diff --git a/src/mesa/state_tracker/st_atom.c b/src/mesa/state_tracker/st_atom.c
index e29ab46ef99..bf160fe1080 100644
--- a/src/mesa/state_tracker/st_atom.c
+++ b/src/mesa/state_tracker/st_atom.c
@@ -147,7 +147,11 @@ void st_validate_state( struct st_context *st )
 
    /*printf("%s %x/%x\n", __FUNCTION__, state->mesa, state->st);*/
 
+#ifdef NDEBUG
+   if (0) {
+#else
    if (1) {
+#endif
       /* Debug version which enforces various sanity checks on the
        * state flags which are generated and checked to help ensure
        * state atoms are ordered correctly in the list.