diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index b87b1f8a..98fb2023 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@ xbps-0.15 (???):
   file not modified". When extracting package files, always set
   permissions from binary package, even if file has not been modified.
 
+ * Enabled assertions by default even if --debug not enabled. We want
+  to enforce correct behaviour even in release builds.
+
 xbps-0.14 (2012-02-28):
 
  * Fixed 'xbps-bin reconfigure all' (regression added in 0.13).
diff --git a/include/xbps_api_impl.h b/include/xbps_api_impl.h
index b8cb147b..b8bfdb02 100644
--- a/include/xbps_api_impl.h
+++ b/include/xbps_api_impl.h
@@ -27,9 +27,6 @@
 #ifndef _XBPS_API_IMPL_H_
 #define _XBPS_API_IMPL_H_
 
-#ifndef DEBUG
-#  define NDEBUG
-#endif
 #include <assert.h>
 #include <xbps_api.h>
 #include "compat.h"