diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 22c4321d1..0ab2e39eb 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@
 #   USE_CLOSEFROM           : enable use of closefrom() on *bsd, solaris. Automatic.
 #   USE_PRCTL               : enable use of prctl(). Automatic.
 #   USE_PROCCTL             : enable use of procctl(). Automatic.
+#   USE_TRACE               : enable trace subsystem. Always on.
 #   USE_ZLIB                : enable zlib library support and disable SLZ
 #   USE_SLZ                 : enable slz library instead of zlib (default=enabled)
 #   USE_CPU_AFFINITY        : enable pinning processes to CPU on Linux. Automatic.
@@ -343,7 +344,7 @@ use_opts = USE_EPOLL USE_KQUEUE USE_NETFILTER USE_POLL                        \
            USE_TPROXY USE_LINUX_TPROXY USE_LINUX_CAP                          \
            USE_LINUX_SPLICE USE_LIBCRYPT USE_CRYPT_H USE_ENGINE               \
            USE_GETADDRINFO USE_OPENSSL USE_OPENSSL_WOLFSSL USE_OPENSSL_AWSLC  \
-	       USE_ECH                                                            \
+           USE_ECH USE_TRACE                                                  \
            USE_SSL USE_LUA USE_ACCEPT4 USE_CLOSEFROM USE_ZLIB USE_SLZ         \
            USE_CPU_AFFINITY USE_TFO USE_NS USE_DL USE_RT USE_LIBATOMIC        \
            USE_MATH USE_DEVICEATLAS USE_51DEGREES                             \
@@ -366,6 +367,9 @@ $(warn_unknown_options)
 # on the make command line.
 USE_POLL   = default
 
+# traces are always enabled
+USE_TRACE  = default
+
 # SLZ is always supported unless explicitly disabled by passing USE_SLZ=""
 # or disabled by enabling ZLIB using USE_ZLIB=1
 ifeq ($(USE_ZLIB:0=),)
diff --git a/include/haproxy/trace.h b/include/haproxy/trace.h
index 56c58f109..626609a37 100644
--- a/include/haproxy/trace.h
+++ b/include/haproxy/trace.h
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@
 #define _TRC_LOC(f,l) __TRC_LOC(f, ":", l)
 #define __TRC_LOC(f,c,l) f c #l
 
+#if defined(USE_TRACE)
+
 /* truncate a macro arg list to exactly 5 args and replace missing ones with NULL.
  * The first one (a0) is always ignored.
  */
@@ -139,8 +141,23 @@
 			       &trace_no_cb, ist2(_msg, _msg_len));		\
 		}								\
 	} while (0)
+#else
+#    define TRACE_ENABLED(level, mask, args...) 0
+#    define TRACE(msg, mask, args...)        do { /* do nothing */ } while(0)
+#    define TRACE_ERROR(msg, mask, args...)  do { /* do nothing */ } while(0)
+#    define TRACE_USER(msg, mask, args...)   do { /* do nothing */ } while(0)
+#    define TRACE_DATA(msg, mask, args...)   do { /* do nothing */ } while(0)
+#    define TRACE_PROTO(msg, mask, args...)  do { /* do nothing */ } while(0)
+#    define TRACE_STATE(msg, mask, args...)  do { /* do nothing */ } while(0)
+#    define TRACE_DEVEL(msg, mask, args...)  do { /* do nothing */ } while(0)
+#    define TRACE_ENTER(mask, args...)       do { /* do nothing */ } while(0)
+#    define TRACE_LEAVE(mask, args...)       do { /* do nothing */ } while(0)
+#    define TRACE_POINT(mask, args...)       do { /* do nothing */ } while(0)
+#    define TRACE_PRINTF(level, args...)     do { /* do nothing */ } while(0)
+#    define TRACE_PRINTF_LOC(level, args...) do { /* do nothing */ } while(0)
+#endif
 
-#if defined(DEBUG_DEV) || defined(DEBUG_FULL)
+#if defined (USE_TRACE) && (defined(DEBUG_DEV) || defined(DEBUG_FULL))
 #    define DBG_TRACE(msg, mask, args...)        TRACE(msg, mask, ##args)
 #    define DBG_TRACE_ERROR(msg, mask, args...)  TRACE_ERROR(msg, mask, ##args)
 #    define DBG_TRACE_USER(msg, mask, args...)   TRACE_USER(msg, mask, ##args)