diff --git a/acinclude.m4 b/acinclude.m4
index 81917372206..730ee15ed20 100644
--- a/acinclude.m4
+++ b/acinclude.m4
@@ -1624,6 +1624,11 @@ AC_DEFUN([MYSQL_CHECK_NDB_OPTIONS], [
   --with-ndb-port-base  Base port for NDB Cluster transporters],
               [ndb_port_base="$withval"],
               [ndb_port_base="default"])
+  AC_ARG_WITH([ndb-debug],
+              [
+  --without-ndb-debug   Disable special ndb debug features],
+              [ndb_debug="$withval"],
+              [ndb_debug="default"])
                                                                                 
   AC_MSG_CHECKING([for NDB Cluster options])
   AC_MSG_RESULT([])
@@ -1663,6 +1668,24 @@ AC_DEFUN([MYSQL_CHECK_NDB_OPTIONS], [
       ;;
   esac
 
+  case "$ndb_debug" in
+    yes )
+      AC_MSG_RESULT([-- including ndb extra debug options])
+      have_ndb_debug="yes"
+      ;;
+    full )
+      AC_MSG_RESULT([-- including ndb extra extra debug options])
+      have_ndb_debug="full"
+      ;;
+    no )
+      AC_MSG_RESULT([-- not including ndb extra debug options])
+      have_ndb_debug="no"
+      ;;
+    * )
+      have_ndb_debug="default"
+      ;;
+  esac
+
   AC_MSG_RESULT([done.])
 ])
 
diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index aa3a9d74271..4131db9c66d 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -3039,15 +3039,26 @@ then
   MAKE_BINARY_DISTRIBUTION_OPTIONS="$MAKE_BINARY_DISTRIBUTION_OPTIONS --with-ndbcluster"
 
   CXXFLAGS="$CXXFLAGS \$(NDB_CXXFLAGS)"
-  if test "$with_debug" = "yes"
+  if test "$have_ndb_debug" = "default"
+  then
+    have_ndb_debug=$with_debug
+  fi
+
+  if test "$have_ndb_debug" = "yes"
   then
     # Medium debug.
     NDB_DEFS="-DNDB_DEBUG -DVM_TRACE -DERROR_INSERT -DARRAY_GUARD"
-  elif test "$with_debug" = "full"
+  elif test "$have_ndb_debug" = "full"
   then
     NDB_DEFS="-DNDB_DEBUG_FULL -DVM_TRACE -DERROR_INSERT -DARRAY_GUARD"
   else
-    NDB_DEFS="-DNDEBUG"
+    # no extra ndb debug but still do asserts if debug version
+    if test "$with_debug" = "yes" -o "$with_debug" = "full"
+    then
+      NDB_DEFS=""
+    else
+      NDB_DEFS="-DNDEBUG"
+    fi
   fi
 
 AC_SUBST([NDB_DEFS])