diff --git a/drivers/dma-buf/Kconfig b/drivers/dma-buf/Kconfig
index 7efc0f0d0712..e4f078a326a4 100644
--- a/drivers/dma-buf/Kconfig
+++ b/drivers/dma-buf/Kconfig
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ config UDMABUF
 config DMABUF_DEBUG
 	bool "DMA-BUF debug checks"
 	depends on DMA_SHARED_BUFFER
-	default y if DEBUG
+	default y if DEBUG_KERNEL
 	help
 	  This option enables additional checks for DMA-BUF importers and
 	  exporters. Specifically it validates that importers do not peek at the