diff --git a/crates/engine/src/ext.rs b/crates/engine/src/ext.rs
index 8fa8f900f2..60bd8d0653 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/ext.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/ext.rs
@@ -91,6 +91,9 @@ define_error_codes! {
     CodeNotFound = 7,
     /// The account that was called is either no contract (e.g. user account) or is a tombstone.
     NotCallable = 8,
+    /// The call to `seal_debug_message` had no effect because debug message
+    /// recording was disabled.
+    LoggingDisabled = 9,
 }
 
 /// The raw return code returned by the host side.
@@ -317,10 +320,10 @@ impl Engine {
         unimplemented!("off-chain environment does not yet support `restore_to`");
     }
 
-    /// Prints the given contents to the console log.
-    pub fn println(&mut self, content: &str) {
-        self.debug_info.record_println(String::from(content));
-        println!("{}", content);
+    /// Records the given debug message and appends to stdout.
+    pub fn debug_message(&mut self, message: &str) {
+        self.debug_info.record_debug_message(String::from(message));
+        print!("{}", message);
     }
 
     /// Conduct the BLAKE-2 256-bit hash and place the result into `output`.
diff --git a/crates/engine/src/test_api.rs b/crates/engine/src/test_api.rs
index 71d7b3e01c..b3dd43a5b0 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/test_api.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/test_api.rs
@@ -33,41 +33,41 @@ pub struct EmittedEvent {
 }
 
 #[derive(Clone)]
-pub struct RecordedPrintlns {
-    printlns: Vec<String>,
+pub struct RecordedDebugMessages {
+    debug_messages: Vec<String>,
 }
 
-impl RecordedPrintlns {
+impl RecordedDebugMessages {
     // Creates a new `Engine instance.
     pub fn new() -> Self {
         Self {
-            printlns: Vec::new(),
+            debug_messages: Vec::new(),
         }
     }
 
-    // Records a new println.
-    pub fn record(&mut self, println: String) {
-        self.printlns.push(println);
+    // Records a new debug message.
+    pub fn record(&mut self, message: String) {
+        self.debug_messages.push(message);
     }
 
-    // Clears all recorded printlns.
+    // Clears all recorded debug messages.
     pub fn clear(&mut self) {
-        self.printlns.clear();
+        self.debug_messages.clear();
     }
 }
 
-impl Default for RecordedPrintlns {
+impl Default for RecordedDebugMessages {
     fn default() -> Self {
         Self::new()
     }
 }
 
-impl IntoIterator for RecordedPrintlns {
+impl IntoIterator for RecordedDebugMessages {
     type Item = String;
     type IntoIter = std::vec::IntoIter<Self::Item>;
 
     fn into_iter(self) -> Self::IntoIter {
-        self.printlns.into_iter()
+        self.debug_messages.into_iter()
     }
 }
 
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ pub struct DebugInfo {
     /// Emitted events recorder.
     emitted_events: Vec<EmittedEvent>,
     /// Emitted print messages recorder.
-    emitted_printlns: RecordedPrintlns,
+    emitted_debug_messages: RecordedDebugMessages,
     /// The total number of reads to the storage.
     count_reads: HashMap<AccountId, usize>,
     /// The total number of writes to the storage.
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ impl DebugInfo {
     pub fn new() -> Self {
         Self {
             emitted_events: Vec::new(),
-            emitted_printlns: RecordedPrintlns::new(),
+            emitted_debug_messages: RecordedDebugMessages::new(),
             count_reads: HashMap::new(),
             count_writes: HashMap::new(),
             cells_per_account: HashMap::new(),
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ impl DebugInfo {
         self.count_reads.clear();
         self.count_writes.clear();
         self.emitted_events.clear();
-        self.emitted_printlns.clear();
+        self.emitted_debug_messages.clear();
         self.cells_per_account.clear();
     }
 
@@ -159,9 +159,9 @@ impl DebugInfo {
             .unwrap_or(None)
     }
 
-    /// Records a println.
-    pub fn record_println(&mut self, println: String) {
-        self.emitted_printlns.record(println);
+    /// Records a debug message.
+    pub fn record_debug_message(&mut self, message: String) {
+        self.emitted_debug_messages.record(message);
     }
 
