--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/Makefile
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/Makefile
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ obj-$(CONFIG_ATH_COMMON)	+= ath.o
 ath-objs :=	main.o \
 		regd.o \
 		hw.o \
-		key.o
+		key.o \
+		debug.o
 
-ath-$(CONFIG_ATH_DEBUG) += debug.o
 ccflags-y += -D__CHECK_ENDIAN__
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath.h
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath.h
@@ -280,13 +280,6 @@ void _ath_dbg(struct ath_common *common,
 #endif /* CONFIG_ATH_DEBUG */
 
 /** Returns string describing opmode, or NULL if unknown mode. */
-#ifdef CONFIG_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
 
 #endif /* ATH_H */