diff --git a/core/core.mk b/core/core.mk
index 3db58fb2b..bd458e5eb 100755
--- a/core/core.mk
+++ b/core/core.mk
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ endif
 ifdef FOR_PANDORA
 RZDCY_CFLAGS	:= \
 	$(CFLAGS) -c -O3 \
-	-DRELEASE -DPANDORA\
+	-DNDEBUG -DPANDORA\
 	-march=armv7-a -mtune=cortex-a8 -mfpu=neon -mfloat-abi=softfp \
 	-frename-registers -fsingle-precision-constant -ffast-math \
 	-ftree-vectorize -fomit-frame-pointer
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ else
 	ifdef FOR_ANDROID
 RZDCY_CFLAGS	:= \
 		$(CFLAGS) -c -O3 \
-		-D_ANDROID -DRELEASE \
+		-D_ANDROID -DNDEBUG \
 		-frename-registers -fsingle-precision-constant -ffast-math \
 		-ftree-vectorize -fomit-frame-pointer
 
diff --git a/core/deps/picotcp/include/arch/pico_posix.h b/core/deps/picotcp/include/arch/pico_posix.h
index de9bab022..4957a2511 100644
--- a/core/deps/picotcp/include/arch/pico_posix.h
+++ b/core/deps/picotcp/include/arch/pico_posix.h
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
    #define TIME_PRESCALE
    #define PICO_SUPPORT_THREADING
  */
-#if defined(RELEASE) && !defined(DEBUGFAST)
+#if defined(NDEBUG) && !defined(DEBUGFAST)
 #define dbg(...)
 #else
 #define dbg printf
diff --git a/core/deps/xbrz/xbrz_config.h b/core/deps/xbrz/xbrz_config.h
index 4995473b8..2bb1e631e 100644
--- a/core/deps/xbrz/xbrz_config.h
+++ b/core/deps/xbrz/xbrz_config.h
@@ -16,8 +16,6 @@
 #ifndef XBRZ_CONFIG_HEADER_284578425345
 #define XBRZ_CONFIG_HEADER_284578425345
 
-#define NDEBUG
-
 //do NOT include any headers here! used by xBRZ_dll!!!
 
 namespace xbrz
diff --git a/core/hw/aica/dsp_interp.cpp b/core/hw/aica/dsp_interp.cpp
index 408c95d07..50b79c873 100644
--- a/core/hw/aica/dsp_interp.cpp
+++ b/core/hw/aica/dsp_interp.cpp
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 
 #if FEAT_DSPREC != DYNAREC_JIT
 
-#ifdef RELEASE
+#ifdef NDEBUG
 #undef verify
 #define verify(...)
 #endif
diff --git a/core/hw/modem/modem.cpp b/core/hw/modem/modem.cpp
index a4f970137..2032aa9cb 100644
--- a/core/hw/modem/modem.cpp
+++ b/core/hw/modem/modem.cpp
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ static void DSPTestEnd();
 static u64 last_dial_time;
 static u64 connected_time;
 
-#ifndef RELEASE
+#ifndef NDEBUG
 static double last_comm_stats;
 static int sent_bytes;
 static int recvd_bytes;
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ static FILE *sent_fp;
 
 static int modem_sched_func(int tag, int cycles, int jitter)
 {
-#ifndef RELEASE
+#ifndef NDEBUG
 	if (os_GetSeconds() - last_comm_stats >= 2)
 	{
 		if (last_comm_stats != 0)
@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@ static int modem_sched_func(int tag, int cycles, int jitter)
 			break;
 
 		case CONNECTED:
-#ifndef RELEASE
+#ifndef NDEBUG
 			static bool mem_dumped;
 			if (!mem_dumped)
 			{
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@ static int modem_sched_func(int tag, int cycles, int jitter)
 				if (c >= 0 && sh4_sched_now64() - connected_time >= SH4_MAIN_CLOCK / 4)
 				{
 					//LOG("pppd received %02x", c);
-#ifndef RELEASE
+#ifndef NDEBUG
 					recvd_bytes++;
 #endif
 					modem_regs.reg00 = c & 0xFF;
@@ -460,7 +460,7 @@ static u8 download_crc;
 
 static void ModemNormalWrite(u32 reg, u32 data)
 {
-#ifndef RELEASE
+#ifndef NDEBUG
 	if (recv_fp == NULL)
 	{
 		recv_fp = fopen("ppp_recv.dump", "w");
@@ -512,7 +512,7 @@ static void ModemNormalWrite(u32 reg, u32 data)
 		else if (connect_state == CONNECTED && modem_regs.reg08.RTS)
 		{
 			//LOG("ModemNormalWrite : TBUFFER = %X", data);
-#ifndef RELEASE
+#ifndef NDEBUG
 			sent_bytes++;
 			if (sent_fp)
 				fputc(data, sent_fp);
@@ -676,7 +676,7 @@ u32 ModemReadMem_A0_006(u32 addr, u32 size)
 					modem_regs.reg1e.RDBF = 0;
 					SET_STATUS_BIT(0x0c, modem_regs.reg0c.RXFNE, 0);
 					SET_STATUS_BIT(0x01, modem_regs.reg01.RXHF, 0);
-#ifndef RELEASE
+#ifndef NDEBUG
 					if (connect_state == CONNECTED && recv_fp)
 						fputc(data, recv_fp);
 #endif
diff --git a/core/hw/pvr/ta_vtx.cpp b/core/hw/pvr/ta_vtx.cpp
index 371249592..1f976cceb 100644
--- a/core/hw/pvr/ta_vtx.cpp
+++ b/core/hw/pvr/ta_vtx.cpp
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ u32 ta_type_lut[256];
 extern int screen_height;
 
