diff --git a/INSTALL b/INSTALL
index 56e459631..07eda87df 100644
--- a/INSTALL
+++ b/INSTALL
@@ -691,7 +691,7 @@ these options should not be changed. Among the usable ones are:
     overflows, which may have security implications. The cost is extremely low
     (less than 1% increase in memory footprint). This is equivalent to adding
     "-dMtag" on the command line. This option is enabled in the default build
-    options.
+    options and may be disabled with -DDEBUG_MEMORY_POOLS=0.
 
   - -DDEBUG_DONT_SHARE_POOLS: this will keep separate pools for same-sized
     objects of different types. Using this increases the memory usage a little
@@ -711,12 +711,13 @@ these options should not be changed. Among the usable ones are:
     are encouraged to use it, in combination with -DDEBUG_DONT_SHARE_POOLS and
     -DDEBUG_MEMORY_POOLS, as this could catch dangerous regressions.
 
-As such, for regular production, "-DDEBUG_STRICT -DDEBUG_MEMORY_POOLS" is
-recommended. For security sensitive environments, it is recommended to use
-"-DDEBUG_STRICT -DDEBUG_STRICT_ACTION=2 -DDEBUG_MEMORY_POOLS \
--DDEBUG_DONT_SHARE_POOLS". For deployments dedicated to testing new versions or
-when trying to nail a bug down, use "-DDEBUG_STRICT=2 -DDEBUG_STRICT_ACTION=2 \
--DDEBUG_MEMORY_POOLS -DDEBUG_DONT_SHARE_POOLS -DDEBUG_POOL_INTEGRITY".
+As such, "-DDEBUG_STRICT -DDEBUG_MEMORY_POOLS" is implicit and recommended for
+production. For security sensitive environments, it is recommended to use
+"-DDEBUG_STRICT_ACTION=2 -DDEBUG_DONT_SHARE_POOLS". When testing new versions
+or trying to nail a bug down, use "-DDEBUG_STRICT=2 -DDEBUG_STRICT_ACTION=2 \
+-DDEBUG_DONT_SHARE_POOLS -DDEBUG_POOL_INTEGRITY". Finally in order to minimize
+memory usage by disabling these integrity features, it is also possible to use
+"-DDEBUG_STRICT=0 -DDEBUG_MEMORY_POOLS=0".
 
 The DEP variable is automatically set to the list of include files and also
 designates a file that contains the last build options used. It is used during
@@ -757,7 +758,7 @@ example :
 If you need to pass some defines to the preprocessor or compiler, you may pass
 them all in the DEFINE variable. Example:
 
-  $ make TARGET=generic DEFINE="-DDEBUG_DONT_SHARE_POOLS -DDEBUG_MEMORY_POOLS"
+  $ make TARGET=generic DEFINE="-DDEBUG_DONT_SHARE_POOLS"
 
 The ADDINC variable may be used to add some extra include paths; this is
 sometimes needed when cross-compiling. Similarly the ADDLIB variable may be
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 888b3d7a3..441238fcd 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ SMALL_OPTS =
 # DEBUG_NO_POOLS, DEBUG_FAIL_ALLOC, DEBUG_STRICT_ACTION=[0-3], DEBUG_HPACK,
 # DEBUG_AUTH, DEBUG_SPOE, DEBUG_UAF, DEBUG_THREAD, DEBUG_STRICT, DEBUG_DEV,
 # DEBUG_TASK, DEBUG_MEMORY_POOLS, DEBUG_POOL_TRACING, DEBUG_QPACK, DEBUG_LIST.
-DEBUG = -DDEBUG_MEMORY_POOLS
+DEBUG =
 
 #### Trace options
 # Use TRACE=1 to trace function calls to file "trace.out" or to stderr if not
diff --git a/include/haproxy/defaults.h b/include/haproxy/defaults.h
index c0cb9f34b..336e550d8 100644
--- a/include/haproxy/defaults.h
+++ b/include/haproxy/defaults.h
@@ -561,4 +561,8 @@
 # define DEBUG_STRICT 1
 #endif
 
+#if !defined(DEBUG_MEMORY_POOLS)
+# define DEBUG_MEMORY_POOLS 1
+#endif
+
 #endif /* _HAPROXY_DEFAULTS_H */
diff --git a/src/pool.c b/src/pool.c
index 376b311e0..ccee8c4be 100644
--- a/src/pool.c
+++ b/src/pool.c
@@ -40,31 +40,30 @@ static struct list pools __read_mostly = LIST_HEAD_INIT(pools);
 int mem_poison_byte __read_mostly = 'P';
 int pool_trim_in_progress = 0;
 uint pool_debugging __read_mostly =               /* set of POOL_DBG_* flags */
-#ifdef DEBUG_FAIL_ALLOC
+#if defined(DEBUG_FAIL_ALLOC) && (DEBUG_FAIL_ALLOC > 0)
 	POOL_DBG_FAIL_ALLOC |
 #endif
-#ifdef DEBUG_DONT_SHARE_POOLS
+#if defined(DEBUG_DONT_SHARE_POOLS) && (DEBUG_DONT_SHARE_POOLS > 0)
 	POOL_DBG_DONT_MERGE |
 #endif
-#ifdef DEBUG_POOL_INTEGRITY
+#if defined(DEBUG_POOL_INTEGRITY) && (DEBUG_POOL_INTEGRITY > 0)
 	POOL_DBG_COLD_FIRST |
-#endif
-#ifdef DEBUG_POOL_INTEGRITY
 	POOL_DBG_INTEGRITY  |
 #endif
-#ifdef CONFIG_HAP_NO_GLOBAL_POOLS
+#if defined(CONFIG_HAP_NO_GLOBAL_POOLS)
 	POOL_DBG_NO_GLOBAL  |
 #endif
-#if defined(DEBUG_NO_POOLS) || defined(DEBUG_UAF)
+#if defined(DEBUG_NO_POOLS) && (DEBUG_NO_POOLS > 0)
 	POOL_DBG_NO_CACHE   |
 #endif
-#if defined(DEBUG_POOL_TRACING)
+#if defined(DEBUG_POOL_TRACING) && (DEBUG_POOL_TRACING > 0)
 	POOL_DBG_CALLER     |
 #endif
-#if defined(DEBUG_MEMORY_POOLS)
+#if defined(DEBUG_MEMORY_POOLS) && (DEBUG_MEMORY_POOLS > 0)
 	POOL_DBG_TAG        |
 #endif
-#if defined(DEBUG_UAF)
+#if defined(DEBUG_UAF) && (DEBUG_UAF > 0)
+	POOL_DBG_NO_CACHE   |
 	POOL_DBG_UAF        |
 #endif
 	0;