diff --git a/base/include/base/printf.h b/base/include/base/printf.h
index 3bdb68f597..d3975b1feb 100644
--- a/base/include/base/printf.h
+++ b/base/include/base/printf.h
@@ -63,21 +63,23 @@ namespace Genode {
  *   otherwise nothing (not even the comma) is appended.
  */
 
-/**
- * Print debug message with function name
- */
-#define PDBG(fmt, ...) \
-	Genode::printf("%s: " ESC_DBG fmt ESC_END "\n", \
-	               __PRETTY_FUNCTION__, ##__VA_ARGS__ )
-
 /**
  * Suppress debug messages in release version
  */
 #ifdef GENODE_RELEASE
-#undef PDBG
-#define PDBG(fmt, ...)
+#define DO_PDBG false
+#else
+#define DO_PDBG true
 #endif /* GENODE_RELEASE */
 
+/**
+ * Print debug message with function name
+ */
+#define PDBG(fmt, ...) \
+	if (DO_PDBG) \
+		Genode::printf("%s: " ESC_DBG fmt ESC_END "\n", \
+		               __PRETTY_FUNCTION__, ##__VA_ARGS__ )
+
 /**
  * Print log message
  */