diff --git a/boa_engine/src/lib.rs b/boa_engine/src/lib.rs
index 28b9678baa7..6a3d6bcbded 100644
--- a/boa_engine/src/lib.rs
+++ b/boa_engine/src/lib.rs
@@ -125,6 +125,9 @@
     clippy::missing_panics_doc,
 )]
 
+#[cfg(not(target_has_atomic = "ptr"))]
+compile_error!("Boa requires a lock free `AtomicUsize` in order to work properly.");
+
 extern crate static_assertions as sa;
 
 pub mod bigint;
diff --git a/boa_engine/src/symbol.rs b/boa_engine/src/symbol.rs
index 137ba9babde..472b1bf7fdd 100644
--- a/boa_engine/src/symbol.rs
+++ b/boa_engine/src/symbol.rs
@@ -33,11 +33,12 @@ use num_enum::{IntoPrimitive, TryFromPrimitive};
 
 use std::{
     hash::{Hash, Hasher},
-    sync::{atomic::Ordering, Arc},
+    sync::{
+        atomic::{AtomicUsize, Ordering},
+        Arc,
+    },
 };
 
-use portable_atomic::AtomicUsize;
-
 /// Reserved number of symbols.
 ///
 /// This is where the well known symbol live