diff --git a/buspirate_spi.c b/buspirate_spi.c
index 3006aa106..d67bfbc7e 100644
--- a/buspirate_spi.c
+++ b/buspirate_spi.c
@@ -25,6 +25,17 @@
 #include "flash.h"
 #include "spi.h"
 
+/* Change this to #define if you want lowlevel debugging of commands
+ * sent to the Bus Pirate.
+ */
+#undef COMM_DEBUG
+
+#ifdef COMM_DEBUG
+#define msg_comm_debug printf_debug
+#else
+#define msg_comm_debug(...) do {} while (0)
+#endif
+
 /* Change this to #define if you want to test without a serial implementation */
 #undef FAKE_COMMUNICATION
 
@@ -47,14 +58,14 @@ int buspirate_sendrecv(unsigned char *buf, unsigned int writecnt, unsigned int r
 {
 	int i, ret = 0;
 
-	printf_debug("%s: write %i, read %i\n", __func__, writecnt, readcnt);
+	msg_comm_debug("%s: write %i, read %i ", __func__, writecnt, readcnt);
 	if (!writecnt && !readcnt) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "Zero length command!\n");
 		return 1;
 	}
-	printf_debug("Sending");
+	msg_comm_debug("Sending");
 	for (i = 0; i < writecnt; i++)
-		printf_debug(" 0x%02x", buf[i]);
+		msg_comm_debug(" 0x%02x", buf[i]);
 #ifdef FAKE_COMMUNICATION
 	/* Placate the caller for now. */
 	if (readcnt) {
@@ -72,10 +83,10 @@ int buspirate_sendrecv(unsigned char *buf, unsigned int writecnt, unsigned int r
 	if (ret)
 		return ret;
 #endif
-	printf_debug(", receiving");
+	msg_comm_debug(", receiving");
 	for (i = 0; i < readcnt; i++)
-		printf_debug(" 0x%02x", buf[i]);
-	printf_debug("\n");
+		msg_comm_debug(" 0x%02x", buf[i]);
+	msg_comm_debug("\n");
 	return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/ft2232_spi.c b/ft2232_spi.c
index d565a6fd3..80c6d4e98 100644
--- a/ft2232_spi.c
+++ b/ft2232_spi.c
@@ -29,6 +29,17 @@
 #include "spi.h"
 #include <ftdi.h>
 
+/* Change this to #define if you want lowlevel debugging of commands
+ * sent to the FT2232 SPI controller.
+ */
+#undef COMM_DEBUG
+
+#ifdef COMM_DEBUG
+#define msg_comm_debug printf_debug
+#else
+#define msg_comm_debug(...) do {} while (0)
+#endif
+
 /*
  * The 'H' chips can run internally at either 12MHz or 60MHz.
  * The non-H chips can only run at 12MHz.
@@ -224,7 +235,7 @@ int ft2232_spi_send_command(unsigned int writecnt, unsigned int readcnt,
 	 * and deassert CS# all in one shot. If reading, we do three separate
 	 * operations.
 	 */
-	printf_debug("Assert CS#\n");
+	msg_comm_debug("Assert CS#\n");
 	buf[i++] = SET_BITS_LOW;
 	buf[i++] = 0 & ~CS_BIT; /* assertive */
 	buf[i++] = 0x0b;
@@ -266,7 +277,7 @@ int ft2232_spi_send_command(unsigned int writecnt, unsigned int readcnt,
 		}
 	}
 
-	printf_debug("De-assert CS#\n");
+	msg_comm_debug("De-assert CS#\n");
 	buf[i++] = SET_BITS_LOW;
 	buf[i++] = CS_BIT;
 	buf[i++] = 0x0b;
diff --git a/ichspi.c b/ichspi.c
index cd02b9638..a6bf15459 100644
--- a/ichspi.c
+++ b/ichspi.c
@@ -36,6 +36,17 @@
 #include "flash.h"
 #include "spi.h"
 
+/* Change this to #define if you want lowlevel debugging of commands
+ * sent to the ICH/VIA SPI controller.
+ */
+#undef COMM_DEBUG
+
+#ifdef COMM_DEBUG
+#define msg_comm_debug printf_debug
+#else
+#define msg_comm_debug(...) do {} while (0)
+#endif
+
 /* ICH9 controller register definition */
 #define ICH9_REG_FADDR         0x08	/* 32 Bits */
 #define ICH9_REG_FDATA0                0x10	/* 64 Bytes */
@@ -624,7 +635,7 @@ static int ich_spi_write_page(struct flashchip *flash, uint8_t * bytes,
 	uint32_t remaining = page_size;
 	int towrite;
 