     /// Records an event.
@@ -215,9 +215,9 @@ impl Engine {
         self.exec_context.callee()
     }
 
-    /// Returns the contents of the past performed environmental `println` in order.
-    pub fn get_recorded_printlns(&self) -> RecordedPrintlns {
-        self.debug_info.emitted_printlns.clone()
+    /// Returns the contents of the past performed environmental `debug_message` in order.
+    pub fn get_emitted_debug_messages(&self) -> RecordedDebugMessages {
+        self.debug_info.emitted_debug_messages.clone()
     }
 
     /// Returns the recorded emitted events in order.
diff --git a/crates/engine/src/tests.rs b/crates/engine/src/tests.rs
index ed83e45557..798f5287de 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/tests.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/tests.rs
@@ -115,10 +115,10 @@ fn transfer() {
 }
 
 #[test]
-fn printlns() {
+fn debug_messages() {
     let mut engine = Engine::new();
-    engine.println("foobar");
-    let mut recorded = engine.get_recorded_printlns().into_iter();
+    engine.debug_message("foobar");
+    let mut recorded = engine.get_emitted_debug_messages().into_iter();
     assert_eq!(recorded.next(), Some("foobar".into()));
     assert_eq!(recorded.next(), None);
 }
diff --git a/crates/env/Cargo.toml b/crates/env/Cargo.toml
index 217c10e56e..a42f3086aa 100644
--- a/crates/env/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/env/Cargo.toml
@@ -62,4 +62,6 @@ std = [
     "sha3",
     "blake2",
 ]
+# Enable contract debug messages via `debug_print!` and `debug_println!`.
+ink-debug = []
 ink-experimental-engine = ["ink_engine"]
diff --git a/crates/env/src/api.rs b/crates/env/src/api.rs
index 945ab8e5d4..ce8444a664 100644
--- a/crates/env/src/api.rs
+++ b/crates/env/src/api.rs
@@ -553,10 +553,10 @@ where
     })
 }
 
-/// Prints the given contents to the environmental log.
-pub fn debug_println(content: &str) {
+/// Appends the given message to the debug message buffer.
+pub fn debug_message(message: &str) {
     <EnvInstance as OnInstance>::on_instance(|instance| {
-        EnvBackend::println(instance, content)
+        EnvBackend::debug_message(instance, message)
     })
 }
 
diff --git a/crates/env/src/backend.rs b/crates/env/src/backend.rs
index feaffca187..150b7a8504 100644
--- a/crates/env/src/backend.rs
+++ b/crates/env/src/backend.rs
@@ -119,8 +119,15 @@ pub trait EnvBackend {
     where
         R: scale::Encode;
 
-    /// Prints the given contents to the console log.
-    fn println(&mut self, content: &str);
+    /// Emit a custom debug message.
+    ///
+    /// The message is appended to the debug buffer which is then supplied to the calling RPC
+    /// client. This buffer is also printed as a debug message to the node console if the
+    /// `debug` log level is enabled for the `runtime::contracts` target.
+    ///
+    /// If debug message recording is disabled in the contracts pallet, which is always the case
+    /// when the code is executing on-chain, then this will have no effect.
+    fn debug_message(&mut self, content: &str);
 
     /// Conducts the crypto hash of the given input and stores the result in `output`.
     fn hash_bytes<H>(&mut self, input: &[u8], output: &mut <H as HashOutput>::Type)
diff --git a/crates/env/src/engine/experimental_off_chain/impls.rs b/crates/env/src/engine/experimental_off_chain/impls.rs
index 0781e0670f..bc37ac5b00 100644
--- a/crates/env/src/engine/experimental_off_chain/impls.rs
+++ b/crates/env/src/engine/experimental_off_chain/impls.rs
@@ -111,6 +111,7 @@ impl From<ext::Error> for crate::Error {
             ext::Error::NewContractNotFunded => Self::NewContractNotFunded,
             ext::Error::CodeNotFound => Self::CodeNotFound,
             ext::Error::NotCallable => Self::NotCallable,
+            ext::Error::LoggingDisabled => Self::LoggingDisabled,
         }
     }
 }
@@ -227,8 +228,8 @@ impl EnvBackend for EnvInstance {
         )
     }
 
