diff --git a/panda/src/event/eventQueue.cxx b/panda/src/event/eventQueue.cxx
index 69c025734c..426bf161de 100644
--- a/panda/src/event/eventQueue.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/event/eventQueue.cxx
@@ -46,11 +46,13 @@ queue_event(CPT_Event event) {
   LightMutexHolder holder(_lock);
 
   _queue.push_back(event);
-  if (event_cat.is_spam() || event_cat.is_debug()) {
+  if (event_cat.is_debug()) {
     if (event->get_name() == "NewFrame") {
       // Don't bother us with this particularly spammy event.
-      event_cat.spam()
-        << "Throwing event " << *event << "\n";
+      if (event_cat.is_spam()) {
+        event_cat.spam()
+          << "Throwing event " << *event << "\n";
+      }
     } else {
       event_cat.debug()
         << "Throwing event " << *event << "\n";