-	printf_debug("ich_spi_write_page: offset=%d, number=%d, buf=%p\n",
+	msg_comm_debug("ich_spi_write_page: offset=%d, number=%d, buf=%p\n",
 		     offset, page_size, bytes);
 
 	for (; remaining > 0; remaining -= towrite) {
diff --git a/sb600spi.c b/sb600spi.c
index 87f1cc1ee..66943ba87 100644
--- a/sb600spi.c
+++ b/sb600spi.c
@@ -24,6 +24,17 @@
 #include "flash.h"
 #include "spi.h"
 
+/* Change this to #define if you want lowlevel debugging of commands
+ * sent to the SB600/SB700 SPI controller.
+ */
+#undef COMM_DEBUG
+
+#ifdef COMM_DEBUG
+#define msg_comm_debug printf_debug
+#else
+#define msg_comm_debug(...) do {} while (0)
+#endif
+
 /* This struct is unused, but helps visualize the SB600 SPI BAR layout.
  *struct sb600_spi_controller {
  *	unsigned int spi_cntrl0;	/ * 00h * /
@@ -105,7 +116,7 @@ int sb600_spi_send_command(unsigned int writecnt, unsigned int readcnt,
 
 	writecnt--;
 
-	printf_debug("%s, cmd=%x, writecnt=%x, readcnt=%x\n",
+	msg_comm_debug("%s, cmd=%x, writecnt=%x, readcnt=%x\n",
 		     __func__, cmd, writecnt, readcnt);
 
 	if (readcnt > 8) {
@@ -135,10 +146,10 @@ int sb600_spi_send_command(unsigned int writecnt, unsigned int readcnt,
 
 	/* Send the write byte to FIFO. */
 	for (count = 0; count < writecnt; count++, writearr++) {
-		printf_debug(" [%x]", *writearr);
+		msg_comm_debug(" [%x]", *writearr);
 		mmio_writeb(*writearr, sb600_spibar + 0xC);
 	}
-	printf_debug("\n");
+	msg_comm_debug("\n");
 
 	/*
 	 * We should send the data by sequence, which means we need to reset
@@ -164,16 +175,16 @@ int sb600_spi_send_command(unsigned int writecnt, unsigned int readcnt,
 	/* Skip the bytes we sent. */
 	for (count = 0; count < writecnt; count++) {
 		cmd = mmio_readb(sb600_spibar + 0xC);
-		printf_debug("[ %2x]", cmd);
+		msg_comm_debug("[ %2x]", cmd);
 	}
 
-	printf_debug("The FIFO pointer after skipping is %d.\n",
+	msg_comm_debug("The FIFO pointer after skipping is %d.\n",
 		     mmio_readb(sb600_spibar + 0xd) & 0x07);
 	for (count = 0; count < readcnt; count++, readarr++) {
 		*readarr = mmio_readb(sb600_spibar + 0xC);
-		printf_debug("[%02x]", *readarr);
+		msg_comm_debug("[%02x]", *readarr);
 	}
-	printf_debug("\n");
+	msg_comm_debug("\n");
 
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/wbsio_spi.c b/wbsio_spi.c
index 6b9425fe4..e6b94ad7a 100644
--- a/wbsio_spi.c
+++ b/wbsio_spi.c
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
  * This file is part of the flashrom project.
  *
  * Copyright (C) 2008 Peter Stuge <peter@stuge.se>
+ * Copyright (C) 2009,2010 Carl-Daniel Hailfinger
  *
  * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
  * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
@@ -21,6 +22,17 @@
 #include "flash.h"
 #include "spi.h"
 
+/* Change this to #define if you want lowlevel debugging of commands
+ * sent to the Winbond W836xx SPI controller.
+ */
+#undef COMM_DEBUG
+
+#ifdef COMM_DEBUG
+#define msg_comm_debug printf_debug
+#else
+#define msg_comm_debug(...) do {} while (0)
+#endif
+
 #define WBSIO_PORT1	0x2e
 #define WBSIO_PORT2	0x4e
 
@@ -62,7 +74,7 @@ int wbsio_check_for_spi(const char *name)
 		if (0 == (wbsio_spibase = wbsio_get_spibase(WBSIO_PORT2)))
 			return 1;
 
-	printf_debug("\nwbsio_spibase = 0x%x\n", wbsio_spibase);
+	msg_comm_debug("\nwbsio_spibase = 0x%x\n", wbsio_spibase);
 
 	buses_supported |= CHIP_BUSTYPE_SPI;
 	spi_controller = SPI_CONTROLLER_WBSIO;
@@ -96,42 +108,42 @@ int wbsio_spi_send_command(unsigned int writecnt, unsigned int readcnt,
 	int i;
 	uint8_t mode = 0;
 