-    fn println(&mut self, content: &str) {
-        self.engine.println(content)
+    fn debug_message(&mut self, message: &str) {
+        self.engine.debug_message(message)
     }
 
     fn hash_bytes<H>(&mut self, input: &[u8], output: &mut <H as HashOutput>::Type)
diff --git a/crates/env/src/engine/experimental_off_chain/test_api.rs b/crates/env/src/engine/experimental_off_chain/test_api.rs
index 8608270cbe..e44c9a5d23 100644
--- a/crates/env/src/engine/experimental_off_chain/test_api.rs
+++ b/crates/env/src/engine/experimental_off_chain/test_api.rs
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ use crate::{
     Result,
 };
 use core::fmt::Debug;
-use ink_engine::test_api::RecordedPrintlns;
+use ink_engine::test_api::RecordedDebugMessages;
 use std::panic::UnwindSafe;
 
 /// Record for an emitted event.
@@ -129,10 +129,10 @@ where
     unimplemented!("off-chain environment does not yet support `set_block_entropy`");
 }
 
-/// Returns the contents of the past performed environmental `println` in order.
-pub fn recorded_printlns() -> RecordedPrintlns {
+/// Returns the contents of the past performed environmental debug messages in order.
+pub fn recorded_debug_messages() -> RecordedDebugMessages {
     <EnvInstance as OnInstance>::on_instance(|instance| {
-        instance.engine.get_recorded_printlns()
+        instance.engine.get_emitted_debug_messages()
     })
 }
 
diff --git a/crates/env/src/engine/off_chain/db/console.rs b/crates/env/src/engine/off_chain/db/debug_buf.rs
similarity index 50%
rename from crates/env/src/engine/off_chain/db/console.rs
rename to crates/env/src/engine/off_chain/db/debug_buf.rs
index 67486b4e8f..959c4d7365 100644
--- a/crates/env/src/engine/off_chain/db/console.rs
+++ b/crates/env/src/engine/off_chain/db/debug_buf.rs
@@ -14,53 +14,53 @@
 
 use ink_prelude::string::String;
 
-/// A debug console used to print console contents and store them.
-pub struct Console {
-    /// The buffer to store the already pasted contents.
-    past_prints: Vec<String>,
+/// A debug buffer used to store debug messages and print them to stdout.
+pub struct DebugBuffer {
+    /// The buffer to store the emitted debug messages.
+    past_debug_messages: Vec<String>,
 }
 
-impl Console {
+impl DebugBuffer {
     /// Creates a new empty console.
     pub fn new() -> Self {
         Self {
-            past_prints: Vec::new(),
+            past_debug_messages: Vec::new(),
         }
     }
 
-    /// Resets the console to uninitialized state.
+    /// Resets the debug buffer to uninitialized state.
     pub fn reset(&mut self) {
-        self.past_prints.clear();
+        self.past_debug_messages.clear();
     }
 
-    /// Prints the contents to the actual console and stores them.
-    pub fn println(&mut self, contents: &str) {
-        self.past_prints.push(contents.to_string());
-        println!("{}", contents);
+    /// Prints the message to stdout and stores it.
+    pub fn debug_message(&mut self, message: &str) {
+        self.past_debug_messages.push(message.to_string());
+        print!("{}", message);
     }
 
-    /// Returns an iterator over the past console prints.
-    pub fn past_prints(&self) -> PastPrints {
-        PastPrints::new(self)
+    /// Returns an iterator over the past debug messages.
+    pub fn past_debug_messages(&self) -> DebugMessages {
+        DebugMessages::new(self)
     }
 }
 
