diff --git a/src_main/containers/picontainers.h b/src_main/containers/picontainers.h
index 8e513245..e6de681d 100755
--- a/src_main/containers/picontainers.h
+++ b/src_main/containers/picontainers.h
@@ -29,6 +29,9 @@
 #include "picout.h"
 #include "piintrospection_containers.h"
 #ifdef PIP_DEBUG
+#  ifdef NDEBUG
+#    undef NDEBUG
+#  endif
 #  include <cassert>
 #endif
 #ifndef assert