diff --git a/hawk/lib/hawk-cmn.h b/hawk/lib/hawk-cmn.h
index 408507f7..4d99d1bf 100644
--- a/hawk/lib/hawk-cmn.h
+++ b/hawk/lib/hawk-cmn.h
@@ -1331,8 +1331,12 @@ typedef enum hawk_log_mask_t hawk_log_mask_t;
 #       define HAWK_UT(txt)    (u ## txt)
 #else
 #       define HAWK_UT(txt)    (L ## txt)
+
+	/* if this assertion fails, you should check the compiler flags determining the sizeof wchar_t */
+	HAWK_STATIC_ASSERT (sizeof(HAWK_UT('X')) == HAWK_SIZEOF_UCH_T);
 #endif
 
+
 /** \def HAWK_T
  * The #HAWK_T macro maps to #HAWK_BT if #HAWK_OOCH_IS_BCH is defined, and to
  * #HAWK_UT if #HAWK_OOCH_IS_UCH is defined.