-/// Iterator over the past prints to the console.
-pub struct PastPrints<'a> {
-    /// Iterator over the past printlns.
+/// Iterator over the past debug messages.
+pub struct DebugMessages<'a> {
+    /// Iterator over the past debug messages.
     iter: core::slice::Iter<'a, String>,
 }
 
-impl<'a> PastPrints<'a> {
-    /// Creates a new iterator over the past console prints.
-    fn new(console: &'a Console) -> Self {
+impl<'a> DebugMessages<'a> {
+    /// Creates a new iterator over the past debug messages.
+    fn new(console: &'a DebugBuffer) -> Self {
         Self {
-            iter: console.past_prints.iter(),
+            iter: console.past_debug_messages.iter(),
         }
     }
 }
 
-impl<'a> Iterator for PastPrints<'a> {
+impl<'a> Iterator for DebugMessages<'a> {
     type Item = &'a str;
 
     fn next(&mut self) -> Option<Self::Item> {
@@ -68,13 +68,13 @@ impl<'a> Iterator for PastPrints<'a> {
     }
 }
 
-impl<'a> ExactSizeIterator for PastPrints<'a> {
+impl<'a> ExactSizeIterator for DebugMessages<'a> {
     fn len(&self) -> usize {
         self.iter.len()
     }
 }
 
-impl<'a> DoubleEndedIterator for PastPrints<'a> {
+impl<'a> DoubleEndedIterator for DebugMessages<'a> {
     fn next_back(&mut self) -> Option<Self::Item> {
         self.iter.next_back().map(AsRef::as_ref)
     }
diff --git a/crates/env/src/engine/off_chain/db/mod.rs b/crates/env/src/engine/off_chain/db/mod.rs
index 100a652127..42ff658b6a 100644
--- a/crates/env/src/engine/off_chain/db/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/env/src/engine/off_chain/db/mod.rs
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 mod accounts;
 mod block;
 mod chain_spec;
-mod console;
+mod debug_buf;
 mod events;
 mod exec_context;
 
@@ -30,9 +30,9 @@ pub use self::{
     },
     block::Block,
     chain_spec::ChainSpec,
-    console::{
-        Console,
-        PastPrints,
+    debug_buf::{
+        DebugBuffer,
+        DebugMessages,
     },
     events::{
         EmittedEvent,
diff --git a/crates/env/src/engine/off_chain/impls.rs b/crates/env/src/engine/off_chain/impls.rs
index abf6790816..17909e7059 100644
--- a/crates/env/src/engine/off_chain/impls.rs
+++ b/crates/env/src/engine/off_chain/impls.rs
@@ -175,8 +175,8 @@ impl EnvBackend for EnvInstance {
         std::process::exit(flags.into_u32() as i32)
     }
 
-    fn println(&mut self, content: &str) {
-        self.console.println(content)
+    fn debug_message(&mut self, message: &str) {
+        self.debug_buf.debug_message(message)
     }
 
     fn hash_bytes<H>(&mut self, input: &[u8], output: &mut <H as HashOutput>::Type)
diff --git a/crates/env/src/engine/off_chain/mod.rs b/crates/env/src/engine/off_chain/mod.rs
index 5dc11e5a0d..bb3ce8d41b 100644
--- a/crates/env/src/engine/off_chain/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/env/src/engine/off_chain/mod.rs
@@ -28,8 +28,8 @@ pub use self::{
     call_data::CallData,
     db::{
         AccountError,
+        DebugMessages,
         EmittedEvent,
-        PastPrints,
     },
     typed_encoded::TypedEncodedError,
 };
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ use self::{
         AccountsDb,
         Block,
         ChainSpec,
-        Console,
+        DebugBuffer,
         EmittedEventsRecorder,
         ExecContext,
     },
@@ -84,8 +84,8 @@ pub struct EnvInstance {
     chain_spec: ChainSpec,
     /// The blocks of the chain.
     blocks: Vec<Block>,
-    /// The console to print debug contents.
-    console: Console,
+    /// The debug buffer to collect debug messages and print them to stdout.
+    debug_buf: DebugBuffer,
     /// Handler for registered chain extensions.
     chain_extension_handler: ChainExtensionHandler,
     /// Emitted events recorder.
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ impl EnvInstance {
             exec_context: Vec::new(),
             chain_spec: ChainSpec::uninitialized(),
             blocks: Vec::new(),
-            console: Console::new(),
+            debug_buf: DebugBuffer::new(),
             chain_extension_handler: ChainExtensionHandler::new(),
             emitted_events: EmittedEventsRecorder::new(),
             clear_storage_disabled: false,
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ impl EnvInstance {
         self.exec_context.clear();
         self.chain_spec.reset();
         self.blocks.clear();
-        self.console.reset();
+        self.debug_buf.reset();
         self.chain_extension_handler.reset();
         self.emitted_events.reset();
         self.clear_storage_disabled = false;
diff --git a/crates/env/src/engine/off_chain/test_api.rs b/crates/env/src/engine/off_chain/test_api.rs
index 855be01a29..41c979b9d5 100644
--- a/crates/env/src/engine/off_chain/test_api.rs
+++ b/crates/env/src/engine/off_chain/test_api.rs
@@ -215,8 +215,8 @@ where
     Ok(())
 }
 
