diff --git a/dtool/Config.Linux.pp b/dtool/Config.Linux.pp
index ef3dd1cec5..c90e8cc9c8 100644
--- a/dtool/Config.Linux.pp
+++ b/dtool/Config.Linux.pp
@@ -66,10 +66,10 @@
 // options to interrogate, guaranteeing that the correct interfaces
 // are generated.  Do not include -D here; that will be supplied
 // automatically.
-#defer CDEFINES_OPT1 _DEBUG $[EXTRA_CDEFS]
-#defer CDEFINES_OPT2 _DEBUG $[EXTRA_CDEFS]
+#defer CDEFINES_OPT1 $[EXTRA_CDEFS]
+#defer CDEFINES_OPT2 $[EXTRA_CDEFS]
 #defer CDEFINES_OPT3 $[EXTRA_CDEFS]
-#defer CDEFINES_OPT4 NDEBUG $[EXTRA_CDEFS]
+#defer CDEFINES_OPT4 $[EXTRA_CDEFS]
 
 // What additional flags should be passed for each value of OPTIMIZE
 // (above)?  We separate out the compiler-optimization flags, above,
diff --git a/dtool/Config.OSX.pp b/dtool/Config.OSX.pp
index 42ac618fdf..74e9e0338d 100644
--- a/dtool/Config.OSX.pp
+++ b/dtool/Config.OSX.pp
@@ -60,10 +60,10 @@
 // options to interrogate, guaranteeing that the correct interfaces
 // are generated.  Do not include -D here; that will be supplied
 // automatically.
-#defer CDEFINES_OPT1 _DEBUG $[EXTRA_CDEFS] $[OSX_CDEFS]
-#defer CDEFINES_OPT2 _DEBUG $[EXTRA_CDEFS] $[OSX_CDEFS]
+#defer CDEFINES_OPT1 $[EXTRA_CDEFS] $[OSX_CDEFS]
+#defer CDEFINES_OPT2 $[EXTRA_CDEFS] $[OSX_CDEFS]
 #defer CDEFINES_OPT3 $[EXTRA_CDEFS] $[OSX_CDEFS]
-#defer CDEFINES_OPT4 NDEBUG $[EXTRA_CDEFS] $[OSX_CDEFS]
+#defer CDEFINES_OPT4 $[EXTRA_CDEFS] $[OSX_CDEFS]
 
 // What additional flags should be passed for each value of OPTIMIZE
 // (above)?  We separate out the compiler-optimization flags, above,
diff --git a/dtool/LocalSetup.pp b/dtool/LocalSetup.pp
index c5297daf85..b15e4929b7 100644
--- a/dtool/LocalSetup.pp
+++ b/dtool/LocalSetup.pp
@@ -199,6 +199,15 @@
 #format straight
 /* dtool_config.h.  Generated automatically by $[PPREMAKE] from $[SOURCEFILE]. */
 
+/* Debug / non-debug symbols.  OPTIMIZE = $[OPTIMIZE] */
+#if $[<= $[OPTIMIZE],2]
+#define _DEBUG 1
+#elif $[= $[OPTIMIZE],4]
+#define NDEBUG 1
+#endif
+$[cdefine _DEBUG]
+$[cdefine NDEBUG]
+
 /* Define if we have Python installed.  */
 $[cdefine HAVE_PYTHON]
 $[cdefine USE_DEBUG_PYTHON]
diff --git a/dtool/pptempl/Global.gmsvc.pp b/dtool/pptempl/Global.gmsvc.pp
index 523f93ced1..f821674744 100644
--- a/dtool/pptempl/Global.gmsvc.pp
+++ b/dtool/pptempl/Global.gmsvc.pp
@@ -75,10 +75,10 @@
 #endif
 
 // do NOT try to do #defer #defer CDEFINES_OPT1 $[CDEFINES_OPT1] here!  it wont let Sources.pp define their own CDEFINES_OPT1!  they must use EXTRA_CDEFS!
-#defer CDEFINES_OPT1 $[if $[NO_DEBUG_CDEF],,_DEBUG] $[EXTRA_CDEFS]
-#defer CDEFINES_OPT2 $[if $[NO_DEBUG_CDEF],,_DEBUG] $[EXTRA_CDEFS]
+#defer CDEFINES_OPT1 $[EXTRA_CDEFS]
+#defer CDEFINES_OPT2 $[EXTRA_CDEFS]
 #defer CDEFINES_OPT3 $[EXTRA_CDEFS]
-#defer CDEFINES_OPT4 NDEBUG $[EXTRA_CDEFS]
+#defer CDEFINES_OPT4 $[EXTRA_CDEFS]
 
 #defer cdefines $[CDEFINES_OPT$[OPTIMIZE]]
 
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@
 #defer STATIC_LIB_C++ $[STATIC_LIB_C]
 
