diff --git a/impeller/base/validation.cc b/impeller/base/validation.cc
index d68aa6d888bc6..d95a84c811c89 100644
--- a/impeller/base/validation.cc
+++ b/impeller/base/validation.cc
@@ -46,17 +46,22 @@ std::ostream& ValidationLog::GetStream() {
 }
 
 void ImpellerValidationBreak(const char* message) {
-// Nothing to do. Exists for the debugger.
-#ifdef IMPELLER_ENABLE_VALIDATION
   std::stringstream stream;
+#if FLUTTER_RELEASE
+  stream << "Impeller validation: " << message;
+#else
   stream << "Break on '" << __FUNCTION__
          << "' to inspect point of failure: " << message;
+#endif
   if (sValidationLogsAreFatal > 0) {
     FML_LOG(FATAL) << stream.str();
   } else {
     FML_LOG(ERROR) << stream.str();
   }
-#endif  // IMPELLER_ENABLE_VALIDATION
+}
+
+bool ImpellerValidationErrorsAreFatal() {
+  return sValidationLogsAreFatal;
 }
 
 }  // namespace impeller
diff --git a/impeller/base/validation.h b/impeller/base/validation.h
index a015686c06851..6d3ca3a52d19f 100644
--- a/impeller/base/validation.h
+++ b/impeller/base/validation.h
@@ -5,12 +5,6 @@
 #ifndef FLUTTER_IMPELLER_BASE_VALIDATION_H_
 #define FLUTTER_IMPELLER_BASE_VALIDATION_H_
 
-#ifndef IMPELLER_ENABLE_VALIDATION
-#ifdef IMPELLER_DEBUG
-#define IMPELLER_ENABLE_VALIDATION 1
-#endif
-#endif
-
 #include <sstream>
 
 namespace impeller {
@@ -39,6 +33,8 @@ void ImpellerValidationBreak(const char* message);
 
 void ImpellerValidationErrorsSetFatal(bool fatal);
 
+bool ImpellerValidationErrorsAreFatal();
+
 struct ScopedValidationDisable {
   ScopedValidationDisable();
 
diff --git a/impeller/golden_tests/main.cc b/impeller/golden_tests/main.cc
index e1ed2a8c4eccc..4791f3818a9f0 100644
--- a/impeller/golden_tests/main.cc
+++ b/impeller/golden_tests/main.cc
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 #include "flutter/fml/build_config.h"
 #include "flutter/fml/command_line.h"
 #include "flutter/fml/logging.h"
+#include "flutter/impeller/base/validation.h"
 #include "flutter/impeller/golden_tests/golden_digest.h"
 #include "flutter/impeller/golden_tests/working_directory.h"
 #include "gtest/gtest.h"
@@ -24,7 +25,14 @@ void print_usage() {
 }
 }  // namespace
 
+namespace impeller {
+TEST(ValidationTest, IsFatal) {
+  EXPECT_TRUE(ImpellerValidationErrorsAreFatal());
+}
+}  // namespace impeller
+
 int main(int argc, char** argv) {
+  impeller::ImpellerValidationErrorsSetFatal(true);
   fml::InstallCrashHandler();
   testing::InitGoogleTest(&argc, argv);
   fml::CommandLine cmd = fml::CommandLineFromPlatformOrArgcArgv(argc, argv);