diff --git a/proto/rip/rip.c b/proto/rip/rip.c
index 342b98ab..71758cc3 100644
--- a/proto/rip/rip.c
+++ b/proto/rip/rip.c
@@ -572,8 +572,9 @@ rip_start(struct proto *p)
   assert( sizeof(struct rip_block) == 20);
   assert( sizeof(struct rip_block_auth) == 20);
 
-
+#ifdef LOCAL_DEBUG
   P->magic = RIP_MAGIC;
+#endif
   fib_init( &P->rtable, p->pool, sizeof( struct rip_entry ), 0, NULL );
   init_list( &P->connections );
   init_list( &P->garbage );
diff --git a/proto/rip/rip.h b/proto/rip/rip.h
index 30002ea3..e01a4bdb 100644
--- a/proto/rip/rip.h
+++ b/proto/rip/rip.h
@@ -146,13 +146,19 @@ struct rip_proto {
   struct fib rtable;
   list garbage;
   list interfaces;	/* Interfaces we really know about */
+#ifdef LOCAL_DEBUG
   int magic;
+#endif
   int tx_count;		/* Do one regular update once in a while */
 };
 
-
+#ifdef LOCAL_DEBUG
 #define RIP_MAGIC 81861253
 #define CHK_MAGIC do { if (P->magic != RIP_MAGIC) bug( "Not enough magic" ); } while (0)
+#else
+#define CHK_MAGIC do { } while (0)
+#endif
+
 
 void rip_init_instance(struct proto *p);
 void rip_init_config(struct rip_proto_config *c);