 #defer COMPILE_IDL midl /nologo /env win32 /Oicf $[DECYGWINED_INC_PATHLIST_ARGS]
-#defer COMPILE_RC rc /R /D "NDEBUG" /L 0x409 $[DECYGWINED_INC_PATHLIST_ARGS]
+#defer COMPILE_RC rc /R /L 0x409 $[DECYGWINED_INC_PATHLIST_ARGS]
 
 // if we're attached, use dllbase.txt.  otherwise let OS loader resolve dll addrspace collisions
 #if $[ne $[CTPROJS],]
diff --git a/dtool/pptempl/Global.msvc.pp b/dtool/pptempl/Global.msvc.pp
index 32e0933589..6209cd9682 100644
--- a/dtool/pptempl/Global.msvc.pp
+++ b/dtool/pptempl/Global.msvc.pp
@@ -79,10 +79,10 @@
 #endif
 
 // do NOT try to do #defer #defer CDEFINES_OPT1 $[CDEFINES_OPT1] here!  it wont let Sources.pp define their own CDEFINES_OPT1!  they must use EXTRA_CDEFS!
-#defer CDEFINES_OPT1 $[if $[NO_DEBUG_CDEF],,_DEBUG] $[EXTRA_CDEFS]
-#defer CDEFINES_OPT2 $[if $[NO_DEBUG_CDEF],,_DEBUG] $[EXTRA_CDEFS]
+#defer CDEFINES_OPT1 $[EXTRA_CDEFS]
+#defer CDEFINES_OPT2 $[EXTRA_CDEFS]
 #defer CDEFINES_OPT3 $[EXTRA_CDEFS]
-#defer CDEFINES_OPT4 NDEBUG $[EXTRA_CDEFS]
+#defer CDEFINES_OPT4 $[EXTRA_CDEFS]
 
 //  Opt1 /GZ disables OPT flags, so make sure its OPT1 only
 #defer CFLAGS_OPT1 $[CDEFINES_OPT1:%=/D%] $[COMMONFLAGS] $[DEBUGFLAGS] $[OPT1FLAGS]
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@
 #defer STATIC_LIB_C++ $[STATIC_LIB_C]
 
 #defer COMPILE_IDL midl /nologo /env win32 /Oicf $[DECYGWINED_INC_PATHLIST_ARGS]
-#defer COMPILE_RC rc /R /D "NDEBUG" /L 0x409 $[DECYGWINED_INC_PATHLIST_ARGS]
+#defer COMPILE_RC rc /R /L 0x409 $[DECYGWINED_INC_PATHLIST_ARGS]
 
 // if we're attached, use dllbase.txt.  otherwise let OS loader resolve dll addrspace collisions
 #if $[ne $[CTPROJS],]
diff --git a/dtool/pptempl/Global.nmake.pp b/dtool/pptempl/Global.nmake.pp
index 248d28ad91..03b6d9574b 100644
--- a/dtool/pptempl/Global.nmake.pp
+++ b/dtool/pptempl/Global.nmake.pp
@@ -79,10 +79,10 @@
 #endif
 
 // do NOT try to do #defer #defer CDEFINES_OPT1 $[CDEFINES_OPT1] here!  it wont let Sources.pp define their own CDEFINES_OPT1!  they must use EXTRA_CDEFS!
-#defer CDEFINES_OPT1 $[if $[NO_DEBUG_CDEF],,_DEBUG] $[EXTRA_CDEFS]
-#defer CDEFINES_OPT2 $[if $[NO_DEBUG_CDEF],,_DEBUG] $[EXTRA_CDEFS]
+#defer CDEFINES_OPT1 $[EXTRA_CDEFS]
+#defer CDEFINES_OPT2 $[EXTRA_CDEFS]
 #defer CDEFINES_OPT3 $[EXTRA_CDEFS]
-#defer CDEFINES_OPT4 NDEBUG $[EXTRA_CDEFS]
+#defer CDEFINES_OPT4 $[EXTRA_CDEFS]
 
 //  Opt1 /GZ disables OPT flags, so make sure its OPT1 only
 #defer CFLAGS_OPT1 $[CDEFINES_OPT1:%=/D%] $[COMMONFLAGS] $[DEBUGFLAGS] $[OPT1FLAGS]
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@
 #defer STATIC_LIB_C++ $[STATIC_LIB_C]
 
 #defer COMPILE_IDL midl /nologo /env win32 /Oicf $[DECYGWINED_INC_PATHLIST_ARGS]
-#defer COMPILE_RC rc /R /D "NDEBUG" /L 0x409 $[DECYGWINED_INC_PATHLIST_ARGS]
+#defer COMPILE_RC rc /R /L 0x409 $[DECYGWINED_INC_PATHLIST_ARGS]
 
 // if we're attached, use dllbase.txt.  otherwise let OS loader resolve dll addrspace collisions
 #if $[ne $[CTPROJS],]