diff --git a/crypto/secp256k1/secp256.go b/crypto/secp256k1/secp256.go
index c9c01b3209..61abc1eaf0 100644
--- a/crypto/secp256k1/secp256.go
+++ b/crypto/secp256k1/secp256.go
@@ -21,11 +21,14 @@ package secp256k1
 #  define USE_SCALAR_8X32
 #endif
 
+#ifndef NDEBUG
+#  define NDEBUG
+#endif
+
 #define USE_ENDOMORPHISM
 #define USE_NUM_NONE
 #define USE_FIELD_INV_BUILTIN
 #define USE_SCALAR_INV_BUILTIN
-#define NDEBUG
 #include "./libsecp256k1/src/secp256k1.c"
 #include "./libsecp256k1/src/modules/recovery/main_impl.h"
 #include "ext.h"