diff --git a/cogl-debug.h b/cogl-debug.h
index 79a425282..b31a36c52 100644
--- a/cogl-debug.h
+++ b/cogl-debug.h
@@ -36,7 +36,8 @@ typedef enum {
   COGL_DEBUG_OFFSCREEN  = 1 << 4,
   COGL_DEBUG_DRAW       = 1 << 5,
   COGL_DEBUG_PANGO      = 1 << 6,
-  COGL_DEBUG_RECTANGLES = 1 << 7
+  COGL_DEBUG_RECTANGLES = 1 << 7,
+  COGL_DEBUG_HANDLE     = 1 << 8
 } CoglDebugFlags;
 
 #ifdef COGL_ENABLE_DEBUG
diff --git a/common/Makefile.am b/common/Makefile.am
index 47d24199b..138893a14 100644
--- a/common/Makefile.am
+++ b/common/Makefile.am
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ INCLUDES = \
 noinst_LTLIBRARIES = libclutter-cogl-common.la
 EXTRA_DIST = stb_image.c
 
-libclutter_cogl_common_la_CPPFLAGS = $(CLUTTER_CFLAGS) $(CLUTTER_DEBUG_CFLAGS) $(MAINTAINER_CFLAGS)
+libclutter_cogl_common_la_CPPFLAGS = $(CLUTTER_CFLAGS) $(COGL_DEBUG_CFLAGS) $(CLUTTER_DEBUG_CFLAGS) $(MAINTAINER_CFLAGS)
 libclutter_cogl_common_la_LIBADD = -lm $(CLUTTER_LIBS)
 libclutter_cogl_common_la_SOURCES = 	\
 	cogl-handle.h 			\
diff --git a/common/cogl-debug.c b/common/cogl-debug.c
index 2763314d5..85721fc22 100644
--- a/common/cogl-debug.c
+++ b/common/cogl-debug.c
@@ -38,7 +38,8 @@ static const GDebugKey cogl_debug_keys[] = {
   { "offscreen", COGL_DEBUG_OFFSCREEN },
   { "draw", COGL_DEBUG_DRAW },
   { "pango", COGL_DEBUG_PANGO },
-  { "rectangles", COGL_DEBUG_RECTANGLES }
+  { "rectangles", COGL_DEBUG_RECTANGLES },
+  { "handle", COGL_DEBUG_HANDLE }
 };
 
 static const gint n_cogl_debug_keys = G_N_ELEMENTS (cogl_debug_keys);
diff --git a/common/cogl-handle.h b/common/cogl-handle.h
index e1f1e3c8a..7851932db 100644
--- a/common/cogl-handle.h
+++ b/common/cogl-handle.h
@@ -48,24 +48,25 @@ typedef struct _CoglHandleObject
 
 #ifdef COGL_HANDLE_DEBUG
 
-#define _COGL_HANDLE_DEBUG_NEW(type_name, obj)			\
-  g_debug ("COGL " G_STRINGIFY (type_name) " NEW   %p %i\n",    \
-	  (obj), (obj)->ref_count)
+#define _COGL_HANDLE_DEBUG_NEW(type_name, obj)			        \
+  COGL_NOTE (HANDLE, "COGL " G_STRINGIFY (type_name) " NEW   %p %i\n",  \
+	     (obj), (obj)->ref_count)
 
 #define _COGL_HANDLE_DEBUG_REF(type_name, handle)       G_STMT_START {  \
   CoglHandleObject *__obj = (CoglHandleObject *)handle;                 \
-  g_debug ("COGL %s REF %p %i\n",	                                \
-	   g_quark_to_string ((__obj)->klass->type),                    \
-           (__obj), (__obj)->ref_count);                } G_STMT_END
+  COGL_NOTE (HANDLE, "COGL %s REF %p %i\n",	                        \
+             g_quark_to_string ((__obj)->klass->type),                  \
+             (__obj), (__obj)->ref_count);              } G_STMT_END
 
