diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 963f1c8..7e71740 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ option_if_not_defined(MARL_MSAN "Build marl with memory sanitizer" OFF)
 option_if_not_defined(MARL_TSAN "Build marl with thread sanitizer" OFF)
 option_if_not_defined(MARL_INSTALL "Create marl install target" OFF)
 option_if_not_defined(MARL_FULL_BENCHMARK "Benchmark all cores and a range of tasks" OFF)
+option_if_not_defined(MARL_DEBUG_ENABLED "Enable debug checks even in release builds" OFF)
 
 ###########################################################
 # Directories
@@ -187,6 +188,10 @@ function(marl_set_target_options target)
         target_link_libraries(${target} PUBLIC "-fsanitize=thread")
     endif()
 
+    if (MARL_DEBUG_ENABLED)
+        target_compile_definitions(${target} PRIVATE "MARL_DEBUG_ENABLED=1")
+    endif()
+
     target_include_directories(${target} PUBLIC $<BUILD_INTERFACE:${MARL_INCLUDE_DIR}>)
 endfunction(marl_set_target_options)
 
diff --git a/kokoro/macos/presubmit.sh b/kokoro/macos/presubmit.sh
index f2009c8..60300c4 100755
--- a/kokoro/macos/presubmit.sh
+++ b/kokoro/macos/presubmit.sh
@@ -13,7 +13,12 @@ if [ "$BUILD_SYSTEM" == "cmake" ]; then
     mkdir build
     cd build
 
-    cmake .. -DMARL_BUILD_EXAMPLES=1 -DMARL_BUILD_TESTS=1 -DMARL_BUILD_BENCHMARKS=1 -DMARL_WARNINGS_AS_ERRORS=1
+    cmake .. -DMARL_BUILD_EXAMPLES=1 \
+             -DMARL_BUILD_TESTS=1 \
+             -DMARL_BUILD_BENCHMARKS=1 \
+             -DMARL_WARNINGS_AS_ERRORS=1 \
+             -DMARL_DEBUG_ENABLED=1
+
     make -j$(sysctl -n hw.logicalcpu)
 
     ./marl-unittests
diff --git a/kokoro/ubuntu/presubmit-docker.sh b/kokoro/ubuntu/presubmit-docker.sh
index 262ec5f..1439bd4 100755
--- a/kokoro/ubuntu/presubmit-docker.sh
+++ b/kokoro/ubuntu/presubmit-docker.sh
@@ -39,7 +39,8 @@ if [ "$BUILD_SYSTEM" == "cmake" ]; then
             -DMARL_BUILD_EXAMPLES=1 \
             -DMARL_BUILD_TESTS=1 \
             -DMARL_BUILD_BENCHMARKS=1 \
-            -DMARL_WARNINGS_AS_ERRORS=1
+            -DMARL_WARNINGS_AS_ERRORS=1 \
+            -DMARL_DEBUG_ENABLED=1
 
     make --jobs=$(nproc)
 
diff --git a/kokoro/windows/presubmit.bat b/kokoro/windows/presubmit.bat
index 1cb9caa..a73aa7c 100644
--- a/kokoro/windows/presubmit.bat
+++ b/kokoro/windows/presubmit.bat
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ cd %SRC%\build
 if !ERRORLEVEL! neq 0 exit !ERRORLEVEL!
 
 IF /I "%BUILD_SYSTEM%"=="cmake" (
-    cmake .. -G "%BUILD_GENERATOR%" "-DMARL_BUILD_TESTS=1" "-DMARL_BUILD_EXAMPLES=1" "-DMARL_BUILD_BENCHMARKS=1" "-DMARL_WARNINGS_AS_ERRORS=1"
+    cmake .. -G "%BUILD_GENERATOR%" "-DMARL_BUILD_TESTS=1" "-DMARL_BUILD_EXAMPLES=1" "-DMARL_BUILD_BENCHMARKS=1" "-DMARL_WARNINGS_AS_ERRORS=1" "-DMARL_DEBUG_ENABLED=1"
     if !ERRORLEVEL! neq 0 exit !ERRORLEVEL!
     %MSBUILD% /p:Configuration=%CONFIG% Marl.sln
     if !ERRORLEVEL! neq 0 exit !ERRORLEVEL!