diff --git a/common/scummsys.h b/common/scummsys.h
index 399de75b..1b7e23a5 100644
--- a/common/scummsys.h
+++ b/common/scummsys.h
@@ -479,5 +479,32 @@
 	typedef uint16 OverlayColor;
 #endif
 
+#ifndef STATIC_ASSERT
+#if __cplusplus >= 201103L || (defined(_MSC_VER) && _MSC_VER > 1600)
+	/**
+	 * Generates a compile-time assertion.
+	 *
+	 * @param expression An expression that can be evaluated at compile time.
+	 * @param message An underscore-delimited message to be presented at compile
+	 * time if the expression evaluates to false.
+	 */
+	#define STATIC_ASSERT(expression, message) \
+		static_assert((expression), #message)
+#else
+	/**
+	 * Generates a compile-time assertion.
+	 *
+	 * @param expression An expression that can be evaluated at compile time.
+	 * @param message An underscore-delimited message to be presented at compile
+	 * time if the expression evaluates to false.
+	 */
+	#define STATIC_ASSERT(expression, message) \
+		do { \
+			extern int STATIC_ASSERT_##message[(expression) ? 1 : -1]; \
+			(void)(STATIC_ASSERT_##message); \
+		} while (false)
+#endif
+#endif
+
 
 #endif