diff --git a/reactos/lib/ntdll/rtl/handle.c b/reactos/lib/ntdll/rtl/handle.c
index 9739ce0d1f6..3c6ba273e04 100644
--- a/reactos/lib/ntdll/rtl/handle.c
+++ b/reactos/lib/ntdll/rtl/handle.c
@@ -126,9 +126,11 @@ BOOLEAN STDCALL
 RtlFreeHandle(PRTL_HANDLE_TABLE HandleTable,
 	      PRTL_HANDLE_TABLE_ENTRY Handle)
 {
+#if DBG
    /* check if handle is valid */
    if (RtlIsValidHandle(HandleTable, Handle))
      return FALSE;
+#endif
 
    /* clear handle */
    memset(Handle, 0, HandleTable->SizeOfHandleTableEntry);