diff --git a/include/etl/file_error_numbers.h b/include/etl/file_error_numbers.h
index 211c5972..436778f3 100644
--- a/include/etl/file_error_numbers.h
+++ b/include/etl/file_error_numbers.h
@@ -98,5 +98,6 @@ SOFTWARE.
 #define ETL_BIT_STREAM_FILE_ID "65"
 #define ETL_BYTE_STREAM_FILE_ID "66"
 #define ETL_BIP_BUFFER_SPSC_ATOMIC_FILE_ID "67"
+#define ETL_REFERENCE_COUNTED_OBJECT_FILE_ID "68"
 
 #endif
diff --git a/include/etl/reference_counted_object.h b/include/etl/reference_counted_object.h
index 3f22cc99..f506b4e5 100644
--- a/include/etl/reference_counted_object.h
+++ b/include/etl/reference_counted_object.h
@@ -31,11 +31,39 @@
 
 #include "platform.h"
 #include "atomic.h"
+#include "error_handler.h"
 
 #include <stdint.h>
 
 namespace etl
 {
+
+  //***************************************************************************
+  /// Exceptions for reference counting
+  ///\ingroup reference_counting
+  //***************************************************************************
+  class reference_counting_exception : public etl::exception
+  {
+  public:
+    reference_counting_exception(string_type reason_, string_type file_name_, numeric_type line_number_)
+      : exception(reason_, file_name_, line_number_)
+    {
+    }
+  };
+
+  //***************************************************************************
+  /// Reference counter overrun exception
+  ///\ingroup reference_counting
+  //***************************************************************************
+  class reference_count_overrun : public etl::reference_counting_exception
+  {
+  public:
+    reference_count_overrun(string_type file_name_, numeric_type line_number_)
+      : etl::reference_counting_exception(ETL_ERROR_TEXT("reference_counting:overrun", ETL_REFERENCE_COUNTED_OBJECT_FILE_ID"A"), file_name_, line_number_)
+    {
+    }
+  };
+
   //***************************************************************************
   /// The base of all reference counters.
   //***************************************************************************
@@ -87,7 +115,7 @@ namespace etl
     //***************************************************************************
     ETL_NODISCARD virtual int32_t decrement_reference_count() ETL_OVERRIDE
     {
-      assert(reference_count > 0);
+      ETL_ASSERT(reference_count > 0, ETL_ERROR(reference_count_overrun));
 
       return int32_t(--reference_count);
     }