diff --git a/src/sources/soundsourcemp3.cpp b/src/sources/soundsourcemp3.cpp
index ea6d228065e..1af7be908cb 100644
--- a/src/sources/soundsourcemp3.cpp
+++ b/src/sources/soundsourcemp3.cpp
@@ -109,7 +109,11 @@ inline bool isUnrecoverableError(mad_error error) {
     return (MAD_ERROR_NONE != error) && !MAD_RECOVERABLE(error);
 }
 
-inline bool hasUnrecoverableError(const mad_stream* pMadStream) {
+#ifndef MIXXX_DEBUG_ASSERTIONS_ENABLED
+[[maybe_unused]]
+#endif
+inline bool
+hasUnrecoverableError(const mad_stream* pMadStream) {
     if (pMadStream) {
         return isUnrecoverableError(pMadStream->error);
     }