diff --git a/heed-traits/src/lib.rs b/heed-traits/src/lib.rs
index af8c2102..88fb0efe 100644
--- a/heed-traits/src/lib.rs
+++ b/heed-traits/src/lib.rs
@@ -42,11 +42,6 @@ pub trait BytesDecode<'a> {
 /// with shorter keys collating before longer keys.
 pub trait Comparator {
     /// Compares the raw bytes representation of two keys.
-    ///
-    /// # Safety
-    ///
-    /// This function must never crash, this is the reason why it takes raw bytes as parameter,
-    /// to let you define the recovery method you want in case of a decoding error.
     fn compare(a: &[u8], b: &[u8]) -> Ordering;
 }
 
@@ -61,10 +56,6 @@ pub trait Comparator {
 pub trait LexicographicComparator: Comparator {
     /// Compare a single byte; this function is used to implement [`Comparator::compare`]
     /// by definition of lexicographic ordering.
-    ///
-    /// # Safety
-    ///
-    /// This function must never crash.
     fn compare_elem(a: u8, b: u8) -> Ordering;
 
     /// Advances the given `elem` to its immediate lexicographic successor, if possible.
diff --git a/heed/src/env.rs b/heed/src/env.rs
index 74b64dd7..99ecf54a 100644
--- a/heed/src/env.rs
+++ b/heed/src/env.rs
@@ -9,7 +9,9 @@ use std::os::unix::{
     ffi::OsStrExt,
     io::{AsRawFd, BorrowedFd, RawFd},
 };
+use std::panic::catch_unwind;
 use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
+use std::process::abort;
 use std::sync::{Arc, RwLock};
 use std::time::Duration;
 #[cfg(windows)]
@@ -371,16 +373,23 @@ impl Drop for EnvInner {
 
 /// A helper function that transforms the LMDB types into Rust types (`MDB_val` into slices)
 /// and vice versa, the Rust types into C types (`Ordering` into an integer).
-extern "C" fn custom_key_cmp_wrapper<C: Comparator>(
+///
+/// # Safety
+///
+/// `a` and `b` should both properly aligned, valid for reads and should point to a valid
+/// [`MDB_val`][ffi::MDB_val]. An [`MDB_val`][ffi::MDB_val] (consists of a pointer and size) is
+/// valid when its pointer (`mv_data`) is valid for reads of `mv_size` bytes and is not null.
+unsafe extern "C" fn custom_key_cmp_wrapper<C: Comparator>(
     a: *const ffi::MDB_val,
     b: *const ffi::MDB_val,
 ) -> i32 {
     let a = unsafe { ffi::from_val(*a) };
     let b = unsafe { ffi::from_val(*b) };
-    match C::compare(a, b) {
-        Ordering::Less => -1,
-        Ordering::Equal => 0,
-        Ordering::Greater => 1,
+    match catch_unwind(|| C::compare(a, b)) {
+        Ok(Ordering::Less) => -1,
+        Ok(Ordering::Equal) => 0,
+        Ok(Ordering::Greater) => 1,
+        Err(_) => abort(),
     }
 }