diff --git a/Source/appfat.cpp b/Source/appfat.cpp
index d9c908a8b..427110f46 100644
--- a/Source/appfat.cpp
+++ b/Source/appfat.cpp
@@ -13,6 +13,41 @@ int cleanup_thread_id;
 //	}
 //}
 
+void TriggerBreak()
+{
+#ifdef _DEBUG
+	LPTOP_LEVEL_EXCEPTION_FILTER pFilter;
+
+	pFilter = SetUnhandledExceptionFilter(BreakFilter);
+#ifdef USE_ASM
+	__asm {
+		int		3
+	}
+#else
+	__debugbreak();
+#endif
+	SetUnhandledExceptionFilter(pFilter);
+#endif
+}
+
+#ifdef _DEBUG
+LONG __stdcall BreakFilter(PEXCEPTION_POINTERS pExc)
+{
+	if(pExc->ExceptionRecord == NULL) {
+		return 0;
+	}
+	if(pExc->ExceptionRecord->ExceptionCode != EXCEPTION_BREAKPOINT) {
+		return 0;
+	}
+
+	if(((BYTE *)pExc->ContextRecord->Eip)[0] == 0xCC) { // int 3
+		pExc->ContextRecord->Eip++;
+	}
+
+	return -1;
+}
+#endif
+
 char *GetErrorStr(DWORD error_code)
 {
 	DWORD upper_code;
@@ -421,6 +456,9 @@ void __cdecl app_fatal(const char *pszFmt, ...)
 
 	va_start(va, pszFmt);
 	FreeDlg();
+#ifdef _DEBUG
+	TriggerBreak();
+#endif
 
 	if (pszFmt)
 		MsgBox(pszFmt, va);
diff --git a/Source/appfat.h b/Source/appfat.h
index bab1a4c2c..77d9c620a 100644
--- a/Source/appfat.h
+++ b/Source/appfat.h
@@ -6,6 +6,10 @@ extern char sz_error_buf[256];
 extern int terminating;       // weak
 extern int cleanup_thread_id; // weak
 
+void TriggerBreak();
+#ifdef _DEBUG
+LONG __stdcall BreakFilter(PEXCEPTION_POINTERS pExc);
+#endif
 char *GetErrorStr(DWORD error_code);
 void TraceErrorDD(HRESULT hError, char *pszBuffer, DWORD dwMaxChars);
 void TraceErrorDS(HRESULT hError, char *pszBuffer, DWORD dwMaxChars);
diff --git a/Source/dx.cpp b/Source/dx.cpp
index 89395019d..fea1fdff3 100644
--- a/Source/dx.cpp
+++ b/Source/dx.cpp
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ void dx_init(HWND hWnd)
 		hDDVal = lpDDInterface->lpVtbl->SetCooperativeLevel(lpDDInterface, hWnd, DDSCL_NORMAL | DDSCL_ALLOWREBOOT);
 #endif
 		if(hDDVal == DDERR_EXCLUSIVEMODEALREADYSET) {
-			break_exception();
+			TriggerBreak();
 		} else if(hDDVal != DD_OK) {
 			ErrDlg(IDD_DIALOG1, hDDVal, "C:\\Diablo\\Direct\\dx.cpp", 155);
 		}
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ void dx_init(HWND hWnd)
 		hDDVal = lpDDInterface->lpVtbl->SetCooperativeLevel(lpDDInterface, hWnd, DDSCL_EXCLUSIVE | DDSCL_ALLOWREBOOT | DDSCL_FULLSCREEN);
 #endif
 		if(hDDVal == DDERR_EXCLUSIVEMODEALREADYSET) {
-			break_exception();
+			TriggerBreak();
 		} else if(hDDVal != DD_OK) {
 			ErrDlg(IDD_DIALOG1, hDDVal, "C:\\Src\\Diablo\\Source\\dx.cpp", 170);
 		}
diff --git a/Source/fault.cpp b/Source/fault.cpp
index 0389c4dda..459a724b1 100644
--- a/Source/fault.cpp
+++ b/Source/fault.cpp
@@ -32,17 +32,6 @@ LPTOP_LEVEL_EXCEPTION_FILTER __cdecl fault_cleanup_filter()
 	return fault_reset_filter(&fault_unused);
 }
 
-void break_exception()
-{
-/*
-	LPTOP_LEVEL_EXCEPTION_FILTER pFilter;
-
-	pFilter = SetUnhandledExceptionFilter(TopLevelExceptionFilter);
-	__asm int 3
-	SetUnhandledExceptionFilter(pFilter);
-*/
-}
-
 LONG __stdcall TopLevelExceptionFilter(PEXCEPTION_POINTERS ExceptionInfo)
 {
 	PEXCEPTION_RECORD xcpt;
diff --git a/Source/fault.h b/Source/fault.h
index 5b5c6250a..ec669c7ac 100644
--- a/Source/fault.h
+++ b/Source/fault.h
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ extern LPTOP_LEVEL_EXCEPTION_FILTER lpTopLevelExceptionFilter;
 void fault_init_filter();
 void fault_cleanup_filter_atexit();
 LPTOP_LEVEL_EXCEPTION_FILTER __cdecl fault_cleanup_filter();
-void break_exception();
 LONG __stdcall TopLevelExceptionFilter(PEXCEPTION_POINTERS ExceptionInfo);
 void fault_hex_format(BYTE *ptr, unsigned int numBytes);
 void fault_unknown_module(LPCVOID lpAddress, LPSTR lpModuleName, int iMaxLength, int *sectionNum, int *sectionOffset);