diff --git a/src/zm_font.h b/src/zm_font.h
index b606108b2..e1f03d7d1 100644
--- a/src/zm_font.h
+++ b/src/zm_font.h
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@
 
 #include "zm_define.h"
 #include <array>
-#include <cassert>
 #include "span.hpp"
 #include <string>
 #include <vector>
diff --git a/src/zm_utils.h b/src/zm_utils.h
index ea56f0b0b..87f9132eb 100644
--- a/src/zm_utils.h
+++ b/src/zm_utils.h
@@ -31,6 +31,14 @@
 #include <sys/time.h>
 #include <vector>
 
+
+#ifdef NDEBUG
+#define ASSERT(x) do { (void) sizeof(x); } while (0)
+#else
+#include <cassert>
+#define ASSERT(x) assert(x)
+#endif
+
 typedef std::vector<std::string> StringVector;
 
 std::string Trim(const std::string &str, const std::string &char_set);