diff --git a/src/ScreenOptionsMasterPrefs.cpp b/src/ScreenOptionsMasterPrefs.cpp
index 347ecf041d..a3fd2305c8 100644
--- a/src/ScreenOptionsMasterPrefs.cpp
+++ b/src/ScreenOptionsMasterPrefs.cpp
@@ -489,12 +489,15 @@ static void DefaultFailType( int &sel, bool ToSel, const ConfOption *pConfOption
 
 		switch( sel )
 		{
-		case 0:	po.m_FailType = PlayerOptions::FAIL_IMMEDIATE;	break;
-		case 1:	po.m_FailType = PlayerOptions::FAIL_IMMEDIATE_CONTINUE;	break;
-		case 2:	po.m_FailType = PlayerOptions::FAIL_AT_END;	break;
-		case 3:	po.m_FailType = PlayerOptions::FAIL_OFF;		break;
-		default:
-			ASSERT(0);
+			case 0:	po.m_FailType = PlayerOptions::FAIL_IMMEDIATE; break;
+			case 1:	po.m_FailType = PlayerOptions::FAIL_IMMEDIATE_CONTINUE; break;
+			case 2:	po.m_FailType = PlayerOptions::FAIL_AT_END; break;
+			case 3:	po.m_FailType = PlayerOptions::FAIL_OFF; break;
+			default:
+			{
+				LOG->Warn("Invalid fail type %d! Going to use the default...", sel);
+				po.m_FailType = PlayerOptions::FAIL_IMMEDIATE; break;
+			}
 		}
 
 		SetPrefsDefaultModifiers( po, so );