-/// Returns the contents of the past performed environmental `println` in order.
-pub fn recorded_printlns() -> impl Iterator<Item = String> {
+/// Returns the contents of the past performed environmental debug messages in order.
+pub fn recorded_debug_messages() -> impl Iterator<Item = String> {
     <EnvInstance as OnInstance>::on_instance(|instance| {
         // We return a clone of the recorded strings instead of
         // references to them since this would require the whole `on_instance`
@@ -224,8 +224,8 @@ pub fn recorded_printlns() -> impl Iterator<Item = String> {
         // ultimately allow leaking those `'static` references to the outside
         // and potentially lead to terrible bugs such as iterator invalidation.
         instance
-            .console
-            .past_prints()
+            .debug_buf
+            .past_debug_messages()
             .map(ToOwned::to_owned)
             .collect::<Vec<_>>()
             .into_iter()
diff --git a/crates/env/src/engine/on_chain/ext.rs b/crates/env/src/engine/on_chain/ext.rs
index dfbd3dd167..d621247bef 100644
--- a/crates/env/src/engine/on_chain/ext.rs
+++ b/crates/env/src/engine/on_chain/ext.rs
@@ -76,6 +76,9 @@ define_error_codes! {
     CodeNotFound = 7,
     /// The account that was called is either no contract (e.g. user account) or is a tombstone.
     NotCallable = 8,
+     /// The call to `seal_debug_message` had no effect because debug message
+    /// recording was disabled.
+    LoggingDisabled = 9,
 }
 
 /// Thin-wrapper around a `u32` representing a pointer for Wasm32.
@@ -308,8 +311,6 @@ mod sys {
 
         pub fn seal_set_rent_allowance(value_ptr: Ptr32<[u8]>, value_len: u32);
 
-        pub fn seal_println(str_ptr: Ptr32<[u8]>, str_len: u32);
-
         pub fn seal_hash_keccak_256(
             input_ptr: Ptr32<[u8]>,
             input_len: u32,
@@ -344,6 +345,9 @@ mod sys {
 
     #[link(wasm_import_module = "__unstable__")]
     extern "C" {
+        #[cfg(feature = "ink-debug")]
+        pub fn seal_debug_message(str_ptr: Ptr32<[u8]>, str_len: u32) -> ReturnCode;
+
         pub fn seal_rent_params(
             output_ptr: Ptr32Mut<[u8]>,
             output_len_ptr: Ptr32Mut<u32>,
@@ -645,11 +649,37 @@ pub fn random(subject: &[u8], output: &mut &mut [u8]) {
     extract_from_slice(output, output_len as usize);
 }
 
