diff --git a/src/search.c b/src/search.c
index 943fd9b9..d1fc19a1 100644
--- a/src/search.c
+++ b/src/search.c
@@ -775,12 +775,16 @@ static double search_cu(encoder_state_t * const state, int x, int y, int depth,
       double intra_cost;
       kvz_search_cu_intra(state, x, y, depth, lcu,
                           &intra_mode, &intra_cost);
+#ifdef COMPLETE_PRED_MODE_BITS
+      // Technically counting these bits would be correct, however counting
+      // them universally degrades quality so this block is disabled by default
       if(state->frame->slicetype != KVZ_SLICE_I) {
         double pred_mode_type_bits = 0;
         CABAC_FBITS_UPDATE(&state->search_cabac, &state->search_cabac.ctx.cu_pred_mode_model, 1, pred_mode_type_bits, "pred_mode_flag");
         CABAC_FBITS_UPDATE(&state->search_cabac, &state->search_cabac.ctx.cu_skip_flag_model[kvz_get_skip_context(x, y, lcu, NULL)], 0, pred_mode_type_bits, "skip_flag");
         intra_cost += pred_mode_type_bits * state->lambda;
       }
+#endif
       if (intra_cost < cost) {
         cost = intra_cost;
         cur_cu->type = CU_INTRA;
diff --git a/src/search_inter.c b/src/search_inter.c
index c275a8bc..d0db3e89 100644
--- a/src/search_inter.c
+++ b/src/search_inter.c
@@ -1666,7 +1666,13 @@ static void search_pu_inter(encoder_state_t * const state,
   }
 
   const double merge_flag_cost = CTX_ENTROPY_FBITS(&state->search_cabac.ctx.cu_merge_flag_ext_model, 1);
+#ifdef COMPLETE_PRED_MODE_BITS
+  // Technically counting these bits would be correct, however counting
+  // them universally degrades quality so this block is disabled by default
   const double no_skip_flag = CTX_ENTROPY_FBITS(&state->search_cabac.ctx.cu_skip_flag_model[kvz_get_skip_context(x, y, lcu, NULL)], 0);
+#else
+  const double no_skip_flag = 0;
+#endif
   // Check motion vector constraints and perform rough search
   for (int merge_idx = 0; merge_idx < info->num_merge_cand; ++merge_idx) {