diff --git a/src/hotspot/os/windows/os_windows.cpp b/src/hotspot/os/windows/os_windows.cpp
index 802054ff9a2..bb3e47050b2 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/os/windows/os_windows.cpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/os/windows/os_windows.cpp
@@ -505,12 +505,17 @@ struct tm* os::gmtime_pd(const time_t* clock, struct tm* res) {
   return nullptr;
 }
 
+enum Ept { EPT_THREAD, EPT_PROCESS, EPT_PROCESS_DIE };
+// Wrapper around _endthreadex(), exit() and _exit()
+[[noreturn]]
+static void exit_process_or_thread(Ept what, int code);
+
 JNIEXPORT
 LONG WINAPI topLevelExceptionFilter(struct _EXCEPTION_POINTERS* exceptionInfo);
 
 // Thread start routine for all newly created threads.
 // Called with the associated Thread* as the argument.
-unsigned __stdcall os::win32::thread_native_entry(void* t) {
+static unsigned __stdcall thread_native_entry(void* t) {
   Thread* thread = static_cast<Thread*>(t);
 
   thread->record_stack_base_and_size();
@@ -558,7 +563,8 @@ unsigned __stdcall os::win32::thread_native_entry(void* t) {
 
   // Thread must not return from exit_process_or_thread(), but if it does,
   // let it proceed to exit normally
-  return (unsigned)os::win32::exit_process_or_thread(os::win32::EPT_THREAD, res);
+  exit_process_or_thread(EPT_THREAD, res);
+  return res;
 }
 
 static OSThread* create_os_thread(Thread* thread, HANDLE thread_handle,
@@ -745,7 +751,7 @@ bool os::create_thread(Thread* thread, ThreadType thr_type,
     thread_handle =
       (HANDLE)_beginthreadex(nullptr,
                              (unsigned)stack_size,
-                             &os::win32::thread_native_entry,
+                             &thread_native_entry,
                              thread,
                              initflag,
                              &thread_id);
@@ -1202,7 +1208,7 @@ void os::abort(bool dump_core, void* siginfo, const void* context) {
     if (dumpFile != nullptr) {
       CloseHandle(dumpFile);
     }
-    win32::exit_process_or_thread(win32::EPT_PROCESS, 1);
+    exit_process_or_thread(EPT_PROCESS, 1);
   }
 
   dumpType = (MINIDUMP_TYPE)(MiniDumpWithFullMemory | MiniDumpWithHandleData |
@@ -1226,12 +1232,12 @@ void os::abort(bool dump_core, void* siginfo, const void* context) {
     jio_fprintf(stderr, "Call to MiniDumpWriteDump() failed (Error 0x%x)\n", GetLastError());
   }
   CloseHandle(dumpFile);
-  win32::exit_process_or_thread(win32::EPT_PROCESS, 1);
+  exit_process_or_thread(EPT_PROCESS, 1);
 }
 
 // Die immediately, no exit hook, no abort hook, no cleanup.
 void os::die() {
-  win32::exit_process_or_thread(win32::EPT_PROCESS_DIE, -1);
+  exit_process_or_thread(EPT_PROCESS_DIE, -1);
 }
 
 void  os::dll_unload(void *lib) {
@@ -4097,7 +4103,7 @@ static BOOL CALLBACK init_crit_sect_call(PINIT_ONCE, PVOID pcrit_sect, PVOID*) {
   return TRUE;
 }
 
-int os::win32::exit_process_or_thread(Ept what, int exit_code) {
+static void exit_process_or_thread(Ept what, int exit_code) {
   // Basic approach:
   //  - Each exiting thread registers its intent to exit and then does so.
   //  - A thread trying to terminate the process must wait for all
@@ -4275,7 +4281,7 @@ int os::win32::exit_process_or_thread(Ept what, int exit_code) {
   }
 
   // Should not reach here
-  return exit_code;
+  os::infinite_sleep();
 }
 
 #undef EXIT_TIMEOUT
@@ -4853,11 +4859,11 @@ ssize_t os::pd_write(int fd, const void *buf, size_t nBytes) {
 }
 
 void os::exit(int num) {
-  win32::exit_process_or_thread(win32::EPT_PROCESS, num);
+  exit_process_or_thread(EPT_PROCESS, num);
 }
 
 void os::_exit(int num) {
-  win32::exit_process_or_thread(win32::EPT_PROCESS_DIE, num);
+  exit_process_or_thread(EPT_PROCESS_DIE, num);
 }
 
 // Is a (classpath) directory empty?
diff --git a/src/hotspot/os/windows/os_windows.hpp b/src/hotspot/os/windows/os_windows.hpp
index 2f90da71554..5bf402069f3 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/os/windows/os_windows.hpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/os/windows/os_windows.hpp
@@ -70,13 +70,6 @@ class os::win32 {
   static HINSTANCE load_Windows_dll(const char* name, char *ebuf, int ebuflen);
 
  private:
-  // The handler passed to _beginthreadex().
-  // Called with the associated Thread* as the argument.
-  static unsigned __stdcall thread_native_entry(void*);
-
-  enum Ept { EPT_THREAD, EPT_PROCESS, EPT_PROCESS_DIE };
-  // Wrapper around _endthreadex(), exit() and _exit()
-  static int exit_process_or_thread(Ept what, int exit_code);
 
   static void initialize_performance_counter();
 
diff --git a/src/hotspot/os/windows/vmError_windows.cpp b/src/hotspot/os/windows/vmError_windows.cpp
index 2443246f5e5..c149a7f4c37 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/os/windows/vmError_windows.cpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/os/windows/vmError_windows.cpp
@@ -71,4 +71,5 @@ void VMError::raise_fail_fast(void* exrecord, void* context) {
   RaiseFailFastException(static_cast<PEXCEPTION_RECORD>(exrecord),
                          static_cast<PCONTEXT>(context),
                          flags);
+  os::infinite_sleep();
 }
diff --git a/src/hotspot/share/utilities/vmError.hpp b/src/hotspot/share/utilities/vmError.hpp
index 88ba476891e..d5d4279bb0b 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/share/utilities/vmError.hpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/utilities/vmError.hpp
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ class VMError : public AllStatic {
   static jlong get_step_start_time();
   static void clear_step_start_time();
 
-  WINDOWS_ONLY(ATTRIBUTE_NORETURN static void raise_fail_fast(void* exrecord, void* context);)
+  WINDOWS_ONLY([[noreturn]] static void raise_fail_fast(void* exrecord, void* context);)
 
 public: