diff --git a/core/include/debug.h b/core/include/debug.h
index 7b4c77bdb0021cbc811e7fe7bcf37f51f59b2e37..21a3a7a25fa200f7b48d19ef5f328fc523f1878f 100644
--- a/core/include/debug.h
+++ b/core/include/debug.h
@@ -67,7 +67,9 @@ extern "C" {
  * @name Debugging defines
  * @{
  */
-#if ENABLE_DEBUG
+#ifndef ENABLE_DEBUG
+#define ENABLE_DEBUG (0)
+#endif
 
 /**
  * @def DEBUG_FUNC
@@ -92,10 +94,7 @@ extern "C" {
  *
  * @note Another name for ::DEBUG_PRINT
  */
-#define DEBUG(...) DEBUG_PRINT(__VA_ARGS__)
-#else
-#define DEBUG(...)
-#endif
+#define DEBUG(...) if (ENABLE_DEBUG) DEBUG_PRINT(__VA_ARGS__)
 /** @} */
 
 /**