diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 9439f1c727661df47bcd8a77370ddc85d5178c81..cab6332991a20728946d3bf4d963e1b51324b4b3 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -220,6 +220,7 @@ blobs="yes"
 pkgversion=""
 pie=""
 zero_malloc=""
+qom_cast_debug="yes"
 trace_backend="nop"
 trace_file="trace"
 spice=""
@@ -688,6 +689,10 @@ for opt do
   ;;
   --enable-sdl) sdl="yes"
   ;;
+  --disable-qom-cast-debug) qom_cast_debug="no"
+  ;;
+  --enable-qom-cast-debug) qom_cast_debug="yes"
+  ;;
   --disable-virtfs) virtfs="no"
   ;;
   --enable-virtfs) virtfs="yes"
@@ -3575,6 +3580,7 @@ echo "gcov enabled      $gcov"
 echo "TPM support       $tpm"
 echo "libssh2 support   $libssh2"
 echo "TPM passthrough   $tpm_passthrough"
+echo "QOM debugging     $qom_cast_debug"
 
 if test "$sdl_too_old" = "yes"; then
 echo "-> Your SDL version is too old - please upgrade to have SDL support"
@@ -3909,6 +3915,9 @@ echo "CONFIG_UNAME_RELEASE=\"$uname_release\"" >> $config_host_mak
 if test "$zero_malloc" = "yes" ; then
   echo "CONFIG_ZERO_MALLOC=y" >> $config_host_mak
 fi
+if test "$qom_cast_debug" = "yes" ; then
+  echo "CONFIG_QOM_CAST_DEBUG=y" >> $config_host_mak
+fi
 if test "$rbd" = "yes" ; then
   echo "CONFIG_RBD=y" >> $config_host_mak
 fi
diff --git a/include/qom/object.h b/include/qom/object.h
index 38f674f0ca22814bf9543ad6ea749b17b0e7ea18..63e2a404dab5c76d32713bfec04123f2d83a124b 100644
--- a/include/qom/object.h
+++ b/include/qom/object.h
@@ -615,8 +615,9 @@ Object *object_dynamic_cast(Object *obj, const char *typename);
  *
  * See object_dynamic_cast() for a description of the parameters of this
  * function.  The only difference in behavior is that this function asserts
- * instead of returning #NULL on failure.  This function is not meant to be
- * called directly, but only through the wrapper macro OBJECT_CHECK.
+ * instead of returning #NULL on failure if QOM cast debugging is enabled.
+ * This function is not meant to be called directly, but only through
+ * the wrapper macro OBJECT_CHECK.
  */
 Object *object_dynamic_cast_assert(Object *obj, const char *typename,
                                    const char *file, int line, const char *func);
@@ -666,9 +667,9 @@ Type type_register(const TypeInfo *info);
  *
  * See object_class_dynamic_cast() for a description of the parameters
  * of this function.  The only difference in behavior is that this function
- * asserts instead of returning #NULL on failure.  This function is not
- * meant to be called directly, but only through the wrapper macros
- * OBJECT_CLASS_CHECK and INTERFACE_CHECK.
+ * asserts instead of returning #NULL on failure if QOM cast debugging is
+ * enabled.  This function is not meant to be called directly, but only through
+ * the wrapper macros OBJECT_CLASS_CHECK and INTERFACE_CHECK.
  */
 ObjectClass *object_class_dynamic_cast_assert(ObjectClass *klass,
                                               const char *typename,
diff --git a/qom/object.c b/qom/object.c
index 1b9c5ce4f88a3aea972a25faad91bc6517293538..f5f416bc813a04de33c7b60d6d19aac70170d5cc 100644
--- a/qom/object.c
+++ b/qom/object.c
@@ -435,12 +435,11 @@ Object *object_dynamic_cast(Object *obj, const char *typename)
 Object *object_dynamic_cast_assert(Object *obj, const char *typename,
                                    const char *file, int line, const char *func)
 {
-    Object *inst;
-
     trace_object_dynamic_cast_assert(obj ? obj->class->type->name : "(null)",
                                      typename, file, line, func);
 
-    inst = object_dynamic_cast(obj, typename);
+#ifdef CONFIG_QOM_CAST_DEBUG
+    Object *inst = object_dynamic_cast(obj, typename);
 
     if (!inst && obj) {
         fprintf(stderr, "%s:%d:%s: Object %p is not an instance of type %s\n",
@@ -448,7 +447,9 @@ Object *object_dynamic_cast_assert(Object *obj, const char *typename,
         abort();
     }
 
-    return inst;
+    assert(obj == inst);
+#endif
+    return obj;
 }
 
 ObjectClass *object_class_dynamic_cast(ObjectClass *class,
@@ -509,6 +510,12 @@ ObjectClass *object_class_dynamic_cast_assert(ObjectClass *class,
     trace_object_class_dynamic_cast_assert(class ? class->type->name : "(null)",
                                            typename, file, line, func);
 
+#ifndef CONFIG_QOM_CAST_DEBUG
+    if (!class->interfaces) {
+        return class;
+    }
+#endif
+
     ret = object_class_dynamic_cast(class, typename);
     if (!ret && class) {
         fprintf(stderr, "%s:%d:%s: Object %p is not an instance of type %s\n",