-pub fn println(content: &str) {
-    let bytes = content.as_bytes();
-    unsafe { sys::seal_println(Ptr32::from_slice(bytes), bytes.len() as u32) }
+#[cfg(feature = "ink-debug")]
+/// Call `seal_debug_message` with the supplied UTF-8 encoded message.
+///
+/// If debug message recording is disabled in the contracts pallet, the first call to will
+/// return LoggingDisabled error, and further calls will be a no-op to avoid the cost of calling
+/// into the supervisor.
+///
+/// # Note
+///
+/// This depends on the the `seal_debug_message` interface which requires the
+/// `"pallet-contracts/unstable-interface"` feature to be enabled in the target runtime.
+pub fn debug_message(message: &str) {
+    static mut DEBUG_ENABLED: bool = true;
+
+    // SAFETY: safe because executing in a single threaded context
+    if unsafe { DEBUG_ENABLED } {
+        let bytes = message.as_bytes();
+        let ret_code = unsafe {
+            sys::seal_debug_message(Ptr32::from_slice(bytes), bytes.len() as u32)
+        };
+        if let Err(Error::LoggingDisabled) = ret_code.into() {
+            // SAFETY: safe because executing in a single threaded context
+            unsafe { DEBUG_ENABLED = false }
+        }
+    }
 }
 
+#[cfg(not(feature = "ink-debug"))]
+/// A no-op. Enable the `ink-debug` feature for debug messages.
+pub fn debug_message(_message: &str) {}
+
 macro_rules! impl_hash_fn {
     ( $name:ident, $bytes_result:literal ) => {
         paste::item! {
diff --git a/crates/env/src/engine/on_chain/impls.rs b/crates/env/src/engine/on_chain/impls.rs
index eacc2d2769..0e426cf46f 100644
--- a/crates/env/src/engine/on_chain/impls.rs
+++ b/crates/env/src/engine/on_chain/impls.rs
@@ -110,6 +110,7 @@ impl From<ext::Error> for Error {
             ext::Error::NewContractNotFunded => Self::NewContractNotFunded,
             ext::Error::CodeNotFound => Self::CodeNotFound,
             ext::Error::NotCallable => Self::NotCallable,
+            ext::Error::LoggingDisabled => Self::LoggingDisabled,
         }
     }
 }
@@ -255,8 +256,8 @@ impl EnvBackend for EnvInstance {
         ext::return_value(flags, enc_return_value);
     }
 
-    fn println(&mut self, content: &str) {
-        ext::println(content)
+    fn debug_message(&mut self, content: &str) {
+        ext::debug_message(content)
     }
 
     fn hash_bytes<H>(&mut self, input: &[u8], output: &mut <H as HashOutput>::Type)
diff --git a/crates/env/src/error.rs b/crates/env/src/error.rs
index 32d4a14550..babd7c2e74 100644
--- a/crates/env/src/error.rs
+++ b/crates/env/src/error.rs
@@ -46,6 +46,9 @@ pub enum Error {
     NotCallable,
     /// An unknown error has occurred.
     UnknownError,
+    /// The call to `seal_debug_message` had no effect because debug message
+    /// recording was disabled.
+    LoggingDisabled,
 }
 
