diff --git a/deps/Makefile b/deps/Makefile
index cb7d300..5a83bfa 100644
--- a/deps/Makefile
+++ b/deps/Makefile
@@ -57,6 +57,9 @@ endif
 BUILD_C_FLAGS += -fno-finite-math-only
 BUILD_CXX_FLAGS += -fno-finite-math-only
 
+# Rack code is not tested for this flag, unset it
+BUILD_CXX_FLAGS += -U_GLIBCXX_ASSERTIONS
+
 # --------------------------------------------------------------
 # override VCV arch.mk stuff so we can build more architectures
 
diff --git a/plugins/Makefile b/plugins/Makefile
index 205e0bc..c409aee 100644
--- a/plugins/Makefile
+++ b/plugins/Makefile
@@ -795,6 +795,9 @@ BUILD_C_FLAGS += -std=gnu11
 BUILD_C_FLAGS += -fno-finite-math-only
 BUILD_CXX_FLAGS += -fno-finite-math-only
 
+# Rack code is not tested for this flag, unset it
+BUILD_CXX_FLAGS += -U_GLIBCXX_ASSERTIONS
+
 # --------------------------------------------------------------
 # lots of warnings from VCV side
 
diff --git a/src/Makefile b/src/Makefile
index d676fdf..7d6d561 100644
--- a/src/Makefile
+++ b/src/Makefile
@@ -101,6 +101,9 @@ BUILD_CXX_FLAGS += -fno-finite-math-only
 # use our custom function to invert some colors
 BUILD_CXX_FLAGS += -DnsvgParseFromFile=nsvgParseFromFileCardinal
 
+# Rack code is not tested for this flag, unset it
+BUILD_CXX_FLAGS += -U_GLIBCXX_ASSERTIONS
+
 # --------------------------------------------------------------
 # Rack files to build
 
diff --git a/src/Makefile.cardinal.mk b/src/Makefile.cardinal.mk
index 8a5946e..d75f636 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.cardinal.mk
+++ b/src/Makefile.cardinal.mk
@@ -173,6 +173,9 @@ BUILD_C_FLAGS += -std=gnu11
 BUILD_C_FLAGS += -fno-finite-math-only
 BUILD_CXX_FLAGS += -fno-finite-math-only
 
+# Rack code is not tested for this flag, unset it
+BUILD_CXX_FLAGS += -U_GLIBCXX_ASSERTIONS
+
 # --------------------------------------------------------------
 # FIXME lots of warnings from VCV side