diff --git a/include/libtorrent/config.hpp b/include/libtorrent/config.hpp
index 41b25c1bd..4ff59bab8 100644
--- a/include/libtorrent/config.hpp
+++ b/include/libtorrent/config.hpp
@@ -580,7 +580,8 @@ inline int snprintf(char* buf, int len, char const* fmt, ...)
 #endif
 #endif // TORRENT_USE_ASSERTS
 
-#if TORRENT_USE_ASSERTS && !defined TORRENT_DISABLE_INVARIANT_CHECKS
+#if defined TORRENT_DEBUG && TORRENT_USE_ASSERTS \
+	&& !defined TORRENT_DISABLE_INVARIANT_CHECKS
 #define TORRENT_USE_INVARIANT_CHECKS 1
 #else
 #define TORRENT_USE_INVARIANT_CHECKS 0