diff --git a/src/hb-open-type.hh b/src/hb-open-type.hh
index 52fa1790b..fee71df84 100644
--- a/src/hb-open-type.hh
+++ b/src/hb-open-type.hh
@@ -604,7 +604,7 @@ struct ArrayOf
   hb_array_t<Type> sub_array (unsigned int start_offset, unsigned int *count = nullptr /* IN/OUT */)
   { return as_array ().sub_array (start_offset, count); }
 
-  bool serialize (hb_serialize_context_t *c, unsigned int items_len)
+  hb_success_t serialize (hb_serialize_context_t *c, unsigned items_len)
   {
     TRACE_SERIALIZE (this);
     if (unlikely (!c->extend_min (*this))) return_trace (false);
@@ -614,7 +614,7 @@ struct ArrayOf
   }
   template <typename Iterator,
 	    hb_requires (hb_is_source_of (Iterator, Type))>
-  bool serialize (hb_serialize_context_t *c, Iterator items)
+  hb_success_t serialize (hb_serialize_context_t *c, Iterator items)
   {
     TRACE_SERIALIZE (this);
     unsigned count = items.len ();
diff --git a/src/hb.hh b/src/hb.hh
index 0f7fe19a6..3adca88ff 100644
--- a/src/hb.hh
+++ b/src/hb.hh
@@ -318,6 +318,18 @@ extern "C" void  hb_free_impl(void *ptr);
 #  define HB_FALLTHROUGH /* FALLTHROUGH */
 #endif
 
+/* A tag to enforce use of return value for a function */
+#if __cplusplus >= 201703L
+#  define HB_NODISCARD [[nodiscard]]
+#elif defined(__GNUC__) || defined(__clang__)
+#  define HB_NODISCARD __attribute__((warn_unused_result))
+#elif defined(_MSC_VER)
+#  define HB_NODISCARD _Check_return_
+#else
+#  define HB_NODISCARD
+#endif
+#define hb_success_t HB_NODISCARD bool
+
 /* https://github.com/harfbuzz/harfbuzz/issues/1852 */
 #if defined(__clang__) && !(defined(_AIX) && (defined(__IBMCPP__) || defined(__ibmxl__)))
 /* Disable certain sanitizer errors. */