diff --git a/src/handlers.c b/src/handlers.c
index b5ffade..2d0e8e0 100644
--- a/src/handlers.c
+++ b/src/handlers.c
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
 
 ZEND_EXTERN_MODULE_GLOBALS(uopz);
 
-#define UOPZ_HANDLERS_COUNT 12
+#define UOPZ_HANDLERS_COUNT 13
 
 #ifdef ZEND_VM_FP_GLOBAL_REG
 #	define UOPZ_OPCODE_HANDLER_ARGS
@@ -99,6 +99,7 @@ typedef struct _uopz_vm_handler_t {
 } uopz_vm_handler_t;
 
 zend_vm_handler_t zend_vm_exit;
+zend_vm_handler_t zend_vm_verify_never_type;
 zend_vm_handler_t zend_vm_new;
 zend_vm_handler_t zend_vm_fetch_constant;
 zend_vm_handler_t zend_vm_do_fcall;
@@ -112,6 +113,7 @@ zend_vm_handler_t zend_vm_init_method_call;
 zend_vm_handler_t zend_vm_init_static_method_call;
 
 int uopz_vm_exit(UOPZ_OPCODE_HANDLER_ARGS);
+int uopz_vm_verify_never_type(UOPZ_OPCODE_HANDLER_ARGS);
 int uopz_vm_new(UOPZ_OPCODE_HANDLER_ARGS);
 int uopz_vm_fetch_constant(UOPZ_OPCODE_HANDLER_ARGS);
 int uopz_vm_do_fcall(UOPZ_OPCODE_HANDLER_ARGS);
@@ -125,6 +127,7 @@ int uopz_vm_init_static_method_call(UOPZ_OPCODE_HANDLER_ARGS);
 
 UOPZ_HANDLERS_DECL_BEGIN()
 	UOPZ_HANDLER_DECL(ZEND_EXIT,					exit)
+	UOPZ_HANDLER_DECL(ZEND_VERIFY_NEVER_TYPE,		verify_never_type)
 	UOPZ_HANDLER_DECL(ZEND_NEW,					 	new)
 	UOPZ_HANDLER_DECL(ZEND_FETCH_CONSTANT,		  	fetch_constant)
 	UOPZ_HANDLER_DECL(ZEND_FETCH_CLASS_CONSTANT,	fetch_class_constant)
@@ -155,7 +158,7 @@ void uopz_handlers_init(void) {
 
 void uopz_handlers_shutdown(void) {
 	uopz_vm_handler_t *handler = uopz_vm_handlers;
-	
+
 	while (handler) {
 		if (!handler->opcode) {
 			break;
@@ -173,6 +176,10 @@ static zend_always_inline int _uopz_vm_dispatch(UOPZ_OPCODE_HANDLER_ARGS) {
 			zend = zend_vm_exit;
 		break;
 
+		case ZEND_VERIFY_NEVER_TYPE:
+			zend = zend_vm_verify_never_type;
+		break;
+
 		case ZEND_NEW:
 			zend = zend_vm_new;
 		break;
@@ -195,7 +202,7 @@ static zend_always_inline int _uopz_vm_dispatch(UOPZ_OPCODE_HANDLER_ARGS) {
 
 		case ZEND_INIT_STATIC_METHOD_CALL:
 			zend = zend_vm_init_static_method_call;
-		break;		
+		break;
 
 		case ZEND_FETCH_CONSTANT:
 			zend = zend_vm_fetch_constant;
@@ -267,6 +274,12 @@ int uopz_vm_exit(UOPZ_OPCODE_HANDLER_ARGS) { /* {{{ */
 	}
 } /* }}} */
 
+int uopz_vm_verify_never_type(UOPZ_OPCODE_HANDLER_ARGS) { /* {{{ */
+	if (UOPZ(exit)) {
+		UOPZ_VM_DISPATCH();
+	} else UOPZ_VM_RETURN();
+} /* }}} */
+
 int uopz_vm_new(UOPZ_OPCODE_HANDLER_ARGS) { /* {{{ */
 	UOPZ_USE_OPLINE;
 	zval *result;
@@ -274,7 +287,7 @@ int uopz_vm_new(UOPZ_OPCODE_HANDLER_ARGS) { /* {{{ */
 	zend_class_entry *ce;
 	zend_execute_data *call;
 	zend_object *obj = NULL;
-	
+
 	UOPZ_SAVE_OPLINE();
 
 	if (opline->op1_type == IS_CONST) {
diff --git a/src/handlers.h b/src/handlers.h
index 85eeaf9..db3a4d9 100644
--- a/src/handlers.h
+++ b/src/handlers.h
@@ -22,6 +22,10 @@
 void uopz_handlers_init(void);
 void uopz_handlers_shutdown(void);
 
+#ifndef ZEND_VERIFY_RETURN_TYPE
+#define ZEND_VERIFY_RETURN_TYPE         124
+#endif
+
 #endif	/* UOPZ_HANDLERS_H */
 
 /*
diff --git a/tests/bugs/gh172.phpt b/tests/bugs/gh172.phpt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..da60704
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/bugs/gh172.phpt
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+--TEST--
+handle ZEND_VERIFY_NEVER_TYPE when uopz.exit disabled
+--EXTENSIONS--
+uopz
+--INI--
+uopz.disable=0
+uopz.exit=0
+opcache.enable_cli=0
+xdebug.enable=0
+--FILE--
+<?php
+
+function x(): never {
+  exit(10);
+}
+
+x();
+
+var_dump(uopz_get_exit_status());
+
+uopz_allow_exit(true);
+
+exit(20);
+
+echo "not here\n";
+
+?>
+--EXPECT--
+int(10)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/bugs/gh172a.phpt b/tests/bugs/gh172a.phpt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2120931
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/bugs/gh172a.phpt
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+--TEST--
+do not handle ZEND_VERIFY_NEVER_TYPE if not uopz_allow_exit
+--EXTENSIONS--
+uopz
+--INI--
+uopz.disable=0
+uopz.exit=1
+opcache.enable_cli=0
+xdebug.enable=0
+--FILE--
+<?php
+
+function x(): never {
+  return "here";
+}
+x();
+
+?>
+--EXPECTF--
+Fatal error: A never-returning function must not return in %s
\ No newline at end of file