 #define _COGL_HANDLE_DEBUG_UNREF(type_name, handle)     G_STMT_START {  \
   CoglHandleObject *__obj = (CoglHandleObject *)handle;                 \
-  g_debug ("COGL %s UNREF %p %i\n",	                                \
-	   g_quark_to_string ((__obj)->klass->type),                    \
-           (__obj), (__obj)->ref_count - 1);            } G_STMT_END
+  COGL_NOTE (HANDLE, "COGL %s UNREF %p %i\n",	                        \
+             g_quark_to_string ((__obj)->klass->type),                  \
+             (__obj), (__obj)->ref_count - 1);          } G_STMT_END
 
-#define COGL_HANDLE_DEBUG_FREE(obj)     \
-  g_debug ("COGL %s FREE %p\n", g_quark_to_string ((obj)->klass->type), (obj))
+#define COGL_HANDLE_DEBUG_FREE(obj)                                     \
+  COGL_NOTE (HANDLE, "COGL %s FREE %p\n",                               \
+             g_quark_to_string ((obj)->klass->type), (obj))
 
 #else /* !COGL_HANDLE_DEBUG */
 
diff --git a/common/cogl-internal.h b/common/cogl-internal.h
index b71de0f7c..f148c35b6 100644
--- a/common/cogl-internal.h
+++ b/common/cogl-internal.h
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@
 #ifndef __COGL_INTERNAL_H
 #define __COGL_INTERNAL_H
 
+#include "cogl-debug.h"
+
 #ifdef HAVE_COGL_GLES2
 typedef enum {
   COGL_BOXED_NONE,
@@ -49,10 +51,7 @@ typedef struct _CoglBoxedValue
 } CoglBoxedValue;
 #endif
 
-/* XXX - set to 1 to enable checks on every GL call */
-#define COGL_GL_DEBUG 0
-
-#if COGL_GL_DEBUG
+#ifdef COGL_GL_DEBUG
 
 const gchar *cogl_gl_error_to_string (GLenum error_code);
 
diff --git a/gl/Makefile.am b/gl/Makefile.am
index 26fadc42c..367f674f2 100644
--- a/gl/Makefile.am
+++ b/gl/Makefile.am
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ INCLUDES = \
 
 noinst_LTLIBRARIES = libclutter-cogl.la
 
-libclutter_cogl_la_CPPFLAGS = $(CLUTTER_CFLAGS) $(CLUTTER_DEBUG_CFLAGS) $(MAINTAINER_CFLAGS)
+libclutter_cogl_la_CPPFLAGS = $(CLUTTER_CFLAGS) $(COGL_DEBUG_CFLAGS) $(CLUTTER_DEBUG_CFLAGS) $(MAINTAINER_CFLAGS)
 libclutter_cogl_la_LIBADD = -lm $(CLUTTER_LIBS) $(top_builddir)/clutter/cogl/common/libclutter-cogl-common.la
 libclutter_cogl_la_DEPENDENCIES = $(top_builddir)/clutter/cogl/common/libclutter-cogl-common.la
 libclutter_cogl_la_SOURCES = \
diff --git a/gles/Makefile.am b/gles/Makefile.am
index abebf7275..3f84b4b2f 100644
--- a/gles/Makefile.am
+++ b/gles/Makefile.am
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ INCLUDES = \
 
 noinst_LTLIBRARIES = libclutter-cogl.la
 
-libclutter_cogl_la_CPPFLAGS = $(CLUTTER_CFLAGS) $(CLUTTER_DEBUG_CFLAGS) $(MAINTAINER_CFLAGS)
+libclutter_cogl_la_CPPFLAGS = $(CLUTTER_CFLAGS) $(COGL_DEBUG_CFLAGS) $(CLUTTER_DEBUG_CFLAGS) $(MAINTAINER_CFLAGS)
 libclutter_cogl_la_LIBADD = -lm $(CLUTTER_LIBS) $(top_builddir)/clutter/cogl/common/libclutter-cogl-common.la
 libclutter_cogl_la_DEPENDENCIES = $(top_builddir)/clutter/cogl/common/libclutter-cogl-common.la
 libclutter_cogl_la_SOURCES = \