diff --git a/src/mbgl/gl/debugging.cpp b/src/mbgl/gl/debugging.cpp
index 8037fc5ef..07d115633 100644
--- a/src/mbgl/gl/debugging.cpp
+++ b/src/mbgl/gl/debugging.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#ifndef NDEBUG
 #include <mbgl/gl/debugging.hpp>
 #include <mbgl/gl/gl.hpp>
 #include <mbgl/gl/extension.hpp>
@@ -190,5 +189,3 @@ group::~group() {
 } // namespace debugging
 } // namespace gl
 } // namespace mbgl
-
-#endif
diff --git a/src/mbgl/gl/debugging.hpp b/src/mbgl/gl/debugging.hpp
index 42c31cc6c..06b47a419 100644
--- a/src/mbgl/gl/debugging.hpp
+++ b/src/mbgl/gl/debugging.hpp
@@ -1,9 +1,15 @@
 #pragma once
 
-#ifndef NDEBUG
-
 #include <string>
 
+#ifndef NDEBUG
+#define __MBGL_DEBUG_GROUP_NAME2(counter) __MBGL_DEBUG_GROUP_##counter
+#define __MBGL_DEBUG_GROUP_NAME(counter) __MBGL_DEBUG_GROUP_NAME2(counter)
+#define MBGL_DEBUG_GROUP(string) ::mbgl::gl::debugging::group __MBGL_DEBUG_GROUP_NAME(__LINE__)(string);
+#else
+#define MBGL_DEBUG_GROUP(string)
+#endif
+
 namespace mbgl {
 namespace gl {
 namespace debugging {
@@ -18,13 +24,3 @@ struct group {
 } // namespace debugging
 } // namespace gl
 } // namespace mbgl
-
-#define __MBGL_DEBUG_GROUP_NAME2(counter) __MBGL_DEBUG_GROUP_##counter
-#define __MBGL_DEBUG_GROUP_NAME(counter) __MBGL_DEBUG_GROUP_NAME2(counter)
-#define MBGL_DEBUG_GROUP(string) ::mbgl::gl::debugging::group __MBGL_DEBUG_GROUP_NAME(__LINE__)(string);
-
-#else // ifndef NDEBUG
-
-#define MBGL_DEBUG_GROUP(string)
-
-#endif
diff --git a/src/mbgl/renderer/painter.cpp b/src/mbgl/renderer/painter.cpp
index 5894912ef..505007304 100644
--- a/src/mbgl/renderer/painter.cpp
+++ b/src/mbgl/renderer/painter.cpp
@@ -89,9 +89,7 @@ Painter::Painter(gl::Context& context_, const TransformState& state_, float pixe
     tileBorderSegments.emplace_back(0, 0, 4, 5);
     rasterSegments.emplace_back(0, 0, 4, 6);
 
-#ifndef NDEBUG
     gl::debugging::enable();
-#endif
 
     ProgramParameters programParameters{ pixelRatio, false };
     programs = std::make_unique<Programs>(context, programParameters);