweight_test_trait.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/axis.hpp>
-#include <boost/histogram/detail/throw_exception.hpp>
+#include "throw_exception.hpp"
 #include <boost/histogram/histogram.hpp>
 #include <string>
 #include <vector>
diff --git a/test/histogram_serialization_test.cpp b/test/histogram_serialization_test.cpp
index 20779702..5fd68c31 100644
--- a/test/histogram_serialization_test.cpp
+++ b/test/histogram_serialization_test.cpp
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 
 #include <boost/core/lightweight_test.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/axis.hpp>
-#include <boost/histogram/detail/throw_exception.hpp>
+#include "throw_exception.hpp"
 #include <boost/histogram/serialization.hpp>
 #include <cmath>
 #include "utility_histogram.hpp"
diff --git a/test/histogram_test.cpp b/test/histogram_test.cpp
index b2f1925a..c9d1a590 100644
--- a/test/histogram_test.cpp
+++ b/test/histogram_test.cpp
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 #include <boost/histogram/accumulators/ostream.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/algorithm/sum.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/axis.hpp>
-#include <boost/histogram/detail/throw_exception.hpp>
+#include "throw_exception.hpp"
 #include <boost/histogram/histogram.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/literals.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/make_histogram.hpp>
diff --git a/test/histogram_threaded_test.cpp b/test/histogram_threaded_test.cpp
index e948a01f..bc543ba7 100644
--- a/test/histogram_threaded_test.cpp
+++ b/test/histogram_threaded_test.cpp
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 #include <boost/histogram/accumulators/thread_safe.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/algorithm/sum.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/axis/integer.hpp>
-#include <boost/histogram/detail/throw_exception.hpp>
+#include "throw_exception.hpp"
 #include <boost/histogram/storage_adaptor.hpp>
 #include <iostream>
 #include <random>
diff --git a/test/indexed_test.cpp b/test/indexed_test.cpp
index 5bef45ce..750297eb 100644
--- a/test/indexed_test.cpp
+++ b/test/indexed_test.cpp
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 #include <boost/core/lightweight_test.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/axis/integer.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/axis/variable.hpp>
-#include <boost/histogram/detail/throw_exception.hpp>
+#include "throw_exception.hpp"
 #include <boost/histogram/histogram.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/indexed.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/literals.hpp>
diff --git a/test/internal_accumulators_test.cpp b/test/internal_accumulators_test.cpp
index c028c8aa..f836d41e 100644
--- a/test/internal_accumulators_test.cpp
+++ b/test/internal_accumulators_test.cpp
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 #include <boost/histogram/accumulators/thread_safe.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/accumulators/weighted_mean.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/accumulators/weighted_sum.hpp>
-#include <boost/histogram/detail/throw_exception.hpp>
+#include "throw_exception.hpp"
 #include <sstream>
 #include "is_close.hpp"
 
diff --git a/test/storage_adaptor_serialization_test.cpp b/test/storage_adaptor_serialization_test.cpp
index e2df71a5..d8b52346 100644
--- a/test/storage_adaptor_serialization_test.cpp
+++ b/test/storage_adaptor_serialization_test.cpp
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 #include <array>
 #include <boost/core/lightweight_test.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/accumulators/thread_safe.hpp>
-#include <boost/histogram/detail/throw_exception.hpp>
+#include "throw_exception.hpp"
 #include <boost/histogram/serialization.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/storage_adaptor.hpp>
 #include <map>
diff --git a/test/storage_adaptor_test.cpp b/test/storage_adaptor_test.cpp
index f393a859..4b99cab3 100644
--- a/test/storage_adaptor_test.cpp
+++ b/test/storage_adaptor_test.cpp
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 #include <boost/core/lightweight_test.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/accumulators/weighted_mean.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/accumulators/weighted_sum.hpp>
-#include <boost/histogram/detail/throw_exception.hpp>
+#include "throw_exception.hpp"
 #include <boost/histogram/storage_adaptor.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/unlimited_storage.hpp>
 #include <cmath>
diff --git a/test/storage_adaptor_threaded_test.cpp b/test/storage_adaptor_threaded_test.cpp
index 639de041..0ba47534 100644
--- a/test/storage_adaptor_threaded_test.cpp
+++ b/test/storage_adaptor_threaded_test.cpp
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 #include <boost/core/lightweight_test.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/accumulators/ostream.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/accumulators/thread_safe.hpp>
-#include <boost/histogram/detail/throw_exception.hpp>
+#include "throw_exception.hpp"
 #include <boost/histogram/storage_adaptor.hpp>
 
 #include <array>
diff --git a/test/throw_exception.hpp b/test/throw_exception.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e0160ed7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/throw_exception.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+// Copyright 2019 Hans Dembinski
+//
+// Distributed under the Boost Software License, Version 1.0.
+// (See accompanying file LICENSE_1_0.txt
+// or copy at http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt)
+
+#ifdef BOOST_NO_EXCEPTIONS
+
+#include <cstdlib> // std::abort
+#include <exception>
+#include <iostream>
+
+namespace boost {
+// dummy implementation for user-defined function from boost/throw_exception.hpp
+inline void throw_exception(std::exception const& e) {
+  std::cerr << e.what() << std::endl;
+  std::abort();
+}
+} // namespace boost
+
+#endif
diff --git a/test/unlimited_storage_serialization_test.cpp b/test/unlimited_storage_serialization_test.cpp
index b7edff4a..d9c881ea 100644
--- a/test/unlimited_storage_serialization_test.cpp
+++ b/test/unlimited_storage_serialization_test.cpp
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 #include <boost/archive/text_iarchive.hpp>
 #include <boost/archive/text_oarchive.hpp>
 #include <boost/core/lightweight_test.hpp>
-#include <boost/histogram/detail/throw_exception.hpp>
+#include "throw_exception.hpp"
 #include <boost/histogram/serialization.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/unlimited_storage.hpp>
 #include <memory>
diff --git a/test/unlimited_storage_test.cpp b/test/unlimited_storage_test.cpp
index bc15d5a8..2655e1b7 100644
--- a/test/unlimited_storage_test.cpp
+++ b/test/unlimited_storage_test.cpp
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 #include <algorithm>
 #include <boost/core/lightweight_test.hpp>
 #include <boost/core/lightweight_test_trait.hpp>
-#include <boost/histogram/detail/throw_exception.hpp>
+#include "throw_exception.hpp"
 #include <boost/histogram/storage_adaptor.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/unlimited_storage.hpp>
 #include <boost/histogram/unsafe_access.hpp>
diff --git a/test/utility_test.cpp b/test/utility_test.cpp
index bd100d3f..9e32f40d 100644
--- a/test/utility_test.cpp
+++ b/test/utility_test.cpp
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 // or copy at http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt)
 
 #include <boost/core/lightweight_test.hpp>
-#include <boost/histogram/detail/throw_exception.hpp>
+#include "throw_exception.hpp"
 #include <sstream>
 #include <tuple>
 #include <vector>