diff --git a/tracetools/include/tracetools/utils.hpp b/tracetools/include/tracetools/utils.hpp
index 57d1ff6..955c303 100644
--- a/tracetools/include/tracetools/utils.hpp
+++ b/tracetools/include/tracetools/utils.hpp
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ const char * get_symbol(std::function<T(U...)> f)
   return _demangle_symbol(f.target_type().name());
 #else
   (void)f;
-  return SYMBOL_UNKNOWN;
+  return "DISABLED__get_symbol";
 #endif
 }
 
diff --git a/tracetools/src/utils.cpp b/tracetools/src/utils.cpp
index e9667b1..807fe87 100644
--- a/tracetools/src/utils.cpp
+++ b/tracetools/src/utils.cpp
@@ -26,10 +26,10 @@ const char * _demangle_symbol(const char * mangled)
   demangled = abi::__cxa_demangle(mangled, NULL, 0, &status);
   // Use demangled symbol if possible
   const char * demangled_val = (status == 0 ? demangled : mangled);
-  return demangled_val != 0 ? demangled_val : SYMBOL_UNKNOWN;
+  return demangled_val != 0 ? demangled_val : "UNKNOWN_demangling_failed";
 #else
   (void)mangled;
-  return SYMBOL_UNKNOWN;
+  return "DISABLED__demangle_symbol";
 #endif
 }
 
@@ -43,6 +43,6 @@ const char * _get_symbol_funcptr(void * funcptr)
   return _demangle_symbol(info.dli_sname);
 #else
   (void)funcptr;
-  return SYMBOL_UNKNOWN;
+  return "DISABLED__get_symbol_funcptr";
 #endif
 }