diff --git a/sys/net/gnrc/netreg/gnrc_netreg.c b/sys/net/gnrc/netreg/gnrc_netreg.c
index 8ec47e7d33..521ec60e75 100644
--- a/sys/net/gnrc/netreg/gnrc_netreg.c
+++ b/sys/net/gnrc/netreg/gnrc_netreg.c
@@ -39,11 +39,9 @@ void gnrc_netreg_init(void)
 int gnrc_netreg_register(gnrc_nettype_t type, gnrc_netreg_entry_t *entry)
 {
 #if defined(MODULE_GNRC_NETAPI_MBOX) || defined(MODULE_GNRC_NETAPI_CALLBACKS)
-#ifdef DEVELHELP
     /* only threads with a message queue are allowed to register at gnrc */
     assert((entry->type != GNRC_NETREG_TYPE_DEFAULT) ||
            sched_threads[entry->target.pid]->msg_array);
-#endif
 #else
     /* only threads with a message queue are allowed to register at gnrc */
     assert(sched_threads[entry->target.pid]->msg_array);