 /// A result of environmental operations.
diff --git a/crates/env/src/lib.rs b/crates/env/src/lib.rs
index 9c2f21d513..ffe56c5dc5 100644
--- a/crates/env/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/env/src/lib.rs
@@ -102,3 +102,55 @@ pub use self::{
         RentStatus,
     },
 };
+
+cfg_if::cfg_if! {
+    if #[cfg(any(feature = "ink-debug", feature = "std"))] {
+        /// Required by the `debug_print*` macros below, because there is no guarantee that
+        /// contracts will have a direct `ink_prelude` dependency. In the future we could introduce
+        /// an "umbrella" crate containing all the `ink!` crates which could also host these macros.
+        #[doc(hidden)]
+        pub use ink_prelude::format;
+
+        /// Appends a formatted string to the `debug_message` buffer which will be:
+        ///  - Returned to the caller when the contract is invoked via RPC (*not* via an extrinsic)
+        ///  - Logged as a `debug!` message on the substrate node, which will be printed to the node
+        ///    console's `stdout` when the log level is set to `debug`.
+        ///
+        /// # Note
+        ///
+        /// This depends on the the `seal_debug_message` interface which requires the
+        /// `"pallet-contracts/unstable-interface"` feature to be enabled in the target runtime.
+        #[macro_export]
+        macro_rules! debug_print {
+            ($($arg:tt)*) => ($crate::debug_message(&$crate::format!($($arg)*)));
+        }
+
+        /// Appends a formatted string to the `debug_message` buffer, as per [`debug_print`] but
+        /// with a newline appended.
+        ///
+        /// # Note
+        ///
+        /// This depends on the the `seal_debug_message` interface which requires the
+        /// `"pallet-contracts/unstable-interface"` feature to be enabled in the target runtime.
+        #[macro_export]
+        macro_rules! debug_println {
+            () => ($crate::debug_print!("\n"));
+            ($($arg:tt)*) => (
+                $crate::debug_print!("{}\n", $crate::format!($($arg)*));
+            )
+        }
+    } else {
+        #[macro_export]
+        /// Debug messages disabled. Enable the `ink-debug` feature for contract debugging.
+        macro_rules! debug_print {
+            ($($arg:tt)*) => ();
+        }
+
+        #[macro_export]
+        /// Debug messages disabled. Enable the `ink-debug` feature for contract debugging.
+        macro_rules! debug_println {
+            () => ();
+            ($($arg:tt)*) => ();
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/crates/lang/macro/src/lib.rs b/crates/lang/macro/src/lib.rs
index 4c74e4b049..ad3d26fe9c 100644
--- a/crates/lang/macro/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/lang/macro/src/lib.rs
@@ -399,7 +399,7 @@ use proc_macro::TokenStream;
 /// #
 /// #[ink::contract]
 /// mod greeter {
-///     use ink_prelude::format;
+///     use ink_env::debug_println;
 ///
 ///     #[ink(storage)]
 ///     pub struct Greeter;
@@ -408,8 +408,7 @@ use proc_macro::TokenStream;
 ///         #[ink(constructor)]
 ///         pub fn new() -> Self {
 ///             let caller = Self::env().caller();
-///             let message = format!("thanks for instantiation {:?}", caller);
-///             ink_env::debug_println(&message);
+///             debug_println!("thanks for instantiation {:?}", caller);
 ///             Greeter {}
 ///         }
 ///
@@ -417,8 +416,7 @@ use proc_macro::TokenStream;
 ///         pub fn fund(&self) {
 ///             let caller = self.env().caller();
 ///             let value = self.env().transferred_balance();
-///             let message = format!("thanks for the funding of {:?} from {:?}", value, caller);
-///             ink_env::debug_println(&message);
+///             debug_println!("thanks for the funding of {:?} from {:?}", value, caller);
 ///         }
 ///     }
 /// }
diff --git a/examples/contract-transfer/lib.rs b/examples/contract-transfer/lib.rs
index f705e3ca63..097b204ec5 100644
--- a/examples/contract-transfer/lib.rs
+++ b/examples/contract-transfer/lib.rs
@@ -58,11 +58,8 @@ pub mod give_me {
         /// - Panics in case the transfer failed for another reason.
         #[ink(message)]
         pub fn give_me(&mut self, value: Balance) {
-            ink_env::debug_println(&ink_prelude::format!("requested value: {}", value));
-            ink_env::debug_println(&ink_prelude::format!(
-                "contract balance: {}",
-                self.env().balance()
-            ));
+            ink_env::debug_println!("requested value: {}", value);
+            ink_env::debug_println!("contract balance: {}", self.env().balance());
 
             assert!(value <= self.env().balance(), "insufficient funds!");
 
@@ -88,11 +85,10 @@ pub mod give_me {
         /// allowed to receive value as part of the call.
         #[ink(message, payable, selector = "0xCAFEBABE")]
         pub fn was_it_ten(&self) {
-            let msg = ink_prelude::format!(
+            ink_env::debug_println!(
                 "received payment: {}",
                 self.env().transferred_balance()
             );
-            ink_env::debug_println(&msg);
             assert!(
                 self.env().transferred_balance() == 10,
                 "payment was not ten"