diff --git a/src/GeoSphere.h b/src/GeoSphere.h
index 0bb8507cc8e..3d3547534b0 100644
--- a/src/GeoSphere.h
+++ b/src/GeoSphere.h
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ class GeoSphere {
 	// only called from fishy thread
 	void _UpdateLODs();
 	friend class GeoPatch;
-#ifdef DEBUG
+#if OBJECTVIEWER
 	friend class ObjectViewerView;
 #endif /* DEBUG */
 	static void Init();
diff --git a/src/ObjectViewerView.cpp b/src/ObjectViewerView.cpp
index 513369b07e5..f97b7ac41d0 100644
--- a/src/ObjectViewerView.cpp
+++ b/src/ObjectViewerView.cpp
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 #include "GeoSphereStyle.h"
 #include "Planet.h"
 
-#ifdef DEBUG
+#if OBJECTVIEWER
 
 ObjectViewerView::ObjectViewerView(): View()
 {
diff --git a/src/ObjectViewerView.h b/src/ObjectViewerView.h
index e64e3b7f4c4..66589cf6783 100644
--- a/src/ObjectViewerView.h
+++ b/src/ObjectViewerView.h
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 #ifndef _OBJECTVIEWERVIEW_H
 #define _OBJECTVIEWERVIEW_H
 
-#ifdef DEBUG
-
 #include "libs.h"
 #include "Gui.h"
 #include "View.h"
 
+#if OBJECTVIEWER
+
 class Body;
 
 class ObjectViewerView: public View {
diff --git a/src/Pi.cpp b/src/Pi.cpp
index 421d0f51e59..8603ff58481 100644
--- a/src/Pi.cpp
+++ b/src/Pi.cpp
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ const char * const Pi::combatRating[] = {
 	"ELITE"
 };
 
-#ifdef DEBUG
+#if OBJECTVIEWER
 ObjectViewerView *Pi::objectViewerView;
 #endif
 
@@ -611,10 +611,12 @@ void Pi::HandleEvents()
                             }
                             break;
                         }
+#endif /* DEBUG */
+#if OBJECTVIEWER
                         case SDLK_F10:
                             Pi::SetView(Pi::objectViewerView);
                             break;
-#endif /* DEBUG */
+#endif
                         case SDLK_F11:
                             // XXX only works on X11
                             //SDL_WM_ToggleFullScreen(Pi::scrSurface);
@@ -820,7 +822,7 @@ void Pi::InitGame()
 	spaceStationView = new SpaceStationView();
 	infoView = new InfoView();
 
-#ifdef DEBUG
+#if OBJECTVIEWER
 	objectViewerView = new ObjectViewerView();
 #endif
 
@@ -860,7 +862,7 @@ void Pi::UninitGame()
 	AmbientSounds::Uninit();
 	Sound::DestroyAllEvents();
 
-#ifdef DEBUG
+#if OBJECTVIEWER
 	delete objectViewerView;
 #endif
 
diff --git a/src/Pi.h b/src/Pi.h
index d9619603082..5ff2baab3b1 100644
--- a/src/Pi.h
+++ b/src/Pi.h
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ class SBodyPath;
 class GameMenuView;
 struct lua_State;
 
-#ifdef DEBUG
+#if OBJECTVIEWER
 class ObjectViewerView;
 #endif
 
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ class Pi {
 	static StarSystem *currentSystem;
 	static lua_State *luaPersistent;
 
-#ifdef DEBUG
+#if OBJECTVIEWER
 	static ObjectViewerView *objectViewerView;
 #endif
 
diff --git a/src/Planet.h b/src/Planet.h
index 4d1f814281e..68fbfac9886 100644
--- a/src/Planet.h
+++ b/src/Planet.h
@@ -27,9 +27,9 @@ class Planet: public Body {
 	void GetAtmosphericState(double dist, double *outPressure, double *outDensity);
 	bool IsSuperType(SBody::BodySuperType t) const;
 	virtual const SBody *GetSBody() const { return sbody; }
-#ifdef DEBUG
+#if OBJECTVIEWER
 	friend class ObjectViewerView;
-#endif /* DEBUG */
+#endif
 protected:
 	virtual void Save(Serializer::Writer &wr);
 	virtual void Load(Serializer::Reader &rd);
diff --git a/src/libs.h b/src/libs.h
index b6755e1b025..b54039438cb 100644
--- a/src/libs.h
+++ b/src/libs.h
@@ -12,6 +12,11 @@
 #include <time.h>
 #include <stdarg.h>
 
+// define to include the object viewer in the build
+#ifndef OBJECTVIEWER
+#define OBJECTVIEWER 1
+#endif
+
 /* on unix this would probably become $PREFIX/pioneer */
 #ifndef PIONEER_DATA_DIR
 #define PIONEER_DATA_DIR "data"