diff --git a/include/boost/property_tree/json_parser/detail/standard_callbacks.hpp b/include/boost/property_tree/json_parser/detail/standard_callbacks.hpp
index 0ece28089..4c9636bfb 100644
--- a/include/boost/property_tree/json_parser/detail/standard_callbacks.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/property_tree/json_parser/detail/standard_callbacks.hpp
@@ -117,7 +117,6 @@ namespace boost { namespace property_tree {
                 return *stack.back().t;
             }
             case object:
-            default:
                 BOOST_ASSERT(false); // must start with string, i.e. call new_value
             case key: {
                 l.t->push_back(std::make_pair(key_buffer, Ptree()));
@@ -130,6 +129,7 @@ namespace boost { namespace property_tree {
                 stack.pop_back();
                 return new_tree();
             }
+            BOOST_ASSERT(false);
         }
         string& new_value() {
             if (stack.empty()) return new_tree().data();