diff --git a/dtool/src/interrogatedb/py_panda.h b/dtool/src/interrogatedb/py_panda.h
index e070f44484..0ab2e6bdcc 100755
--- a/dtool/src/interrogatedb/py_panda.h
+++ b/dtool/src/interrogatedb/py_panda.h
@@ -32,6 +32,10 @@
 #include <map>
 #include <string>
 
+#ifdef _DEBUG
+#define  Py_DEBUG
+#endif
+
 #ifndef NO_RUNTIME_TYPES
 
 #include "dtoolbase.h"