-	printf_debug("%s:", __func__);
+	msg_comm_debug("%s:", __func__);
 
 	if (1 == writecnt && 0 == readcnt) {
 		mode = 0x10;
 	} else if (2 == writecnt && 0 == readcnt) {
 		OUTB(writearr[1], wbsio_spibase + 4);
-		printf_debug(" data=0x%02x", writearr[1]);
+		msg_comm_debug(" data=0x%02x", writearr[1]);
 		mode = 0x20;
 	} else if (1 == writecnt && 2 == readcnt) {
 		mode = 0x30;
 	} else if (4 == writecnt && 0 == readcnt) {
-		printf_debug(" addr=0x%02x", (writearr[1] & 0x0f));
+		msg_comm_debug(" addr=0x%02x", (writearr[1] & 0x0f));
 		for (i = 2; i < writecnt; i++) {
 			OUTB(writearr[i], wbsio_spibase + i);
-			printf_debug("%02x", writearr[i]);
+			msg_comm_debug("%02x", writearr[i]);
 		}
 		mode = 0x40 | (writearr[1] & 0x0f);
 	} else if (5 == writecnt && 0 == readcnt) {
-		printf_debug(" addr=0x%02x", (writearr[1] & 0x0f));
+		msg_comm_debug(" addr=0x%02x", (writearr[1] & 0x0f));
 		for (i = 2; i < 4; i++) {
 			OUTB(writearr[i], wbsio_spibase + i);
-			printf_debug("%02x", writearr[i]);
+			msg_comm_debug("%02x", writearr[i]);
 		}
 		OUTB(writearr[i], wbsio_spibase + i);
-		printf_debug(" data=0x%02x", writearr[i]);
+		msg_comm_debug(" data=0x%02x", writearr[i]);
 		mode = 0x50 | (writearr[1] & 0x0f);
 	} else if (8 == writecnt && 0 == readcnt) {
-		printf_debug(" addr=0x%02x", (writearr[1] & 0x0f));
+		msg_comm_debug(" addr=0x%02x", (writearr[1] & 0x0f));
 		for (i = 2; i < 4; i++) {
 			OUTB(writearr[i], wbsio_spibase + i);
-			printf_debug("%02x", writearr[i]);
+			msg_comm_debug("%02x", writearr[i]);
 		}
-		printf_debug(" data=0x");
+		msg_comm_debug(" data=0x");
 		for (; i < writecnt; i++) {
 			OUTB(writearr[i], wbsio_spibase + i);
-			printf_debug("%02x", writearr[i]);
+			msg_comm_debug("%02x", writearr[i]);
 		}
 		mode = 0x60 | (writearr[1] & 0x0f);
 	} else if (5 == writecnt && 4 == readcnt) {
@@ -142,14 +154,14 @@ int wbsio_spi_send_command(unsigned int writecnt, unsigned int readcnt,
 		 */
 		;
 	} else if (4 == writecnt && readcnt >= 1 && readcnt <= 4) {
-		printf_debug(" addr=0x%02x", (writearr[1] & 0x0f));
+		msg_comm_debug(" addr=0x%02x", (writearr[1] & 0x0f));
 		for (i = 2; i < writecnt; i++) {
 			OUTB(writearr[i], wbsio_spibase + i);
-			printf_debug("%02x", writearr[i]);
+			msg_comm_debug("%02x", writearr[i]);
 		}
 		mode = ((7 + readcnt) << 4) | (writearr[1] & 0x0f);
 	}
-	printf_debug(" cmd=%02x mode=%02x\n", writearr[0], mode);
+	msg_comm_debug(" cmd=%02x mode=%02x\n", writearr[0], mode);
 
 	if (!mode) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "%s: unsupported command type wr=%d rd=%d\n",
@@ -165,12 +177,12 @@ int wbsio_spi_send_command(unsigned int writecnt, unsigned int readcnt,
 	if (!readcnt)
 		return 0;
 
-	printf_debug("%s: returning data =", __func__);
+	msg_comm_debug("%s: returning data =", __func__);
 	for (i = 0; i < readcnt; i++) {
 		readarr[i] = INB(wbsio_spibase + 4 + i);
-		printf_debug(" 0x%02x", readarr[i]);
+		msg_comm_debug(" 0x%02x", readarr[i]);
 	}
-	printf_debug("\n");
+	msg_comm_debug("\n");
 	return 0;
 }