diff --git a/Kconfig b/Kconfig
index f5dcc67996..87fefc98b1 100644
--- a/Kconfig
+++ b/Kconfig
@@ -557,6 +557,10 @@ endmenu # Customize Header Files
 
 menu "Debug Options"
 
+config NDEBUG
+	bool "Define NDEBUG globally"
+	default y
+
 config DEBUG_ALERT
 	bool
 	default n
diff --git a/tools/Config.mk b/tools/Config.mk
index fb80439433..7a0700b08a 100644
--- a/tools/Config.mk
+++ b/tools/Config.mk
@@ -535,6 +535,9 @@ endef
 # ARCHxxx means the predefined setting(either toolchain, arch, or system specific)
 
 ARCHDEFINES += ${shell $(DEFINE) "$(CC)" __NuttX__}
+ifeq ($(CONFIG_NDEBUG),y)
+  ARCHDEFINES += ${shell $(DEFINE) "$(CC)" NDEBUG}
+endif
 
 # The default C/C++ search path