Index: symbol.c
===================================================================
--- symbol.c	(revision 162821)
+++ symbol.c	(working copy)
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ gfc_namespace *gfc_global_ns_list;
 
 gfc_gsymbol *gfc_gsym_root = NULL;
 
-gfc_symbol *changed_syms = NULL;
+static gfc_symbol *changed_syms = NULL;
 
 gfc_dt_list *gfc_derived_types;
 
@@ -3442,16 +3442,13 @@ gfc_save_all (gfc_namespace *ns)
 }
 
 
-#ifdef GFC_DEBUG
 /* Make sure that no changes to symbols are pending.  */
 
 void
-gfc_symbol_state(void) {
-
-  if (changed_syms != NULL)
-    gfc_internal_error("Symbol changes still pending!");
+gfc_enforce_clean_symbol_state(void)
+{
+  gcc_assert (changed_syms == NULL);
 }
-#endif
 
 
 /************** Global symbol handling ************/
Index: gfortran.h
===================================================================
--- gfortran.h	(revision 162820)
+++ gfortran.h	(working copy)
@@ -2557,7 +2557,7 @@ void gfc_traverse_ns (gfc_namespace *, void (*)(gf
 void gfc_traverse_user_op (gfc_namespace *, void (*)(gfc_user_op *));
 void gfc_save_all (gfc_namespace *);
 
-void gfc_symbol_state (void);
+void gfc_enforce_clean_symbol_state (void);
 void gfc_free_dt_list (void);
 
 
Index: parse.c
===================================================================
--- parse.c	(revision 162821)
+++ parse.c	(working copy)
@@ -236,9 +236,7 @@ decode_statement (void)
   match m;
   char c;
 
-#ifdef GFC_DEBUG
-  gfc_symbol_state ();
-#endif
+  gfc_enforce_clean_symbol_state ();
 
   gfc_clear_error ();	/* Clear any pending errors.  */
   gfc_clear_warning ();	/* Clear any pending warnings.  */
@@ -484,9 +482,7 @@ decode_omp_directive (void)
   locus old_locus;
   char c;
 
-#ifdef GFC_DEBUG
-  gfc_symbol_state ();
-#endif
+  gfc_enforce_clean_symbol_state ();
 
   gfc_clear_error ();	/* Clear any pending errors.  */
   gfc_clear_warning ();	/* Clear any pending warnings.  */
@@ -588,9 +584,7 @@ decode_gcc_attribute (void)
 {
   locus old_locus;
 
-#ifdef GFC_DEBUG
-  gfc_symbol_state ();
-#endif
+  gfc_enforce_clean_symbol_state ();
 
   gfc_clear_error ();	/* Clear any pending errors.  */
   gfc_clear_warning ();	/* Clear any pending warnings.  */
@@ -879,7 +873,6 @@ blank_line:
   return ST_NONE;
 }
 
-extern gfc_symbol *changed_syms;
 
 /* Return the next non-ST_NONE statement to the caller.  We also worry
    about including files and the ends of include files at this stage.  */
@@ -890,8 +883,7 @@ next_statement (void)
   gfc_statement st;
   locus old_locus;
 
-  /* We start with a clean state.  */
-  gcc_assert (changed_syms == NULL);
+  gfc_enforce_clean_symbol_state ();
 
   gfc_new_block = NULL;