(Note: The uclibc implementation in the OP also attempts to flush stdout as part of the _stdio_term() call) It's a bug in the spec, if anything. See the abort(

(Note: The uclibc implementation in the OP also attempts to flush stdout as part of the _stdio_term() call) It's a bug in the spec, if anything. See the abort() spec http://pubs.opengroup.org/onlinepubs/009695399/functions/abort.html http://pubs.opengroup.org/onlinepubs/009695399/functions/abo... Vs the exit() spec http://pubs.opengroup.org/onlinepubs/000095399/functions/exit.html http://pubs.opengroup.org/onlinepubs/000095399/functions/exi... abort() is intended as a last-ditch effort. exit() is the one that attempts to flush all open buffered file descriptors, and should be used in lieu of abort except in cases where you know you're screwed, or explicitly want to throw a signal so a debugger can take a peek.