diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 7ec69f9b..c49e0644 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -8,8 +8,8 @@ SET(CMAKE_POLICY_DEFAULT_CMP0077 NEW)
 SET(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 20)
 SET(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD_REQUIRED True)
 
-SET(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_RELEASE "-O3 -Wno-deprecated-enum-enum-conversion")
-SET(CMAKE_C_FLAGS_RELEASE "-O3")
+SET(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_RELEASE "-O3 -Wno-deprecated-enum-enum-conversion -DNDEBUG")
+SET(CMAKE_C_FLAGS_RELEASE "-O3 -DNDEBUG")
 
 SET(JFJOCH_WRITER_ONLY           OFF CACHE BOOL "Compile HDF5 writer only")
 SET(JFJOCH_INSTALL_DRIVER_SOURCE OFF CACHE BOOL "Install kernel driver source (ignored if building writer only; necessary for RPM building)")