diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 89a0fe3b2e..2ccedf16a4 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -86,16 +86,21 @@ esac
 
 prefer_assert="no"
 eina_log_backtrace="yes"
+efl_less_insane="no"
 case "${build_profile}" in
    dev|debug)
      prefer_assert="yes"
      eina_log_backtrace="no"
+     efl_less_insane="yes"
      ;;
 esac
 
 # Enable CRI & ERR backtrace by default for release but not for dev/debug
 AC_DEFINE_IF([EINA_LOG_BACKTRACE_ENABLE], [test "x${eina_log_backtrace}" = "xyes"], [1], [Default log level triggering backtraces])
 
+# Additional sanity checks only performed in debug builds
+AC_DEFINE_IF([EFL_EXTRA_SANITY_CHECKS], [test "x${efl_less_insane}" = "xyes"], [1], [Extra run time sanity checks])
+
 # TODO: add some build "profile" (server, full, etc...)
 
 AC_ARG_WITH([crypto],
diff --git a/src/lib/ecore/ecore_main.c b/src/lib/ecore/ecore_main.c
index ebd272d669..125c886e65 100644
--- a/src/lib/ecore/ecore_main.c
+++ b/src/lib/ecore/ecore_main.c
@@ -344,6 +344,7 @@ _ecore_fd_close_on_exec(int fd)
 #endif
 }
 
+#ifdef EFL_EXTRA_SANITY_CHECKS
 static inline void
 _ecore_fd_valid(void)
 {
@@ -360,6 +361,7 @@ _ecore_fd_valid(void)
           }
      }
 }
+#endif
 
 static inline void
 _ecore_try_add_to_call_list(Ecore_Fd_Handler *fdh)
@@ -1997,7 +1999,9 @@ _ecore_main_fd_handlers_call(void)
                           }
                      }
                    fdh->references--;
+#ifdef EFL_EXTRA_SANITY_CHECKS
                    _ecore_fd_valid();
+#endif
 
                    fdh->read_active = EINA_FALSE;
                    fdh->write_active = EINA_FALSE;