diff --git a/pkg/state/tests/register_test.go b/pkg/state/tests/register_test.go
index c829753cc..75bdbfc6e 100644
--- a/pkg/state/tests/register_test.go
+++ b/pkg/state/tests/register_test.go
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@
 // See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 // limitations under the License.
 
+// +build race
+
 package tests
 
 import (
@@ -165,3 +167,12 @@ func TestRegisterBad(t *testing.T) {
 
 	}
 }
+
+func TestRegisterTypeOnlyStruct(t *testing.T) {
+	defer func() {
+		if r := recover(); r == nil {
+			t.Errorf("Register did not panic")
+		}
+	}()
+	state.Register((*typeOnlyEmptyStruct)(nil))
+}
diff --git a/pkg/state/tests/struct_test.go b/pkg/state/tests/struct_test.go
index c91c2c032..9826f1ee9 100644
--- a/pkg/state/tests/struct_test.go
+++ b/pkg/state/tests/struct_test.go
@@ -17,8 +17,6 @@ package tests
 import (
 	"math/rand"
 	"testing"
-
-	"gvisor.dev/gvisor/pkg/state"
 )
 
 func TestEmptyStruct(t *testing.T) {
@@ -58,15 +56,6 @@ func TestEmptyStruct(t *testing.T) {
 	})
 }
 
-func TestRegisterTypeOnlyStruct(t *testing.T) {
-	defer func() {
-		if r := recover(); r == nil {
-			t.Errorf("Register did not panic")
-		}
-	}()
-	state.Register((*typeOnlyEmptyStruct)(nil))
-}
-
 func TestEmbeddedPointers(t *testing.T) {
 	// Give each int64 a random value to prevent Go from using
 	// runtime.staticuint64s, which confounds tests for struct duplication.
diff --git a/pkg/state/types.go b/pkg/state/types.go
index 84aed8732..420675880 100644
--- a/pkg/state/types.go
+++ b/pkg/state/types.go
@@ -329,47 +329,48 @@ var reverseTypeDatabase = map[reflect.Type]string{}
 // This must be called on init and only done once.
 func Register(t Type) {
 	name := t.StateTypeName()
-	fields := t.StateFields()
-	assertValidType(name, fields)
-	// Register must always be called on pointers.
 	typ := reflect.TypeOf(t)
-	if typ.Kind() != reflect.Ptr {
-		Failf("Register must be called on pointers")
+	if raceEnabled {
+		assertValidType(name, t.StateFields())
+		// Register must always be called on pointers.
+		if typ.Kind() != reflect.Ptr {
+			Failf("Register must be called on pointers")
+		}
 	}
 	typ = typ.Elem()
-	if typ.Kind() == reflect.Struct {
-		// All registered structs must implement SaverLoader. We allow
-		// the registration is non-struct types with just the Type
-		// interface, but we need to call StateSave/StateLoad methods
-		// on aggregate types.
-		if _, ok := t.(SaverLoader); !ok {
-			Failf("struct %T does not implement SaverLoader", t)
-		}
-	} else {
-		// Non-structs must not have any fields. We don't support
-		// calling StateSave/StateLoad methods on any non-struct types.
-		// If custom behavior is required, these types should be
-		// wrapped in a structure of some kind.
-		if len(fields) != 0 {
-			Failf("non-struct %T has non-zero fields %v", t, fields)
-		}
-		// We don't allow non-structs to implement StateSave/StateLoad
-		// methods, because they won't be called and it's confusing.
-		if _, ok := t.(SaverLoader); ok {
-			Failf("non-struct %T implements SaverLoader", t)
-		}
-	}
-	if _, ok := primitiveTypeDatabase[name]; ok {
-		Failf("conflicting primitiveTypeDatabase entry for %T: used by primitive", t)
-	}
-	if _, ok := globalTypeDatabase[name]; ok {
-		Failf("conflicting globalTypeDatabase entries for %T: name conflict", t)
-	}
-	if name == interfaceType {
-		Failf("conflicting name for %T: matches interfaceType", t)
-	}
-	globalTypeDatabase[name] = typ
 	if raceEnabled {
+		if typ.Kind() == reflect.Struct {
+			// All registered structs must implement SaverLoader. We allow
+			// the registration is non-struct types with just the Type
+			// interface, but we need to call StateSave/StateLoad methods
+			// on aggregate types.
+			if _, ok := t.(SaverLoader); !ok {
+				Failf("struct %T does not implement SaverLoader", t)
+			}
+		} else {
+			// Non-structs must not have any fields. We don't support
+			// calling StateSave/StateLoad methods on any non-struct types.
+			// If custom behavior is required, these types should be
+			// wrapped in a structure of some kind.
+			if fields := t.StateFields(); len(fields) != 0 {
+				Failf("non-struct %T has non-zero fields %v", t, fields)
+			}
+			// We don't allow non-structs to implement StateSave/StateLoad
+			// methods, because they won't be called and it's confusing.
+			if _, ok := t.(SaverLoader); ok {
+				Failf("non-struct %T implements SaverLoader", t)
+			}
+		}
+		if _, ok := primitiveTypeDatabase[name]; ok {
+			Failf("conflicting primitiveTypeDatabase entry for %T: used by primitive", t)
+		}
+		if _, ok := globalTypeDatabase[name]; ok {
+			Failf("conflicting globalTypeDatabase entries for %T: name conflict", t)
+		}
+		if name == interfaceType {
+			Failf("conflicting name for %T: matches interfaceType", t)
+		}
 		reverseTypeDatabase[typ] = name
 	}
+	globalTypeDatabase[name] = typ
 }