diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index deb72852..7b559477 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -1149,7 +1149,6 @@ checksum = "53eafabcce0cb2325a59a98736efe0bf060585b437763f8c476957fb274bb974"
 dependencies = [
  "accesskit",
  "ahash",
- "backtrace",
  "emath",
  "epaint",
  "log",
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 19bd7be6..ec08603c 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -64,8 +64,6 @@ security-framework = "2.11.0"
 [features]
 default = []
 profiling = ["puffin", "puffin_egui", "eframe/puffin"]
-debug-widget-callstack = ["egui/callstack"]
-debug-interactive-widgets = []
 
 [profile.small]
 inherits = 'release'
diff --git a/src/app.rs b/src/app.rs
index f2bf8d73..e68929b7 100644
--- a/src/app.rs
+++ b/src/app.rs
@@ -375,6 +375,16 @@ impl Damus {
         let parsed_args = Args::parse(&args);
         let is_mobile = parsed_args.is_mobile.unwrap_or(ui::is_compiled_as_mobile());
 
+        // Some people have been running notedeck in debug, let's catch that!
+        if !cfg!(test) && cfg!(debug_assertions) && !parsed_args.debug {
+            println!("--- WELCOME TO DAMUS NOTEDECK! ---");
+            println!("It looks like are running notedeck in debug mode, unless you are a developer, this is not likely what you want.");
+            println!("If you are a developer, run `cargo run -- --debug` to skip this message.");
+            println!("For everyone else, try again with `cargo run --release`. Enjoy!");
+            println!("---------------------------------");
+            panic!();
+        }
+
         setup_cc(ctx, is_mobile, parsed_args.light);
 
         let data_path = parsed_args
diff --git a/src/app_style.rs b/src/app_style.rs
index 86264e46..1798a3e4 100644
--- a/src/app_style.rs
+++ b/src/app_style.rs
@@ -70,17 +70,10 @@ pub fn create_custom_style(ctx: &Context, font_size: fn(&NotedeckTextStyle) -> f
         ..Interaction::default()
     };
 
-    // debug: show callstack for the current widget on hover if all
-    // modifier keys are pressed down.
-    #[cfg(feature = "debug-widget-callstack")]
-    {
-        style.debug.debug_on_hover_with_all_modifiers = true;
-    }
-
-    // debug: show an overlay on all interactive widgets
-    #[cfg(feature = "debug-interactive-widgets")]
+    #[cfg(debug_assertions)]
     {
         style.debug.show_interactive_widgets = true;
+        style.debug.debug_on_hover_with_all_modifiers = true;
     }
 
     style