diff --git a/lib/hostip.c b/lib/hostip.c
index 90a9f4fe6cc64ef0eccb7a2995e247e1841ea39d..8705cd515a1e3852a82f893af37100ab37ee8e74 100644
--- a/lib/hostip.c
+++ b/lib/hostip.c
@@ -98,10 +98,16 @@ static struct hostent* pack_hostent(char** buf, struct hostent* orig);
 #endif
 
 #ifdef USE_THREADING_GETHOSTBYNAME
+#ifdef DEBUG_THREADING_GETHOSTBYNAME
+/* If this is defined, provide tracing */
 #define TRACE(args)  \
  do { trace_it("%u: ", __LINE__); trace_it args; } while (0)
 
 static void trace_it (const char *fmt, ...);
+#else
+#define TRACE(x)
+#endif
+
 static struct hostent* pack_hostent (char** buf, struct hostent* orig);
 static bool init_gethostbyname_thread (struct connectdata *conn,
                                        const char *hostname, int port);
@@ -1166,20 +1172,22 @@ static Curl_addrinfo *my_getaddrinfo(struct connectdata *conn,
 
 
 #if defined(USE_THREADING_GETHOSTBYNAME)
+#ifdef DEBUG_THREADING_GETHOSTBYNAME
 static void trace_it (const char *fmt, ...)
 {
   static int do_trace = -1;
   va_list args;
 
   if (do_trace == -1)
-     do_trace = getenv("CURL_TRACE") ? 1 : 0;
+    do_trace = getenv("CURL_TRACE") ? 1 : 0;
   if (!do_trace)
-     return;
+    return;
   va_start (args, fmt);
   vfprintf (stderr, fmt, args);
   fflush (stderr);
   va_end (args);
 }
+#endif
 
 /* For builds without ARES/USE_IPV6, create a resolver thread and wait on it.
  */