diff --git a/makepanda/makepanda.py b/makepanda/makepanda.py
index 5633266f75..8fc5307bbd 100755
--- a/makepanda/makepanda.py
+++ b/makepanda/makepanda.py
@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@ from installpanda import *
 COMPILER=0
 THIRDPARTYLIBS=0
 VC90CRTVERSION=""
-OPTIMIZE="3"
 INSTALLER=0
 RUNTIME=0
 GENMAN=0
@@ -120,20 +119,21 @@ def usage(problem):
     os._exit(0)
 
 def parseopts(args):
-    global OPTIMIZE,INSTALLER,RUNTIME,GENMAN
+    global INSTALLER,RUNTIME,GENMAN
     global VERSION,COMPRESSOR,VERBOSE,THREADCOUNT
     longopts = [
         "help",
         "optimize=","everything","nothing","installer","runtime",
         "version=","lzma","no-python","threads=","outputdir="]
     anything = 0
+    optimize = ""
     for pkg in PkgListGet(): longopts.append("no-"+pkg.lower())
     for pkg in PkgListGet(): longopts.append("use-"+pkg.lower())
     try:
         opts, extras = getopt.getopt(args, "", longopts)
         for option,value in opts:
             if (option=="--help"): raise "usage"
-            elif (option=="--optimize"): OPTIMIZE=value
+            elif (option=="--optimize"): optimize=value
             elif (option=="--installer"): INSTALLER=1
             elif (option=="--runtime"): RUNTIME=1
             elif (option=="--genman"): GENMAN=1
@@ -157,11 +157,11 @@ def parseopts(args):
             anything = 1
     except: usage(0)
     if (anything==0): usage(0)
-    if   (OPTIMIZE=="1"): OPTIMIZE=1
-    elif (OPTIMIZE=="2"): OPTIMIZE=2
-    elif (OPTIMIZE=="3"): OPTIMIZE=3
-    elif (OPTIMIZE=="4"): OPTIMIZE=4
-    else: usage("Invalid setting for OPTIMIZE")
+    try:
+        SetOptimize(int(optimize))
+        assert GetOptimize() in [1, 2, 3, 4]
+    except:
+        usage("Invalid setting for OPTIMIZE")
 
 parseopts(sys.argv[1:])
 
@@ -522,7 +522,7 @@ def printStatus(header,warnings):
             if (PkgSkip(x)==0): tkeep = tkeep + x + " "
             else:                  tomit = tomit + x + " "
         print "Makepanda: Compiler:",COMPILER
-        print "Makepanda: Optimize:",OPTIMIZE
+        print "Makepanda: Optimize:",GetOptimize()
         print "Makepanda: Keep Pkg:",tkeep
         print "Makepanda: Omit Pkg:",tomit
         print "Makepanda: Verbose vs. Quiet Level:",VERBOSE
@@ -575,7 +575,7 @@ def CompileCxx(obj,src,opts):
             if (opt=="ALWAYS") or (opts.count(opt)): cmd += " /D" + var + "=" + val
         if (opts.count('NOFLOATWARN')): cmd += ' /wd4244 /wd4305'
         if (opts.count('MSFORSCOPE')): cmd += ' /Zc:forScope-'
-        optlevel = GetOptimizeOption(opts,OPTIMIZE)
+        optlevel = GetOptimizeOption(opts)
         if (optlevel==1): cmd += " /MD /Zi /RTCs /GS"
         if (optlevel==2): cmd += " /MD /Zi "
         if (optlevel==3): cmd += " /MD /Zi /O2 /Ob2 /DFORCE_INLINING "
@@ -598,7 +598,7 @@ def CompileCxx(obj,src,opts):
         if (sys.platform == "darwin"):
             cmd += " -isysroot " + SDK["MACOSX"] + " -arch i386"
             if ("NOPPC" not in opts): cmd += " -arch ppc"
-        optlevel = GetOptimizeOption(opts,OPTIMIZE)
+        optlevel = GetOptimizeOption(opts)
         if (optlevel==1): cmd += " -g"
         if (optlevel==2): cmd += " -O1"
         if (optlevel==3): cmd += " -O2"
@@ -680,7 +680,7 @@ def CompileIgate(woutd,wsrc,opts):
         cmd += ' -DCPPPARSER -D__STDC__=1 -D__cplusplus -D__inline -D__const=const -D_LP64'
     if (COMPILER=="LINUX") and (platform.architecture()[0]=="32bit"):
         cmd += ' -DCPPPARSER -D__STDC__=1 -D__cplusplus -D__inline -D__const=const -D__i386__'
-    optlevel=GetOptimizeOption(opts,OPTIMIZE)
+    optlevel=GetOptimizeOption(opts)
     if (optlevel==1): cmd += ' '
     if (optlevel==2): cmd += ' '
     if (optlevel==3): cmd += ' -DFORCE_INLINING'
@@ -763,7 +763,7 @@ def CompileLink(dll, obj, opts):
         cmd += " /NOD:MFC90.LIB /NOD:MFC80.LIB /NOD:LIBCI.LIB /NOD:MSVCRTD.LIB /DEBUG"
         cmd += " /nod:libc /nod:libcmtd /nod:atlthunk /nod:atls"
         if (GetOrigExt(dll) != ".exe"): cmd += " /DLL"
-        optlevel = GetOptimizeOption(opts,OPTIMIZE)
+        optlevel = GetOptimizeOption(opts)
         if (optlevel==1): cmd += " /MAP /MAPINFO:EXPORTS"
         if (optlevel==2): cmd += " /MAP:NUL "
         if (optlevel==3): cmd += " /MAP:NUL "
@@ -888,7 +888,7 @@ def CompileResource(target, src, opts):
 def RunGenPyCode(target, inputs, opts):
     if (PkgSkip("PYTHON") != 0): return
     
