diff --git a/src/intel/compiler/brw_fs.h b/src/intel/compiler/brw_fs.h
index 7239f42585f..778853fa0cf 100644
--- a/src/intel/compiler/brw_fs.h
+++ b/src/intel/compiler/brw_fs.h
@@ -256,7 +256,13 @@ public:
                       unsigned *out_pull_index);
    bool lower_constant_loads();
    virtual void invalidate_analysis(brw::analysis_dependency_class c);
+
+#ifndef NDEBUG
    void validate();
+#else
+   void validate() {}
+#endif
+
    bool opt_algebraic();
    bool opt_redundant_halt();
    bool opt_cse();
diff --git a/src/intel/compiler/brw_fs_validate.cpp b/src/intel/compiler/brw_fs_validate.cpp
index 35cf4399984..c285cc2dc26 100644
--- a/src/intel/compiler/brw_fs_validate.cpp
+++ b/src/intel/compiler/brw_fs_validate.cpp
@@ -86,10 +86,10 @@
       }                                                                 \
    }
 
+#ifndef NDEBUG
 void
 fs_visitor::validate()
 {
-#ifndef NDEBUG
    foreach_block_and_inst (block, fs_inst, inst, cfg) {
       switch (inst->opcode) {
       case SHADER_OPCODE_SEND:
@@ -193,5 +193,5 @@ fs_visitor::validate()
          fsv_assert_eq(inst->dst.stride, 1);
       }
    }
-#endif
 }
+#endif