diff --git a/direct/src/showbase/ShowBase.py b/direct/src/showbase/ShowBase.py
index f3ba70a3de..cc4cdcc590 100644
--- a/direct/src/showbase/ShowBase.py
+++ b/direct/src/showbase/ShowBase.py
@@ -259,10 +259,13 @@ class ShowBase(DirectObject.DirectObject):
         __builtins__["directNotify"] = directNotify
         __builtins__["globalClock"] = ClockObject.getGlobalClock()
         __builtins__["vfs"] = vfs
+        __builtins__["__dev__"] = base.config.GetBool('want-dev', 0)
         if __debug__:
             __builtins__["deltaProfiler"] = DeltaProfiler.DeltaProfiler("ShowBase")
             __builtins__["onScreenDebug"] = OnScreenDebug.OnScreenDebug()
 
+        ShowBase.notify.info('__dev__ == %s' % __dev__)
+
         # Now hang a hook on the window-event from Panda.  This allows
         # us to detect when the user resizes, minimizes, or closes the
         # main window.
diff --git a/direct/src/showbase/ShowBaseGlobal.py b/direct/src/showbase/ShowBaseGlobal.py
index 522984f973..972c123d44 100644
--- a/direct/src/showbase/ShowBaseGlobal.py
+++ b/direct/src/showbase/ShowBaseGlobal.py
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ def inspect(anObject):
     return Inspector.inspect(anObject)
 
 __builtins__["inspect"] = inspect
-__builtins__["__dev__"] = base.config.GetBool('want-dev', 0)
 # this also appears in AIBaseGlobal
 if (not __debug__) and __dev__:
     notify = directNotify.newCategory('ShowBaseGlobal')