-    cmdstr = sys.executable + " " + os.path.join("direct", "src", "ffi", "jGenPyCode.py")
+    cmdstr = SDK["PYTHONEXEC"] + " " + os.path.join("direct", "src", "ffi", "jGenPyCode.py")
     if (GENMAN): cmdstr += " -d"
     cmdstr += " -r"
     for i in inputs:
@@ -906,7 +906,7 @@ def RunGenPyCode(target, inputs, opts):
 def FreezePy(target, inputs, opts):
     assert len(inputs) > 0
     # Make sure this function isn't called before genpycode is run.
-    cmdstr = sys.executable + " " + os.path.join("direct", "src", "showutil", "pfreeze.py")
+    cmdstr = SDK["PYTHONEXEC"] + " " + os.path.join("direct", "src", "showutil", "pfreeze.py")
     src = inputs.pop(0)
     for i in inputs:
       cmdstr += " -i " + os.path.splitext(i)[0]
@@ -1211,23 +1211,23 @@ def WriteConfigSettings():
         dtool_config["HAVE_PROC_CURPROC_MAP"] = '1'
         dtool_config["HAVE_PROC_CURPROC_CMDLINE"] = '1'
     
-    if (OPTIMIZE <= 3):
+    if (GetOptimize() <= 3):
         if (dtool_config["HAVE_NET"] != 'UNDEF'):
             dtool_config["DO_PSTATS"] = '1'
     
-    if (OPTIMIZE <= 3):
+    if (GetOptimize() <= 3):
         dtool_config["DO_COLLISION_RECORDING"] = '1'
     
-    #if (OPTIMIZE <= 2):
+    #if (GetOptimize() <= 2):
     #    dtool_config["TRACK_IN_INTERPRETER"] = '1'
     
-    if (OPTIMIZE <= 3):
+    if (GetOptimize() <= 3):
         dtool_config["DO_MEMORY_USAGE"] = '1'
     
-    #if (OPTIMIZE <= 1):
+    #if (GetOptimize() <= 1):
     #    dtool_config["DO_PIPELINING"] = '1'
     
-    if (OPTIMIZE <= 3):
+    if (GetOptimize() <= 3):
         dtool_config["NOTIFY_DEBUG"] = '1'
 
     if (sys.platform.startswith("win") and platform.architecture()[0] == "64bit"):
@@ -4148,12 +4148,12 @@ def MakeRuntime():
                     oscmd("strip --strip-all "+GetOutputDir()+"/rlib/"+base)
     
     # Invoke the make_package and make_contents scripts.
-    command = sys.executable + " direct/src/plugin/make_package.py"
+    command = SDK["PYTHONEXEC"] + " direct/src/plugin/make_package.py"
     command += " -d \"" + GetOutputDir() + "/stage\""
     command += " -s \"" + GetOutputDir() + "/rlib\""
     command += " -p panda3d_%s_%s" % (RUNTIME_PLATFORM, RUNTIME_VERSION)
     oscmd(command)
-    command = sys.executable + " direct/src/plugin/make_contents.py"
+    command = SDK["PYTHONEXEC"] + " direct/src/plugin/make_contents.py"
     command += " -d \"" + GetOutputDir() + "/stage\""
     oscmd(command)
     
