diff --git a/build.zig b/build.zig
index 9830e71..10e81e7 100644
--- a/build.zig
+++ b/build.zig
@@ -42,7 +42,12 @@ pub fn build(b: *std.Build) !void {
             .Debug => 3,
         };
         lib.defineCMacro("SDL_ASSERT_LEVEL", b.fmt("{d}", .{SDL_ASSERT_LEVEL}));
-        lib.defineCMacro("NDEBUG", "1");
+
+        if (optimize != .Debug) {
+            lib.defineCMacro("NDEBUG", "1");
+            lib.defineCMacro("__FILE__", "\"__FILE__\"");
+            lib.defineCMacro("__LINE__", "0");
+        }
 
         lib.linkLibC();
 
diff --git a/build/freetype/build.zig b/build/freetype/build.zig
index bbd7d53..d3f77f1 100644
--- a/build/freetype/build.zig
+++ b/build/freetype/build.zig
@@ -19,7 +19,11 @@ pub fn build(b: *std.Build) !void {
         .strip = true,
     });
     {
-        lib.defineCMacro("NDEBUG", "1");
+        if (optimize != .Debug) {
+            lib.defineCMacro("NDEBUG", "1");
+            lib.defineCMacro("__FILE__", "\"__FILE__\"");
+            lib.defineCMacro("__LINE__", "0");
+        }
 
         lib.addCSourceFiles(.{
             .root = freetype_dep.path(""),