diff --git a/ports/esp32s2/Makefile b/ports/esp32s2/Makefile
index 4486cb598c..01f8f48a78 100644
--- a/ports/esp32s2/Makefile
+++ b/ports/esp32s2/Makefile
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ CFLAGS += -DSTACK_CANARY_VALUE=0xa5a5a5a5
 
 #Debugging/Optimization
 ifeq ($(DEBUG), 1)
-  CFLAGS += -ggdb
+  CFLAGS += -DDEBUG -ggdb
   OPTIMIZATION_FLAGS ?= -Og
   # You may want to enable these flags to make setting breakpoints easier.
   # CFLAGS += -fno-inline -fno-ipa-sra
diff --git a/ports/esp32s2/boards/adafruit_magtag_2.9_grayscale/board.c b/ports/esp32s2/boards/adafruit_magtag_2.9_grayscale/board.c
index a9d1074f72..63a16c1206 100644
--- a/ports/esp32s2/boards/adafruit_magtag_2.9_grayscale/board.c
+++ b/ports/esp32s2/boards/adafruit_magtag_2.9_grayscale/board.c
@@ -115,8 +115,10 @@ void board_init(void) {
     common_hal_never_reset_pin(&pin_GPIO20);
 
     // Debug UART
+#ifdef DEBUG
     common_hal_never_reset_pin(&pin_GPIO43);
     common_hal_never_reset_pin(&pin_GPIO44);
+#endif /* DEBUG */
 
     busio_spi_obj_t* spi = &displays[0].fourwire_bus.inline_bus;
     common_hal_busio_spi_construct(spi, &pin_GPIO36, &pin_GPIO35, NULL);
diff --git a/ports/esp32s2/boards/electroniccats_bastwifi/board.c b/ports/esp32s2/boards/electroniccats_bastwifi/board.c
index ff5d9cfb6c..aaef97c7d1 100644
--- a/ports/esp32s2/boards/electroniccats_bastwifi/board.c
+++ b/ports/esp32s2/boards/electroniccats_bastwifi/board.c
@@ -34,8 +34,10 @@ void board_init(void) {
     common_hal_never_reset_pin(&pin_GPIO20);
 
     // Debug UART
+#ifdef DEBUG
     common_hal_never_reset_pin(&pin_GPIO43);
     common_hal_never_reset_pin(&pin_GPIO44);
+#endif /* DEBUG */
 }
 
 bool board_requests_safe_mode(void) {
diff --git a/ports/esp32s2/boards/espressif_kaluga_1/board.c b/ports/esp32s2/boards/espressif_kaluga_1/board.c
index ff5d9cfb6c..aaef97c7d1 100644
--- a/ports/esp32s2/boards/espressif_kaluga_1/board.c
+++ b/ports/esp32s2/boards/espressif_kaluga_1/board.c
@@ -34,8 +34,10 @@ void board_init(void) {
     common_hal_never_reset_pin(&pin_GPIO20);
 
     // Debug UART
+#ifdef DEBUG
     common_hal_never_reset_pin(&pin_GPIO43);
     common_hal_never_reset_pin(&pin_GPIO44);
+#endif /* DEBUG */
 }
 
 bool board_requests_safe_mode(void) {
diff --git a/ports/esp32s2/boards/espressif_saola_1_wroom/board.c b/ports/esp32s2/boards/espressif_saola_1_wroom/board.c
index ff5d9cfb6c..aaef97c7d1 100644
--- a/ports/esp32s2/boards/espressif_saola_1_wroom/board.c
+++ b/ports/esp32s2/boards/espressif_saola_1_wroom/board.c
@@ -34,8 +34,10 @@ void board_init(void) {
     common_hal_never_reset_pin(&pin_GPIO20);
 
     // Debug UART
+#ifdef DEBUG
     common_hal_never_reset_pin(&pin_GPIO43);
     common_hal_never_reset_pin(&pin_GPIO44);
+#endif /* DEBUG */
 }
 
 bool board_requests_safe_mode(void) {
diff --git a/ports/esp32s2/boards/espressif_saola_1_wrover/board.c b/ports/esp32s2/boards/espressif_saola_1_wrover/board.c
index ff5d9cfb6c..aaef97c7d1 100644
--- a/ports/esp32s2/boards/espressif_saola_1_wrover/board.c
+++ b/ports/esp32s2/boards/espressif_saola_1_wrover/board.c
@@ -34,8 +34,10 @@ void board_init(void) {
     common_hal_never_reset_pin(&pin_GPIO20);
 
     // Debug UART
+#ifdef DEBUG
     common_hal_never_reset_pin(&pin_GPIO43);
     common_hal_never_reset_pin(&pin_GPIO44);
+#endif /* DEBUG */
 }
 
 bool board_requests_safe_mode(void) {
diff --git a/ports/esp32s2/boards/microdev_micro_s2/board.c b/ports/esp32s2/boards/microdev_micro_s2/board.c
index abd22091ee..d8fd3a0a2b 100644
--- a/ports/esp32s2/boards/microdev_micro_s2/board.c
+++ b/ports/esp32s2/boards/microdev_micro_s2/board.c
@@ -34,8 +34,10 @@ void board_init(void) {
     common_hal_never_reset_pin(&pin_GPIO20);
 
     // Debug UART
+#ifdef DEBUG
     common_hal_never_reset_pin(&pin_GPIO43);
     common_hal_never_reset_pin(&pin_GPIO44);
+#endif /* DEBUG */
 
     // SPI Flash and RAM
     common_hal_never_reset_pin(&pin_GPIO26);
diff --git a/ports/esp32s2/boards/muselab_nanoesp32_s2/board.c b/ports/esp32s2/boards/muselab_nanoesp32_s2/board.c
index ff5d9cfb6c..aaef97c7d1 100644
--- a/ports/esp32s2/boards/muselab_nanoesp32_s2/board.c
+++ b/ports/esp32s2/boards/muselab_nanoesp32_s2/board.c
@@ -34,8 +34,10 @@ void board_init(void) {
     common_hal_never_reset_pin(&pin_GPIO20);
 
     // Debug UART
+#ifdef DEBUG
     common_hal_never_reset_pin(&pin_GPIO43);
     common_hal_never_reset_pin(&pin_GPIO44);
+#endif /* DEBUG */
 }
 
 bool board_requests_safe_mode(void) {
diff --git a/ports/esp32s2/boards/targett_module_clip_wroom/board.c b/ports/esp32s2/boards/targett_module_clip_wroom/board.c
index c2022d292e..9c58dd2c8a 100644
--- a/ports/esp32s2/boards/targett_module_clip_wroom/board.c
+++ b/ports/esp32s2/boards/targett_module_clip_wroom/board.c
@@ -34,8 +34,10 @@ void board_init(void) {
     common_hal_never_reset_pin(&pin_GPIO20);
 
     // Debug UART
+#ifdef DEBUG
     common_hal_never_reset_pin(&pin_GPIO43);
     common_hal_never_reset_pin(&pin_GPIO44);
+#endif /* DEBUG */
 
     // Crystal
     common_hal_never_reset_pin(&pin_GPIO15);
diff --git a/ports/esp32s2/boards/targett_module_clip_wrover/board.c b/ports/esp32s2/boards/targett_module_clip_wrover/board.c
index 5a9fbcbee7..f5e66acb61 100644
--- a/ports/esp32s2/boards/targett_module_clip_wrover/board.c
+++ b/ports/esp32s2/boards/targett_module_clip_wrover/board.c
@@ -34,8 +34,10 @@ void board_init(void) {
     common_hal_never_reset_pin(&pin_GPIO20);
 
     // Debug UART
+#ifdef DEBUG
     common_hal_never_reset_pin(&pin_GPIO43);
     common_hal_never_reset_pin(&pin_GPIO44);
+#endif /* DEBUG */
 
     //Crystal
     common_hal_never_reset_pin(&pin_GPIO15);
diff --git a/ports/esp32s2/boards/unexpectedmaker_feathers2/board.c b/ports/esp32s2/boards/unexpectedmaker_feathers2/board.c
index abd22091ee..d8fd3a0a2b 100644
--- a/ports/esp32s2/boards/unexpectedmaker_feathers2/board.c
+++ b/ports/esp32s2/boards/unexpectedmaker_feathers2/board.c
@@ -34,8 +34,10 @@ void board_init(void) {
     common_hal_never_reset_pin(&pin_GPIO20);
 
     // Debug UART
+#ifdef DEBUG
     common_hal_never_reset_pin(&pin_GPIO43);
     common_hal_never_reset_pin(&pin_GPIO44);
+#endif /* DEBUG */
 
     // SPI Flash and RAM
     common_hal_never_reset_pin(&pin_GPIO26);
diff --git a/ports/esp32s2/boards/unexpectedmaker_feathers2_prerelease/board.c b/ports/esp32s2/boards/unexpectedmaker_feathers2_prerelease/board.c
index abd22091ee..d8fd3a0a2b 100644
--- a/ports/esp32s2/boards/unexpectedmaker_feathers2_prerelease/board.c
+++ b/ports/esp32s2/boards/unexpectedmaker_feathers2_prerelease/board.c
@@ -34,8 +34,10 @@ void board_init(void) {
     common_hal_never_reset_pin(&pin_GPIO20);
 
     // Debug UART
+#ifdef DEBUG
     common_hal_never_reset_pin(&pin_GPIO43);
     common_hal_never_reset_pin(&pin_GPIO44);
+#endif /* DEBUG */
 
     // SPI Flash and RAM
     common_hal_never_reset_pin(&pin_GPIO26);