diff --git a/src/exception_test.cc b/src/exception_test.cc
index 1d32f1b..f0bec1b 100644
--- a/src/exception_test.cc
+++ b/src/exception_test.cc
@@ -137,7 +137,8 @@
 TEST_F(ExceptionTest, StackTraceElement) {
   Thread* thread = Thread::Current();
   thread->TransitionFromSuspendedToRunnable();
-  runtime_->Start();
+  bool started = runtime_->Start();
+  CHECK(started);
   JNIEnv* env = thread->GetJniEnv();
   ScopedObjectAccess soa(env);