diff --git a/cogl/cogl-pipeline-debug.c b/cogl/cogl-pipeline-debug.c
index cd311119d..afac99040 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl-pipeline-debug.c
+++ b/cogl/cogl-pipeline-debug.c
@@ -158,7 +158,12 @@ dump_pipeline_cb (CoglNode *node, void *user_data)
                           pipeline,
                           COGL_OBJECT (pipeline)->ref_count,
                           pipeline->has_static_breadcrumb ?
-                          pipeline->static_breadcrumb : "NULL");
+#ifdef COGL_DEBUG_ENABLED
+                          pipeline->static_breadcrumb : "NULL"
+#else
+                          "NULL"
+#endif
+                          );
 
   changes_label = g_string_new ("");
   g_string_append_printf (changes_label,
diff --git a/cogl/cogl-pipeline-private.h b/cogl/cogl-pipeline-private.h
index 2679fbb40..3e385f537 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl-pipeline-private.h
+++ b/cogl/cogl-pipeline-private.h
@@ -424,10 +424,12 @@ struct _CoglPipeline
    * be allocated dynamically when required... */
   CoglPipelineBigState *big_state;
 
+#ifdef COGL_DEBUG_ENABLED
   /* For debugging purposes it's possible to associate a static const
    * string with a pipeline which can be an aid when trying to trace
    * where the pipeline originates from */
   const char      *static_breadcrumb;
+#endif
 
   /* Cached state... */
 
@@ -486,10 +488,12 @@ struct _CoglPipeline
   unsigned int          layers_cache_dirty:1;
   unsigned int          deprecated_get_layers_list_dirty:1;
 
+#ifdef COGL_DEBUG_ENABLED
   /* For debugging purposes it's possible to associate a static const
    * string with a pipeline which can be an aid when trying to trace
    * where the pipeline originates from */
   unsigned int          has_static_breadcrumb:1;
+#endif
 
   /* There are multiple fragment and vertex processing backends for
    * CoglPipeline, glsl, arbfp and fixed that are bundled under a
@@ -900,9 +904,11 @@ _cogl_pipeline_set_blend_enabled (CoglPipeline *pipeline,
 CoglBool
 _cogl_pipeline_get_fog_enabled (CoglPipeline *pipeline);
 
+#ifdef COGL_DEBUG_ENABLED
 void
 _cogl_pipeline_set_static_breadcrumb (CoglPipeline *pipeline,
                                       const char *breadcrumb);
+#endif
 
 unsigned long
 _cogl_pipeline_get_age (CoglPipeline *pipeline);
diff --git a/cogl/cogl-pipeline.c b/cogl/cogl-pipeline.c
index 6be22fba5..10599668c 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl-pipeline.c
+++ b/cogl/cogl-pipeline.c
@@ -423,7 +423,9 @@ cogl_pipeline_new (CoglContext *context)
   CoglPipeline *new;
 
   new = cogl_pipeline_copy (context->default_pipeline);
+#ifdef COGL_DEBUG_ENABLED
   _cogl_pipeline_set_static_breadcrumb (new, "new");
+#endif
   return new;
 }
 
@@ -1364,8 +1366,10 @@ _cogl_pipeline_pre_change_notify (CoglPipeline     *pipeline,
 
       new_authority =
         cogl_pipeline_copy (_cogl_pipeline_get_parent (pipeline));
+#ifdef COGL_DEBUG_ENABLED
       _cogl_pipeline_set_static_breadcrumb (new_authority,
                                             "pre_change_notify:copy-on-write");
+#endif
 
       /* We could explicitly walk the descendants, OR together the set
        * of differences that we determine this pipeline is the
@@ -2579,6 +2583,7 @@ _cogl_pipeline_journal_unref (CoglPipeline *pipeline)
   cogl_object_unref (pipeline);
 }
 
+#ifdef COGL_DEBUG_ENABLED
 void
 _cogl_pipeline_apply_legacy_state (CoglPipeline *pipeline)
 {
@@ -2620,6 +2625,7 @@ _cogl_pipeline_set_static_breadcrumb (CoglPipeline *pipeline,
   pipeline->has_static_breadcrumb = TRUE;
   pipeline->static_breadcrumb = breadcrumb;
 }
+#endif
 
 typedef void (*LayerStateHashFunction) (CoglPipelineLayer *authority,
                                         CoglPipelineLayer **authorities,