diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 6abfa4f215e..2a59efb7715 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ endif()
 
 if( LLVM_ENABLE_ASSERTIONS )
   # MSVC doesn't like _DEBUG on release builds. See PR 4379.
-  if( NOT MSVC OR NOT uppercase_CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE STREQUAL "RELEASE" )
+  if( NOT MSVC )
     add_definitions( -D_DEBUG )
   endif()
   # On Release builds cmake automatically defines NDEBUG, so we