diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 53dcb995b552552d6ffd413976b4d3d890ecaaf5..1bfea38d07dad4125386068e496658c5fb86a4c3 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -222,6 +222,8 @@ stages:
   stage: build
   timeout: "4 minutes"
   needs: []
+  before_script:
+    - *disable-debugging-macro
   tags:
     - ivas-linux
 
@@ -313,6 +315,7 @@ build-codec-linux-make:
     - .rules-basis
   script:
     - *print-common-info
+    - cat lib_com/options.h
     - make -j 2>&1 | tee $BUILD_OUTPUT
     # need to use the "|| exit $?" suffix to get the allowed_failure return code, otherwise the job fails with code 1...<
     - ci/check_for_warnings.py $BUILD_OUTPUT || exit $?
@@ -435,6 +438,7 @@ codec-smoke-test:
     - *print-common-info
     # LTV update needed as ltv ISM metadata files are used
     - *update-ltv-repo
+    - *disable-debugging-macro
     - bash ci/smoke_test.sh
     ### analyze for failures
     - if ! [ -s smoke_test_output.txt ] || ! [ -s smoke_test_output_plc.txt ] || ! [ -s smoke_test_output_jbm_noEXT.txt ] || ! [ -s smoke_test_output_hrtf.txt ]; then echo "Error in smoke test"; exit 1; fi
@@ -464,6 +468,7 @@ codec-msan:
   needs: ["build-codec-sanitizers-linux"]
   script:
     - *print-common-info
+    - *disable-debugging-macro
     - make clean
     - make -j CLANG=1
     - python3 scripts/self_test.py -z console --create | tee test_output.txt
@@ -487,6 +492,7 @@ codec-asan:
   needs: ["build-codec-sanitizers-linux"]
   script:
     - *print-common-info
+    - *disable-debugging-macro
     - make clean
     - make -j CLANG=2
     - python3 scripts/self_test.py -z console --create | tee test_output.txt
@@ -510,6 +516,7 @@ codec-usan:
   needs: ["build-codec-sanitizers-linux"]
   script:
     - *print-common-info
+    - *disable-debugging-macro
     - make clean
     - make -j CLANG=3
     - UBSAN_OPTIONS=suppressions=scripts/ubsan.supp,report_error_type=1 python3 scripts/self_test.py -z console --create
@@ -532,6 +539,7 @@ renderer-smoke-test:
   needs: ["build-codec-linux-make"]
   stage: test
   script:
+    - *disable-debugging-macro
     - make -j IVAS_rend
     - python3 -m pytest -q -n auto -rA --junit-xml=report-junit.xml tests/renderer/test_renderer.py
   artifacts:
@@ -553,6 +561,7 @@ renderer-asan:
   needs: ["build-codec-linux-cmake"]
   stage: test
   script:
+    - *disable-debugging-macro
     - cmake -B cmake-build -G "Unix Makefiles" -DCLANG=asan -DCOPY_EXECUTABLES_FROM_BUILD_DIR=true
     - cmake --build cmake-build -- -j
     - python3 -m pytest -q -n auto -rA --junit-xml=report-junit.xml tests/renderer/test_renderer.py
@@ -576,6 +585,7 @@ renderer-msan:
   needs: ["build-codec-linux-cmake"]
   stage: test
   script:
+    - *disable-debugging-macro
     - cmake -B cmake-build -G "Unix Makefiles" -DCLANG=msan  -DCOPY_EXECUTABLES_FROM_BUILD_DIR=true
     - cmake --build cmake-build -- -j
     - python3 -m pytest -q -n auto -rA --junit-xml=report-junit.xml tests/renderer/test_renderer.py
@@ -599,6 +609,7 @@ renderer-usan:
   needs: ["build-codec-linux-cmake"]
   stage: test
   script:
+    - *disable-debugging-macro
     - cmake -B cmake-build -G "Unix Makefiles" -DCLANG=usan  -DCOPY_EXECUTABLES_FROM_BUILD_DIR=true
     - cmake --build cmake-build -- -j
     - UBSAN_OPTIONS=suppressions=scripts/ubsan.supp,report_error_type=1,log_path=usan_log_catchall python3 -m pytest -q -n auto -rA --junit-xml=report-junit.xml tests/renderer/test_renderer.py
@@ -678,6 +689,7 @@ split-rendering-smoke-test:
   stage: test
   script:
     - *enable-split-rendering
+    - *disable-debugging-macro
     - make -j INCLUDE_SPLIT=1
     - python3 -m pytest -q -n auto -rA --junit-xml=report-junit.xml tests/split_rendering/test_split_rendering.py
   artifacts:
@@ -720,6 +732,7 @@ split-rendering-pytest-on-merge-request:
 
