diff --git a/include/debugdefs.h b/include/debugdefs.h
index e390062dbc3..78c85996e91 100644
--- a/include/debugdefs.h
+++ b/include/debugdefs.h
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ int dbch_x11drv = 155;
 
 #define DEBUG_CHANNEL_COUNT 156
 
-char debug_msg_enabled[DEBUG_CHANNEL_COUNT][DEBUG_CLASS_COUNT] = {
+char __debug_msg_enabled[DEBUG_CHANNEL_COUNT][DEBUG_CLASS_COUNT] = {
 {1, 1, 0, 0},
 {1, 1, 0, 0},
 {1, 1, 0, 0},
diff --git a/include/debugtools.h b/include/debugtools.h
index c1fdfa32cda..49f3d134dbc 100644
--- a/include/debugtools.h
+++ b/include/debugtools.h
@@ -14,23 +14,24 @@
 
 enum __DEBUG_CLASS { __DBCL_FIXME, __DBCL_ERR, __DBCL_WARN, __DBCL_TRACE, __DBCL_COUNT };
 
-extern char debug_msg_enabled[][__DBCL_COUNT];
+extern char __debug_msg_enabled[][__DBCL_COUNT];
 
 extern const char * const debug_cl_name[__DBCL_COUNT];
 extern const char * const debug_ch_name[];
 
-#define __DEBUGGING(dbcl,dbch) (debug_msg_enabled[(dbch)][(dbcl)])
+#define __GET_DEBUGGING(dbcl,dbch)    (__debug_msg_enabled[(dbch)][(dbcl)])
+#define __SET_DEBUGGING(dbcl,dbch,on) (__debug_msg_enabled[(dbch)][(dbcl)] = (on))
 
 #ifndef __GNUC__
 #define __FUNCTION__ ""
 #endif
 
 #define __DPRINTF(dbcl,dbch) \
-  (!__DEBUGGING(dbcl,dbch) || \
+  (!__GET_DEBUGGING(dbcl,dbch) || \
      (dbg_printf("%s:%s:%s ", debug_cl_name[(dbcl)], debug_ch_name[(dbch)], __FUNCTION__),0)) \
     ? 0 : dbg_printf
 
-#define __DUMMY_DPRINTF() 1 ? 0 : ((int (*)(char *, ...)) NULL)
+#define __DUMMY_DPRINTF 1 ? 0 : ((int (*)(char *, ...)) NULL)
 
 
 /* Exported definitions and macros */
@@ -51,21 +52,21 @@ extern const char * const debug_ch_name[];
 /* use configure to allow user to compile out debugging messages */
 
 #ifndef NO_TRACE_MSGS
-#define TRACE        __DPRINTF(__DBCL_TRACE,DBCH_DEFAULT)
+#define TRACE        __DPRINTF(__DBCL_TRACE,*DBCH_DEFAULT)
 #define TRACE_(ch)   __DPRINTF(__DBCL_TRACE,dbch_##ch)
-#define TRACE_ON(ch) __DEBUGGING(__DBCL_TRACE,dbch_##ch)
+#define TRACE_ON(ch) __GET_DEBUGGING(__DBCL_TRACE,dbch_##ch)
 #else
 #define TRACE_(ch)   __DUMMY_DPRINTF
 #define TRACE_ON(ch) 0
 #endif /* NO_TRACE_MSGS */
 
