--- old/src/share/vm/runtime/thread.hpp	2015-09-01 21:16:46.000000000 -0700
+++ new/src/share/vm/runtime/thread.hpp	2015-09-01 21:16:46.000000000 -0700
@@ -368,9 +368,14 @@
   inline void clear_critical_native_unlock();
 
   // Support for Unhandled Oop detection
-#ifdef CHECK_UNHANDLED_OOPS
+#ifdef ASSERT
  private:
   UnhandledOops* _unhandled_oops;
+#endif
+#ifdef CHECK_UNHANDLED_OOPS
+#ifndef ASSERT
+#error "CHECK_UNHANDLED_OOPS should be defined only in debug VM"
+#endif
  public:
   UnhandledOops* unhandled_oops() { return _unhandled_oops; }
   // Mark oop safe for gc.  It may be stack allocated but won't move.