diff --git a/vhdlpp/expression_evaluate.cc b/vhdlpp/expression_evaluate.cc
index 983c0ed6b..b67cbd5da 100644
--- a/vhdlpp/expression_evaluate.cc
+++ b/vhdlpp/expression_evaluate.cc
@@ -105,9 +105,10 @@ bool ExpAttribute::evaluate(ScopeBase*scope, int64_t&val) const
 
 	    const VTypeArray*arr = dynamic_cast<const VTypeArray*>(base_type);
 	    if (arr == 0) {
-		  cerr << get_fileline() << ": error: "
+		  cerr << endl << get_fileline() << ": error: "
 		       << "Cannot apply the 'length attribute to non-array objects"
 		       << endl;
+                  ivl_assert(*this, false);
 		  return false;
 	    }
 
@@ -145,9 +146,10 @@ bool ExpAttribute::evaluate(Entity*ent, ScopeBase*scope, int64_t&val) const
 
 	    const VTypeArray*arr = dynamic_cast<const VTypeArray*>(base_type);
 	    if (arr == 0) {
-		  cerr << get_fileline() << ": error: "
+		  cerr << endl << get_fileline() << ": error: "
 		       << "Cannot apply the '" << name_
 		       << " attribute to non-array objects" << endl;
+                  ivl_assert(*this, false);
 		  return false;
 	    }