diff --git a/Objects/stringobject.c b/Objects/stringobject.c
index 982679258b6..ab377dd7a2d 100644
--- a/Objects/stringobject.c
+++ b/Objects/stringobject.c
@@ -1262,7 +1262,9 @@ string_hash(PyStringObject *a)
     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);
diff --git a/Objects/unicodeobject.c b/Objects/unicodeobject.c
index 0ee61c96b38..3dfbea1cc52 100644
--- a/Objects/unicodeobject.c
+++ b/Objects/unicodeobject.c
@@ -6538,7 +6538,9 @@ unicode_hash(PyUnicodeObject *self)
     register Py_UNICODE *p;
     register long x;
 
+#ifdef Py_DEBUG
     assert(_Py_HashSecret_Initialized);
+#endif
     if (self->hash != -1)
         return self->hash;
     len = PyUnicode_GET_SIZE(self);