 #ifndef NO_DEBUG_MSGS
-#define WARN         __DPRINTF(__DBCL_WARN,DBCH_DEFAULT)
+#define WARN         __DPRINTF(__DBCL_WARN,*DBCH_DEFAULT)
 #define WARN_(ch)    __DPRINTF(__DBCL_WARN,dbch_##ch)
-#define WARN_ON(ch)  __DEBUGGING(__DBCL_WARN,dbch_##ch)
-#define FIXME        __DPRINTF(__DBCL_FIXME,DBCH_DEFAULT)
+#define WARN_ON(ch)  __GET_DEBUGGING(__DBCL_WARN,dbch_##ch)
+#define FIXME        __DPRINTF(__DBCL_FIXME,*DBCH_DEFAULT)
 #define FIXME_(ch)   __DPRINTF(__DBCL_FIXME,dbch_##ch)
-#define FIXME_ON(ch) __DEBUGGING(__DBCL_FIXME,dbch_##ch)
+#define FIXME_ON(ch) __GET_DEBUGGING(__DBCL_FIXME,dbch_##ch)
 #else
 #define WARN         __DUMMY_DPRINTF
 #define WARN_(ch)    __DUMMY_DPRINTF
@@ -78,15 +79,18 @@ extern const char * const debug_ch_name[];
 /* define error macro regardless of what is configured */
 /* Solaris got an 'ERR' define in <sys/reg.h> */
 #undef ERR
-#define ERR        __DPRINTF(__DBCL_ERR,DBCH_DEFAULT)
+#define ERR        __DPRINTF(__DBCL_ERR,*DBCH_DEFAULT)
 #define ERR_(ch)   __DPRINTF(__DBCL_ERR,dbch_##ch)
-#define ERR_ON(ch) __DEBUGGING(__DBCL_ERR,dbch_##ch)
+#define ERR_ON(ch) __GET_DEBUGGING(__DBCL_ERR,dbch_##ch)
 
 #define DECLARE_DEBUG_CHANNEL(ch) \
     extern const int dbch_##ch;
 #define DEFAULT_DEBUG_CHANNEL(ch) \
     extern const int dbch_##ch; static const int *const DBCH_DEFAULT = &dbch_##ch;
 
+#define DPRINTF dbg_printf
+#define MESSAGE dbg_printf
+
 #ifdef OLD_DEBUG_MACROS
 /* transition macros */
 #undef TRACE
@@ -98,7 +102,6 @@ extern const char * const debug_ch_name[];
 #define FIXME(ch, fmt, args...) FIXME_(ch)(fmt, ## args)
 #define ERR(ch, fmt, args...)   ERR_(ch)(fmt, ## args)
 #define MSG(format, args...)    fprintf(stderr, format, ## args)
-#define DPRINTF dbg_printf
 #define DUMP dbg_printf
 #endif
 
diff --git a/misc/main.c b/misc/main.c
index 71c47216f00..b92bbc286c2 100644
--- a/misc/main.c
+++ b/misc/main.c
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ BOOL MAIN_ParseDebugOptions(char *options)
 	for (i=0; i<DEBUG_CHANNEL_COUNT; i++)
 	  for(j=0; j<DEBUG_CLASS_COUNT; j++)
 	    if(cls == -1 || cls == j)
-	      debug_msg_enabled[i][j]=(*options=='+');
+                __SET_DEBUGGING( i, j, (*options=='+') );
       }
     else if (!lstrncmpiA(options+1, "relay=", 6) ||
 	     !lstrncmpiA(options+1, "snoop=", 6))
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ BOOL MAIN_ParseDebugOptions(char *options)
 	  if (debug_ch_name && (!lstrncmpiA(debug_ch_name[i],options+1,5))){
 	    for(j=0; j<DEBUG_CLASS_COUNT; j++)
 	      if(cls == -1 || cls == j)
-		debug_msg_enabled[i][j]=TRUE;
+                  __SET_DEBUGGING( i, j, 1 );
 	    break;
 	  }
 	/* should never happen, maybe assert(i!=DEBUG_CHANNEL_COUNT)? */
@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@ BOOL MAIN_ParseDebugOptions(char *options)
 	  if (debug_ch_name && (!lstrncmpiA(options+1,debug_ch_name[i],l-1))){
 	    for(j=0; j<DEBUG_CLASS_COUNT; j++)
 	      if(cls == -1 || cls == j)
-		debug_msg_enabled[i][j]=(*options=='+');
+                  __SET_DEBUGGING( i, j, (*options=='+') );
 	    break;
 	  }
 	if (i==DEBUG_CHANNEL_COUNT)
diff --git a/tools/make_debug b/tools/make_debug
index 2c6feae3635..15db5b46a6d 100755
--- a/tools/make_debug
+++ b/tools/make_debug
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ echo "#define DEBUG_CHANNEL_COUNT $chno"
 
 count=1
 echo
-echo 'char debug_msg_enabled[DEBUG_CHANNEL_COUNT][DEBUG_CLASS_COUNT] = {'
+echo 'char __debug_msg_enabled[DEBUG_CHANNEL_COUNT][DEBUG_CLASS_COUNT] = {'
 for ch in $DEBUG_CHANNELS
 do
     if [ "${count}" != "${chno}" ]; then