diff --git a/src/debug.cpp b/src/debug.cpp
index 3d655ccb5..4e588a254 100644
--- a/src/debug.cpp
+++ b/src/debug.cpp
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
  * POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
  */
 
+#define NO_DEPRECATE_FREE 1 // we are required to call the real free() in this CU
 #include "server.h"
 #include "sha1.h"   /* SHA1 is used for DEBUG DIGEST */
 #include "crc64.h"
diff --git a/src/server.h b/src/server.h
index 76e7183d3..e1db21e47 100644
--- a/src/server.h
+++ b/src/server.h
@@ -2466,13 +2466,15 @@ struct redisMaster *MasterInfoFromClient(client *c);
 uint64_t getMvccTstamp();
 void incrementMvccTstamp();
 
-#if defined(__GNUC__)
-#ifndef __cplusplus
-void *calloc(size_t count, size_t size) __attribute__ ((deprecated));
-void free(void *ptr) __attribute__ ((deprecated));
-void *malloc(size_t size) __attribute__ ((deprecated));
-void *realloc(void *ptr, size_t size) __attribute__ ((deprecated));
-#endif
+#if defined(__GNUC__) && !defined(NO_DEPRECATE_FREE)
+ [[deprecated]]
+void *calloc(size_t count, size_t size);
+ [[deprecated]]
+void free(void *ptr);
+ [[deprecated]]
+void *malloc(size_t size);
+ [[deprecated]]
+void *realloc(void *ptr, size_t size);
 #endif
 
 /* Debugging stuff */