diff --git a/ryzom/server/src/entities_game_service/game_item_manager/game_item.cpp b/ryzom/server/src/entities_game_service/game_item_manager/game_item.cpp
index dbf270808..04e5fc956 100644
--- a/ryzom/server/src/entities_game_service/game_item_manager/game_item.cpp
+++ b/ryzom/server/src/entities_game_service/game_item_manager/game_item.cpp
@@ -749,7 +749,9 @@ void CGameItemPtr::deleteItem()
 	// call dtor now to unlink all children
 	item->dtor();
 	// check no one else is referencing us
+#ifdef GAME_PTR_DEBUG
 	nlassert(item->_Ptrs.empty());
+#endif
 
 	CGameItem::deleteItem(item);
 #if 0
@@ -1174,10 +1176,14 @@ CGameItemPtr CGameItem::getItemCopy()
 
 	// use the default copy ctor to init it
 	CGameItem* item = *ret;
-	CGameItemPtrArray old;
-	old= *item;
+#ifdef GAME_PTR_DEBUG
+	std::vector<CGameItemPtr*> old;
+	old= item->_Ptrs;
+#endif
 	*item = *this;
-	*(CGameItemPtrArray*)item=old;
+#ifdef GAME_PTR_DEBUG
+	*(CGameItemPtrArray*)item->_Ptrs=old;
+#endif
 
 	// generate a new item id
 	item->_ItemId = INVENTORIES::TItemId();
diff --git a/ryzom/server/src/entities_game_service/game_item_manager/game_item.h b/ryzom/server/src/entities_game_service/game_item_manager/game_item.h
index 57110ee12..ad4736c0e 100644
--- a/ryzom/server/src/entities_game_service/game_item_manager/game_item.h
+++ b/ryzom/server/src/entities_game_service/game_item_manager/game_item.h
@@ -293,6 +293,7 @@ private:
 };
 
 
+#ifdef GAME_PTR_DEBUG
 class CGameItemPtrArray
 {
 public:
@@ -326,7 +327,7 @@ protected:
 	/// keep pointers pointing this item
 	std::vector<CGameItemPtr*>	_Ptrs;
 };
-
+#endif
 
 /**
  * CGameItem
@@ -335,8 +336,10 @@ protected:
  * \author Nevrax France
  * \date 2002
  */
-class CGameItem :
-	public CGameItemPtrArray
+class CGameItem 
+#ifdef GAME_PTR_DEBUG
+	: public CGameItemPtrArray
+#endif
 {
 	NLMISC_COMMAND_FRIEND(testParanoidItemSystem);