diff --git a/common/aes.c b/common/aes.c
index a46efcb7..4d365fd5 100644
--- a/common/aes.c
+++ b/common/aes.c
@@ -622,21 +622,18 @@ void aes256_ctr(unsigned char *out, size_t outlen, const unsigned char *iv, cons
     aes_ctr(out, outlen, iv, ctx->sk_exp, 14);
 }
 
-#ifdef __GNUC__
-#  define UNUSED(x) UNUSED_ ## x __attribute__((__unused__))
-#else
-#  define UNUSED(x) UNUSED_ ## x
-#endif
-
-void aes128_ctx_release(aes128ctx *UNUSED(r)) {
+void aes128_ctx_release(aes128ctx *r) {
     // no-op for PQClean's basic AES operation
+    (void) r;
 }
 
-void aes192_ctx_release(aes192ctx *UNUSED(r)) {
+void aes192_ctx_release(aes192ctx *r) {
     // no-op for PQClean's basic AES operation
+    (void) r;
 }
 
-void aes256_ctx_release(aes256ctx *UNUSED(r)) {
+void aes256_ctx_release(aes256ctx *r) {
     // no-op for PQClean's basic AES operation
+    (void) r;
 }