diff --git a/include/assimp/defs.h b/include/assimp/defs.h
index 6f2f8ae88..d8fc98179 100644
--- a/include/assimp/defs.h
+++ b/include/assimp/defs.h
@@ -306,7 +306,11 @@ static const ai_real ai_epsilon = (ai_real) 0.00001;
 #define AI_MAX_ALLOC(type) ((256U * 1024 * 1024) / sizeof(type))
 
 #ifndef _MSC_VER
-#  define AI_NO_EXCEPT noexcept
+#  if __cplusplus >= 201103L // C++11
+#    define AI_NO_EXCEPT noexcept
+#  else
+#    define AI_NO_EXCEPT
+#  endif
 #else
 #  if (_MSC_VER >= 1915 )
 #    define AI_NO_EXCEPT noexcept