@@ -4364,10 +4364,12 @@ def MakeInstallerOSX():
 
 if (INSTALLER != 0):
     if (sys.platform.startswith("win")):
+        dbg = ""
+        if (GetOptimize() <= 2): dbg = "-dbg"
         if (platform.architecture()[0] == "64bit"):
-            MakeInstallerNSIS("Panda3D-"+VERSION+"-x64.exe", "Panda3D", "Panda3D "+VERSION, "C:\\Panda3D-"+VERSION)
+            MakeInstallerNSIS("Panda3D-"+VERSION+dbg+"-x64.exe", "Panda3D", "Panda3D "+VERSION, "C:\\Panda3D-"+VERSION)
         else:
-            MakeInstallerNSIS("Panda3D-"+VERSION+".exe", "Panda3D", "Panda3D "+VERSION, "C:\\Panda3D-"+VERSION)
+            MakeInstallerNSIS("Panda3D-"+VERSION+dbg+".exe", "Panda3D", "Panda3D "+VERSION, "C:\\Panda3D-"+VERSION)
     elif (sys.platform == "linux2"):
         MakeInstallerLinux()
     elif (sys.platform == "darwin"):
diff --git a/makepanda/makepandacore.py b/makepanda/makepandacore.py
index 2fb9976bca..dffe0b9fcf 100644
--- a/makepanda/makepandacore.py
+++ b/makepanda/makepandacore.py
@@ -507,10 +507,10 @@ def GetValueOption(opts, prefix):
             return x[len(prefix):]
     return 0
 
-def GetOptimizeOption(opts,defval):
+def GetOptimizeOption(opts):
     val = GetValueOption(opts, "OPT:")
     if (val == 0):
-        return defval
+        return OPTIMIZE
     return val
 
 ########################################################################
@@ -637,6 +637,7 @@ def SetVC90CRTVersion(fn, ver):
 ########################################################################
 ##
 ## Gets or sets the output directory, by default "built".
+## Gets or sets the optimize level.
 ##
 ########################################################################
 
@@ -647,6 +648,13 @@ def SetOutputDir(outputdir):
   global OUTPUTDIR
   OUTPUTDIR=outputdir
 
+def GetOptimize():
+  return int(OPTIMIZE)
+
+def SetOptimize(optimize):
+  global OPTIMIZE
+  OPTIMIZE=optimize
+
 ########################################################################
 ##
 ## Package Selection
@@ -876,18 +884,20 @@ def SdkLocateMax():
 def SdkLocatePython():
     if (PkgSkip("PYTHON")==0):
         if (sys.platform == "win32"):
-            (arch, osName) = platform.architecture()
-            if arch == "32bit":
-                SDK["PYTHON"] = "thirdparty/win-python"
-            else:
-                SDK["PYTHON"] = "thirdparty/win-python-x64"
+            SDK["PYTHON"] = "thirdparty/win-python"
+            if (GetOptimize() <= 2):
+                SDK["PYTHON"] += "-dbg"
+            if (platform.architecture()[0] == "64bit" and os.path.isdir(SDK["PYTHON"] + "-x64")):
+                SDK["PYTHON"] += "-x64"
             
-            if (not os.path.exists(SDK["PYTHON"])):
-                SDK["PYTHON"] = "thirdparty/win-python"
-            if (not os.path.exists(SDK["PYTHON"]+"/python.exe")):
-                exit("Could not find thirdparty/win-python/python.exe!")
+            SDK["PYTHONEXEC"] = SDK["PYTHON"] + "/python"
+            if (GetOptimize() <= 2): SDK["PYTHONEXEC"] += "_d.exe"
+            else: SDK["PYTHONEXEC"] += ".exe"
             
-            os.system(SDK["PYTHON"].replace("/", "\\") + "\\python.exe -V > "+OUTPUTDIR+"/tmp/pythonversion 2>&1")
+            if (not os.path.isfile(SDK["PYTHONEXEC"])):
+                exit("Could not find %s!" % SDK["PYTHONEXEC"])
+            
+            os.system(SDK["PYTHONEXEC"].replace("/", "\\") + " -V > "+OUTPUTDIR+"/tmp/pythonversion 2>&1")
             pv=ReadFile(OUTPUTDIR+"/tmp/pythonversion")
             if (pv.startswith("Python ")==0):
                 exit("python -V did not produce the expected output")
@@ -897,16 +907,17 @@ def SdkLocatePython():
         elif (sys.platform == "darwin"):
             if "MACOSX" not in SDK: SdkLocateMacOSX()
             if (os.path.isdir("%s/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework" % SDK["MACOSX"])):
-                os.system("readlink %s/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/Current > %s/tmp/pythonversion 2>&1" % (SDK["MACOSX"], OUTPUTDIR))
-                pv = ReadFile(OUTPUTDIR+"/tmp/pythonversion")
-                SDK["PYTHON"] = SDK["MACOSX"]+"/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Headers"
-                SDK["PYTHONVERSION"] = "python"+pv
+                pv = os.readlink("%s/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/Current" % SDK["MACOSX"])
+                SDK["PYTHON"] = SDK["MACOSX"] + "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Headers"
+                SDK["PYTHONVERSION"] = "python " +pv
+                SDK["PYTHONEXEC"] = SDK["MACOSX"] + "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/Current/bin/python"
             else:
                 exit("Could not find the python framework!")
 
