Index: head/Mk/Uses/cargo.mk
===================================================================
--- head/Mk/Uses/cargo.mk
+++ head/Mk/Uses/cargo.mk
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@
 CARGO_TEST_ARGS+=	--features='${CARGO_FEATURES}'
 .endif
 
-.if !defined(WITH_DEBUG) || defined(WITHOUT_DEBUG)
+.if !defined(WITH_DEBUG)
 CARGO_BUILD_ARGS+=	--release
 CARGO_TEST_ARGS+=	--release
 .else
Index: head/Mk/bsd.port.mk
===================================================================
--- head/Mk/bsd.port.mk
+++ head/Mk/bsd.port.mk
@@ -337,6 +337,9 @@
 #                         passed to the compiler by setting DEBUG_FLAGS. It is
 #                         set to "-g" at default.
 #
+#			  NOTE: to override a globally defined WITH_DEBUG at a
+#			        later time ".undef WITH_DEBUG" can be used
+#
 # WITH_DEBUG_PORTS		- A list of origins for which WITH_DEBUG will be set
 #
 # WITHOUT_SSP	- Disable SSP.
@@ -1681,7 +1684,7 @@
 .endif
 
 # Reset value from bsd.own.mk.
-.if defined(WITH_DEBUG) && !defined(WITHOUT_DEBUG)
+.if defined(WITH_DEBUG)
 .if !defined(INSTALL_STRIPPED)
 STRIP=	#none
 MAKE_ENV+=	DONTSTRIP=yes
Index: head/UPDATING
===================================================================
--- head/UPDATING
+++ head/UPDATING
@@ -5,6 +5,17 @@
 You should get into the habit of checking this file for changes each time
 you update your ports collection, before attempting any port upgrades.
 
+20171015:
+  AFFECTS: people using WITHOUT_DEBUG
+  AUTHOR: madpilot@FreeBSD.org
+
+  The WITHOUT_DEBUG flag has been retired. It's only purpose was
+  to override a global WITH_DEBUG, if that was defined, but many
+  ports were ignoring such flag even if honouring WITH_DEBUG.
+
+  The same effect can be obtained using ".undef WITH_DEBUG" without
+  any special support in port Makefiles.
+
 20171012:
   AFFECTS: users of security/openssh-portable
   AUTHOR: bdrewery@FreeBSD.org
Index: head/databases/qdbm-plus/Makefile
===================================================================
--- head/databases/qdbm-plus/Makefile
+++ head/databases/qdbm-plus/Makefile
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 INSTALL_TARGET=	install-strip
 
 post-patch:
-.if defined(WITH_DEBUG) && !defined(WITHOUT_DEBUG)
+.if defined(WITH_DEBUG)
 	@${REINPLACE_CMD} 's/-DNDEBUG//' ${WRKSRC}/Makefile.in
 .endif
 
Index: head/databases/qdbm/Makefile
===================================================================
--- head/databases/qdbm/Makefile
+++ head/databases/qdbm/Makefile
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
 PORTDOCS=	ChangeLog NEWS
 
 post-patch:
-.if defined(WITH_DEBUG) && !defined(WITHOUT_DEBUG)
+.if defined(WITH_DEBUG)
 	@${REINPLACE_CMD} 's/-DNDEBUG//' ${WRKSRC}/Makefile.in
 .endif
 
Index: head/math/msieve/Makefile
===================================================================
--- head/math/msieve/Makefile
+++ head/math/msieve/Makefile
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
 
 .if ${PORT_OPTIONS:MOPTIMIZED_CFLAGS}
 CFLAGS+=	-O3 -ffast-math
-.if defined(WITHOUT_DEBUG) || !defined(WITH_DEBUG)
+.if !defined(WITH_DEBUG)
 CFLAGS+=	-fomit-frame-pointer -DNDEBUG
 .endif
 .endif
Index: head/multimedia/vlc/Makefile
===================================================================
--- head/multimedia/vlc/Makefile
+++ head/multimedia/vlc/Makefile
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@
 		--disable-wasapi --disable-x26410b \
 		--with-kde-solid=${PREFIX}/share/apps/solid/actions \
 		ac_cv_search_pthread_rwlock_init=-pthread
-.if defined(WITH_DEBUG) && !defined(WITHOUT_DEBUG)
+.if defined(WITH_DEBUG)
 CONFIGURE_ARGS+=--enable-debug
 .endif
 CPPFLAGS+=	-I${LOCALBASE}/include
Index: head/net/linphone/Makefile
===================================================================
--- head/net/linphone/Makefile
+++ head/net/linphone/Makefile
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@
 
 VIDEO_CONFIGURE_ENABLE=	video
 
-.if defined(WITH_DEBUG) && !defined(WITHOUT_DEBUG)
+.if defined(WITH_DEBUG)
 CONFIGURE_ARGS+=--enable-debug
 .endif
 
Index: head/net/mediastreamer/Makefile
===================================================================
--- head/net/mediastreamer/Makefile
+++ head/net/mediastreamer/Makefile
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@
 XVIDEO_CONFIGURE_ENABLE=x11 xv
 XVIDEO_USE=		XORG=videoproto,x11,xv
 
-.if defined(WITH_DEBUG) && !defined(WITHOUT_DEBUG)
+.if defined(WITH_DEBUG)
 CONFIGURE_ARGS+=--enable-debug
 .endif
 
Index: head/ports-mgmt/pkg/Makefile
===================================================================
--- head/ports-mgmt/pkg/Makefile
+++ head/ports-mgmt/pkg/Makefile
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
 
 .include <bsd.port.pre.mk>
 
-.if defined(WITH_DEBUG) && !defined(WITHOUT_DEBUG)
+.if defined(WITH_DEBUG)
 MAKE_ARGS+=	DEBUG_FLAGS="${DEBUG_FLAGS}"
 .endif
 
Index: head/security/putty/Makefile
===================================================================
--- head/security/putty/Makefile
+++ head/security/putty/Makefile
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@
 
 _COMPAT+=	-DOMIT_UTMP
 
-.if defined(WITH_DEBUG) && ${WITH_DEBUG} != "no"
+.if defined(WITH_DEBUG)
 XFLAGS=		-DDEBUG
 .endif