diff --git a/Objects/stringobject.c b/Objects/stringobject.c
index 9826792..ab377dd 100644
--- a/Objects/stringobject.c
+++ b/Objects/stringobject.c
@@ -1262,7 +1262,9 @@
     register unsigned char *p;
     register long x;
 
+#ifdef Py_DEBUG
     assert(_Py_HashSecret_Initialized);
+#endif
     if (a->ob_shash != -1)
         return a->ob_shash;
     len = Py_SIZE(a);