--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/Makefile
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/Makefile
@@ -13,10 +13,10 @@ ath-objs :=	main.o \
 		regd.o \
 		hw.o \
 		key.o \
+		debug.o \
 		dfs_pattern_detector.o \
 		dfs_pri_detector.o
 
-ath-$(CPTCFG_ATH_DEBUG) += debug.o
 ath-$(CPTCFG_ATH_TRACEPOINTS) += trace.o
 
 CFLAGS_trace.o := -I$(src)
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath.h
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath.h
@@ -318,14 +318,7 @@ void _ath_dbg(struct ath_common *common,
 #endif /* CPTCFG_ATH_DEBUG */
 
 /** Returns string describing opmode, or NULL if unknown mode. */
-#ifdef CPTCFG_ATH_DEBUG
 const char *ath_opmode_to_string(enum nl80211_iftype opmode);
-#else
-static inline const char *ath_opmode_to_string(enum nl80211_iftype opmode)
-{
-	return "UNKNOWN";
-}
-#endif
 
 extern const char *ath_bus_type_strings[];
 static inline const char *ath_bus_type_to_string(enum ath_bus_type bustype)