 #define TACALL DYNACALL
-#ifdef RELEASE
+#ifdef NDEBUG
 #undef verify
 #define verify(x)
 #endif
diff --git a/core/log/Log.h b/core/log/Log.h
index ec3aedb12..6610fbb45 100644
--- a/core/log/Log.h
+++ b/core/log/Log.h
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ __attribute__((format(printf, 5, 6)))
 #endif
 ;
 
-#if !defined(RELEASE) || defined(DEBUGFAST)
+#if !defined(NDEBUG) || defined(DEBUGFAST)
 #define MAX_LOGLEVEL LogTypes::LOG_LEVELS::LDEBUG
 #else
 #ifndef MAX_LOGLEVEL
diff --git a/core/rend/vulkan/vmallocator.cpp b/core/rend/vulkan/vmallocator.cpp
index 007c8f978..8f2ce9492 100644
--- a/core/rend/vulkan/vmallocator.cpp
+++ b/core/rend/vulkan/vmallocator.cpp
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ void VMAllocator::Init(vk::PhysicalDevice physicalDevice, vk::Device device)
 
 	allocatorInfo.physicalDevice = (VkPhysicalDevice)physicalDevice;
 	allocatorInfo.device = (VkDevice)device;
-#if !defined(RELEASE) || defined(DEBUGFAST)
+#if !defined(NDEBUG) || defined(DEBUGFAST)
 	allocatorInfo.pDeviceMemoryCallbacks = &memoryCallbacks;
 #endif
 	VkResult rc = vmaCreateAllocator(&allocatorInfo, &allocator);
diff --git a/core/wsi/xgl.cpp b/core/wsi/xgl.cpp
index c29de3745..eaed5d10b 100644
--- a/core/wsi/xgl.cpp
+++ b/core/wsi/xgl.cpp
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ bool XGLGraphicsContext::Init()
 	{
 			GLX_CONTEXT_MAJOR_VERSION_ARB, 4,
 			GLX_CONTEXT_MINOR_VERSION_ARB, 3,
-#ifndef RELEASE
+#ifndef NDEBUG
 			GLX_CONTEXT_FLAGS_ARB, GLX_CONTEXT_DEBUG_BIT_ARB,
 #endif
 			GLX_CONTEXT_PROFILE_MASK_ARB, GLX_CONTEXT_CORE_PROFILE_BIT_ARB,
diff --git a/shell/apple/emulator-osx/reicast-osx.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj b/shell/apple/emulator-osx/reicast-osx.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj
index 9d3ca7909..06e6df1f9 100644
--- a/shell/apple/emulator-osx/reicast-osx.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj
+++ b/shell/apple/emulator-osx/reicast-osx.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj
@@ -3097,7 +3097,7 @@
 					_7ZIP_ST,
 					CHD5_FLAC,
 					"HAVE_CONFIG_H=1",
-					RELEASE,
+					NDEBUG,
 					"USE_SDL=1",
 					XXH_INLINE_ALL,
 					VK_USE_PLATFORM_MACOS_MVK,
@@ -3414,7 +3414,7 @@
 					_7ZIP_ST,
 					CHD5_FLAC,
 					"HAVE_CONFIG_H=1",
-					RELEASE,
+					NDEBUG,
 					XXH_INLINE_ALL,
 					"${CFLAGS}",
 				);
diff --git a/shell/cmake/CMakeLists.txt b/shell/cmake/CMakeLists.txt
index 6ef80613d..e8bf3d773 100644
--- a/shell/cmake/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/shell/cmake/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -42,10 +42,6 @@ else()
   set(arch "${CMAKE_SYSTEM_PROCESSOR}")
 endif()
 
-if("${CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE}" STREQUAL Release)
-  add_definitions(-DRELEASE)
-endif()
-
 add_definitions(-DUSES_HOMEDIR)
 add_definitions(-DTARGET_NO_AREC)
 
diff --git a/shell/linux/Makefile b/shell/linux/Makefile
index 3307b6d48..de332b81c 100644
--- a/shell/linux/Makefile
+++ b/shell/linux/Makefile
@@ -294,7 +294,7 @@ include $(RZDCY_SRC_DIR)/core.mk
 
 LDFLAGS += -g -Wl,-Map,$(notdir $@).map,--gc-sections -Wl,-O3 -Wl,--sort-common -fopenmp
 
-CFLAGS += $(RZDCY_CFLAGS) -g -O3 -D RELEASE -c -D USES_HOMEDIR -fopenmp #-D NO_REND
+CFLAGS += $(RZDCY_CFLAGS) -g -O3 -D NDEBUG -c -D USES_HOMEDIR -fopenmp #-D NO_REND
 CFLAGS += -frename-registers -fno-strict-aliasing
 CFLAGS += -ffast-math -ftree-vectorize  -Wno-unused-result