         else:
-            SDK["PYTHON"]=sysconfig.get_python_inc()
-            SDK["PYTHONVERSION"]="python"+sysconfig.get_python_version()
+            SDK["PYTHON"] = sysconfig.get_python_inc()
+            SDK["PYTHONVERSION"] = "python" + sysconfig.get_python_version()
+            SDK["PYTHONEXEC"] = sys.executable
 
 def SdkLocateVisualStudio():
     if (sys.platform != "win32"): return
@@ -1201,7 +1212,7 @@ def SetOrigExt(x, v):
 def CalcLocation(fn, ipath):
     if (fn.count("/")): return fn
     dllext = ""
-    if (int(OPTIMIZE) <= 2): dllext = "_d"
+    if (GetOptimize() <= 2): dllext = "_d"
 
     if (fn == "PandaModules.py"): return "pandac/" + fn
     if (fn.endswith(".cxx")): return CxxFindSource(fn, ipath)
@@ -1210,7 +1221,6 @@ def CalcLocation(fn, ipath):
     if (fn.endswith(".c")):   return CxxFindSource(fn, ipath)
     if (fn.endswith(".yxx")): return CxxFindSource(fn, ipath)
     if (fn.endswith(".lxx")): return CxxFindSource(fn, ipath)
-    if (fn.endswith(".mll")): return OUTPUTDIR+"/plugins/"+fn
     if (sys.platform.startswith("win")):
         if (fn.endswith(".def")): return CxxFindSource(fn, ipath)
         if (fn.endswith(".rc")):  return CxxFindSource(fn, ipath)
@@ -1218,6 +1228,7 @@ def CalcLocation(fn, ipath):
         if (fn.endswith(".res")): return OUTPUTDIR+"/tmp/"+fn
         if (fn.endswith(".dll")): return OUTPUTDIR+"/bin/"+fn[:-4]+dllext+".dll"
         if (fn.endswith(".pyd")): return OUTPUTDIR+"/bin/"+fn[:-4]+dllext+".pyd"
+        if (fn.endswith(".mll")): return OUTPUTDIR+"/plugins/"+fn[:-4]+dllext+".mll"
         if (fn.endswith(".dlo")): return OUTPUTDIR+"/plugins/"+fn[:-4]+dllext+".dlo"
         if (fn.endswith(".dli")): return OUTPUTDIR+"/plugins/"+fn[:-4]+dllext+".dli"
         if (fn.endswith(".dle")): return OUTPUTDIR+"/plugins/"+fn[:-4]+dllext+".dle"
@@ -1233,6 +1244,7 @@ def CalcLocation(fn, ipath):
         if (fn.endswith(".obj")):   return OUTPUTDIR+"/tmp/"+fn[:-4]+".o"
         if (fn.endswith(".dll")):   return OUTPUTDIR+"/lib/"+fn[:-4]+".dylib"
         if (fn.endswith(".pyd")):   return OUTPUTDIR+"/lib/"+fn[:-4]+".dylib"
+        if (fn.endswith(".mll")):   return OUTPUTDIR+"/plugins/"+fn
         if (fn.endswith(".exe")):   return OUTPUTDIR+"/bin/"+fn[:-4]
         if (fn.endswith(".lib")):   return OUTPUTDIR+"/lib/"+fn[:-4]+".a"
         if (fn.endswith(".ilb")):   return OUTPUTDIR+"/tmp/"+fn[:-4]+".a"
@@ -1244,6 +1256,7 @@ def CalcLocation(fn, ipath):
         if (fn.endswith(".obj")): return OUTPUTDIR+"/tmp/"+fn[:-4]+".o"
         if (fn.endswith(".dll")): return OUTPUTDIR+"/lib/"+fn[:-4]+".so"
         if (fn.endswith(".pyd")): return OUTPUTDIR+"/lib/"+fn[:-4]+".so"
+        if (fn.endswith(".mll")): return OUTPUTDIR+"/plugins/"+fn
         if (fn.endswith(".exe")): return OUTPUTDIR+"/bin/"+fn[:-4]
         if (fn.endswith(".lib")): return OUTPUTDIR+"/lib/"+fn[:-4]+".a"
         if (fn.endswith(".ilb")): return OUTPUTDIR+"/tmp/"+fn[:-4]+".a"