diff --git a/panda/src/express/referenceCount.I b/panda/src/express/referenceCount.I
index 0824ab38b1..439f318a63 100644
--- a/panda/src/express/referenceCount.I
+++ b/panda/src/express/referenceCount.I
@@ -38,7 +38,9 @@ TypeHandle RefCountObj<Base>::_type_handle;
 INLINE ReferenceCount::
 ReferenceCount() {
   _ref_count = 0;
+#ifndef NDEBUG
   MemoryUsage::record_pointer(this);
+#endif
 }
 
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
@@ -54,7 +56,9 @@ ReferenceCount() {
 INLINE ReferenceCount::
 ReferenceCount(const ReferenceCount &) {
   _ref_count = 0;
+#ifndef NDEBUG
   MemoryUsage::record_pointer(this);
+#endif
 }
 
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
@@ -91,7 +95,9 @@ operator = (const ReferenceCount &) {
 INLINE ReferenceCount::
 ~ReferenceCount() {
   prepare_delete();
+#ifndef NDEBUG
   MemoryUsage::remove_pointer(this);
+#endif
 }
 
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////