     # build reference binaries
     - *enable-split-rendering
+    - *disable-debugging-macro
     - make -j INCLUDE_SPLIT=1
     - mv IVAS_cod IVAS_cod_ref
     - mv IVAS_dec IVAS_dec_ref
@@ -736,6 +749,7 @@ split-rendering-pytest-on-merge-request:
     - git checkout $source_branch_commit_sha
     - make clean
     - *enable-split-rendering
+    - *disable-debugging-macro
     - make -j INCLUDE_SPLIT=1
 
     ### Run test using scripts and input from main
@@ -934,6 +948,7 @@ voip-be-on-merge-request:
   timeout: "10 minutes"
   script:
     - *print-common-info
+    - *disable-debugging-macro
     - bash ci/ivas_voip_be_test.sh
 
 clang-format-check:
@@ -997,6 +1012,7 @@ check-first-frame-is-sid:
     # Temporary fix to test only SID start config files in this job
     - rm scripts/config/ci_linux_ltv.json scripts/config/ci_linux.json
     - *check-for-testvectors
+    - *disable-debugging-macro
     - cmake .
     - make -j
 
@@ -1077,6 +1093,7 @@ be-2-evs-linux:
   timeout: "20 minutes" # To be revisited
   script:
     - *print-common-info
+    - *disable-debugging-macro
 
     - mkdir build
     - cd build
@@ -1109,6 +1126,7 @@ codec-comparison-on-main-push:
     # Rest is more or less placeholder adapted from MR self test. This should be replaced with more complex tests.
 
     ### build test binaries, initial clean for paranoia reasons
+    - *disable-debugging-macro
     - make clean
     - mkdir build
     - cd build
@@ -1118,18 +1136,21 @@ codec-comparison-on-main-push:
     - mv IVAS_dec ../IVAS_dec_test
     - cd ..
     - rm -rf build/*
+    - git restore .
 
     ### compare to the previous merge commit in the main branch
     - git fetch origin main
     - git checkout $previous_merge_commit
 
     ### build reference binaries
+    - *disable-debugging-macro
     - cd build
     - cmake ..
     - make -j
     - mv IVAS_cod ../IVAS_cod_ref
     - mv IVAS_dec ../IVAS_dec_ref
     - cd ..
+    - git restore .
 
     # helper variable - "|| true" to prevent failures from grep not finding anything
     # write to temporary file as workaround for failures observed with piping echo
@@ -1223,12 +1244,14 @@ test-long-self-test:
   script:
     - *print-common-info
     - *update-ltv-repo
+    - *disable-debugging-macro
 
     ### build branch binaries
     - cmake . -Bbuild-test
     - cmake --build build-test -- -j
     - mv build-test/IVAS_cod ./IVAS_cod
     - mv build-test/IVAS_dec ./IVAS_dec
+    - git restore .
 
     ### store the current commit hash
     - source_branch_commit_sha=$(git rev-parse HEAD)
@@ -1237,10 +1260,12 @@ test-long-self-test:
     - git checkout main
 
     ### build main (ref) binaries
+    - *disable-debugging-macro
     - cmake . -Bbuild-ref
     - cmake --build build-ref -- -j
     - mv build-ref/IVAS_cod ./IVAS_cod_ref
     - mv build-ref/IVAS_dec ./IVAS_dec_ref
+    - git restore .
 
     ### Switch back to branch, this could probably be removed later
     - git checkout $source_branch_commit_sha
@@ -1287,6 +1312,8 @@ test-long-self-test:
   tags:
     - sanitizer_test_main
     - ivas-linux-fast
+  before_script:
+    - *disable-debugging-macro
   artifacts:
     name: "$CI_JOB_NAME--main--sha-$CI_COMMIT_SHORT_SHA"
     expire_in: 1 week
@@ -1889,6 +1916,8 @@ coverage-test-on-main-scheduled:
     - test-complexity-measurement
   timeout: 3 hours 30 minutes
   stage: test
+  before_script:
+    - *disable-debugging-macro
   artifacts:
     name: "$CI_JOB_NAME--$CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME--sha-$CI_COMMIT_SHA"
     when: always