diff --git a/server/CONTRIBUTING.md b/server/CONTRIBUTING.md
index ad071db2afb..b8bc8f73e4c 100644
--- a/server/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/server/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -292,6 +292,15 @@ This naming convention enables easier test filtering with [pytest command line f
 
 The backend-specific and common test suites are disjoint; for example, run `pytest --integration -k "Common or MySQL" --backend mysql` to run all MySQL tests.
 
+#### Building with profiling
+
+To build with profiling support, you need to both enable profiling via `cabal`
+and set the `profiling` flag. E.g.
+
+```
+cabal build exe:graphql-engine -f profiling --enable-profiling
+```
+
 ### Create Pull Request
 
 - Make sure your commit messages meet the [guidelines](../CONTRIBUTING.md).
diff --git a/server/graphql-engine.cabal b/server/graphql-engine.cabal
index b51f96922a2..aac457c9b08 100644
--- a/server/graphql-engine.cabal
+++ b/server/graphql-engine.cabal
@@ -118,7 +118,6 @@ library
                      , either
                      , exceptions
                      , fast-logger
-                     , ghc-heap-view
                      , hashable
                      , hashable-time
                      , http-client-tls
@@ -290,6 +289,10 @@ library
                      , mysql
                      , mysql-simple
 
+  if !flag(profiling)
+    -- ghc-heap-view can't be built with profiling
+    build-depends:     ghc-heap-view
+
   exposed-modules:     Control.Arrow.Extended
                      , Control.Arrow.Trans
                      , Control.Concurrent.Extended
diff --git a/server/src-lib/GHC/AssertNF/CPP.hs b/server/src-lib/GHC/AssertNF/CPP.hs
index 300c6bb3d95..fa1ab553ec5 100644
--- a/server/src-lib/GHC/AssertNF/CPP.hs
+++ b/server/src-lib/GHC/AssertNF/CPP.hs
@@ -3,6 +3,29 @@
 -- | GHC.AssertNF.CPP localizes our use of CPP around calls
 -- to 'assertNFHere', primarily to give tooling (e.g. ormolu)
 -- an easier time.
+--
+-- We disable the 'assertNF'-related code because it is provided
+-- by the package ghc-heap-view, which can't be built using profiling.
+
+#ifdef PROFILING
+
+module GHC.AssertNF.CPP
+  ( assertNFHere,
+    disableAssertNF,
+  )
+where
+
+import Hasura.Prelude
+import Language.Haskell.TH
+
+assertNFHere :: Q Exp
+assertNFHere = [| const (return ()) |]
+
+disableAssertNF :: IO ()
+disableAssertNF = return ()
+
+#else
+
 module GHC.AssertNF.CPP
   ( assertNFHere,
     disableAssertNF,
@@ -13,14 +36,9 @@ where
 import GHC.AssertNF qualified
 import Hasura.Prelude
 import Language.Haskell.TH
-#ifndef PROFILING
-import           Text.Printf         (printf)
-#endif
+import Text.Printf (printf)
 
 assertNFHere :: Q Exp
-#ifdef PROFILING
-assertNFHere = [| const (return ()) |]
-#else
 -- This is a copy of 'GHC.AssertNF.assertNFHere'. We can't easily
 -- use the original because that relies on an import of "GHC.AssertNF".
 -- Instead, we rewrite it to use the re-exported 'assertNFNamed'.
@@ -32,11 +50,8 @@ assertNFHere = do
         formatLoc loc = let file = loc_filename loc
                             (line, col) = loc_start loc
                         in  printf "parameter at %s:%d:%d" file line col
-#endif
 
 disableAssertNF :: IO ()
-#ifdef PROFILING
-disableAssertNF = return ()
-#else
 disableAssertNF = GHC.AssertNF.disableAssertNF
+
 #endif