diff --git a/filament/CMakeLists.txt b/filament/CMakeLists.txt
index 4fe1c604017..82e336215dd 100644
--- a/filament/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/filament/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -308,6 +308,11 @@ if (FILAMENT_ENABLE_MULTIVIEW)
     add_definitions(-DFILAMENT_ENABLE_MULTIVIEW)
 endif()
 
+# Whether to force the profiling mode.
+if (FILAMENT_FORCE_PROFILING_MODE)
+    add_definitions(-DFILAMENT_FORCE_PROFILING_MODE)
+endif()
+
 # ==================================================================================================
 # Definitions
 # ==================================================================================================
diff --git a/filament/backend/src/opengl/OpenGLDriver.cpp b/filament/backend/src/opengl/OpenGLDriver.cpp
index 676b539be7e..79580fc7c46 100644
--- a/filament/backend/src/opengl/OpenGLDriver.cpp
+++ b/filament/backend/src/opengl/OpenGLDriver.cpp
@@ -106,17 +106,29 @@
 // set to the desired debug level (for internal debugging [Default: None])
 #define DEBUG_MARKER_LEVEL            DEBUG_MARKER_NONE
 
+// Override the debug markers if we are forcing profiling mode
+#if defined(FILAMENT_FORCE_PROFILING_MODE)
+#   undef DEBUG_GROUP_MARKER_LEVEL
+#   undef DEBUG_MARKER_LEVEL
+
+#   define DEBUG_GROUP_MARKER_LEVEL   DEBUG_GROUP_MARKER_NONE
+#   define DEBUG_MARKER_LEVEL         DEBUG_MARKER_PROFILE
+#endif
+
 #if DEBUG_MARKER_LEVEL == DEBUG_MARKER_PROFILE
 #   define DEBUG_MARKER()
 #   define PROFILE_MARKER(marker) PROFILE_SCOPE(marker);
 #   if DEBUG_GROUP_MARKER_LEVEL != DEBUG_GROUP_MARKER_NONE
-#       error PROFILING is exclusive; group markers must be disabled.
+#      error PROFILING is exclusive; group markers must be disabled.
+#   endif
+#   ifndef NDEBUG
+#      error PROFILING is meaningless in DEBUG mode.
 #   endif
 #elif DEBUG_MARKER_LEVEL > DEBUG_MARKER_NONE
 #   define DEBUG_MARKER() DebugMarker _debug_marker(*this, __func__);
 #   define PROFILE_MARKER(marker) DEBUG_MARKER()
 #   if DEBUG_MARKER_LEVEL & DEBUG_MARKER_PROFILE
-#       error PROFILING is exclusive; all other debug features must be disabled.
+#      error PROFILING is exclusive; all other debug features must be disabled.
 #   endif
 #else
 #   define DEBUG_MARKER()
diff --git a/filament/backend/src/vulkan/VulkanConstants.h b/filament/backend/src/vulkan/VulkanConstants.h
index 79b388a7136..ac07debda70 100644
--- a/filament/backend/src/vulkan/VulkanConstants.h
+++ b/filament/backend/src/vulkan/VulkanConstants.h
@@ -98,6 +98,12 @@
 #define FVK_DEBUG_FLAGS 0
 #endif
 
+// Override the debug flags if we are forcing profiling mode
+#if defined(FILAMENT_FORCE_PROFILING_MODE)
+#undef FVK_DEBUG_FLAGS
+#define FVK_DEBUG_FLAGS (FVK_DEBUG_PROFILING)
+#endif
+
 #define FVK_ENABLED(flags) (((FVK_DEBUG_FLAGS) & (flags)) == (flags))
 
 // Group marker only works only if validation or debug utils is enabled since it uses
@@ -133,6 +139,10 @@ static_assert(FVK_ENABLED(FVK_DEBUG_VALIDATION));
 
 #if FVK_DEBUG_FLAGS == FVK_DEBUG_PROFILING
 
+    #ifndef NDEBUG
+        #error PROFILING is meaningless in DEBUG mode.
+    #endif
+
     #define FVK_SYSTRACE_CONTEXT()
     #define FVK_SYSTRACE_START(marker)
     #define FVK_SYSTRACE_END()