diff --git a/Surface_reconstruction_3/demo/Surface_reconstruction_3/poisson/PoissonDoc.cpp b/Surface_reconstruction_3/demo/Surface_reconstruction_3/poisson/PoissonDoc.cpp
index 3027da0a254..f01c237faed 100644
--- a/Surface_reconstruction_3/demo/Surface_reconstruction_3/poisson/PoissonDoc.cpp
+++ b/Surface_reconstruction_3/demo/Surface_reconstruction_3/poisson/PoissonDoc.cpp
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@
 #include <CGAL/average_spacing_3.h>
 #include <CGAL/merge_epsilon_nearest_points_3.h>
 #include <CGAL/random_simplification_points_3.h>
+#include <CGAL/surface_reconstruction_assertions.h>
 
 // STL
 #include <iostream>
@@ -938,15 +939,13 @@ void CPoissonDoc::OnReconstructionPoissonSurfaceMeshing()
                                                         m_sm_radius*size,  // upper bound of Delaunay balls radii
                                                         m_sm_distance_poisson*size); // upper bound of distance to surface
 
-#ifdef DEBUG_TRACE
-    std::cerr << "  make_surface_mesh(dichotomy error="<<m_sm_error_bound<<" * point set radius,\n"
-              << "                    sphere center=("<<sm_sphere_center << "),\n"
-              << "                    sphere radius="<<sm_sphere_radius/size<<" * p.s.r.,\n"
-              << "                    angle="<<m_sm_angle << " degrees,\n"
-              << "                    radius="<<m_sm_radius<<" * p.s.r.,\n"
-              << "                    distance="<<m_sm_distance_poisson<<" * p.s.r.,\n"
-              << "                    Non_manifold_tag)\n";
-#endif
+    CGAL_TRACE_STREAM << "  make_surface_mesh(dichotomy error="<<m_sm_error_bound<<" * point set radius,\n"
+                      << "                    sphere center=("<<sm_sphere_center << "),\n"
+                      << "                    sphere radius="<<sm_sphere_radius/size<<" * p.s.r.,\n"
+                      << "                    angle="<<m_sm_angle << " degrees,\n"
+                      << "                    radius="<<m_sm_radius<<" * p.s.r.,\n"
+                      << "                    distance="<<m_sm_distance_poisson<<" * p.s.r.,\n"
+                      << "                    Non_manifold_tag)\n";
 
     // meshing surface
     CGAL::make_surface_mesh(m_surface_mesher_c2t3, surface, criteria, CGAL::Non_manifold_tag());
@@ -1241,9 +1240,7 @@ void CPoissonDoc::OnReconstructionApssReconstruction()
     m_surface.clear();
 
     // Create implicit function
-#ifdef DEBUG_TRACE
-    std::cerr << "  APSS_implicit_function(knn="<<m_number_of_neighbours << ")\n";
-#endif
+    CGAL_TRACE_STREAM << "  APSS_implicit_function(knn="<<m_number_of_neighbours << ")\n";
     m_apss_function = new APSS_implicit_function(m_points.begin(), m_points.end(), 
                                                  m_number_of_neighbours);
 
@@ -1274,15 +1271,13 @@ void CPoissonDoc::OnReconstructionApssReconstruction()
                                                         m_sm_radius*size,  // upper bound of Delaunay balls radii
                                                         m_sm_distance_apss*size); // upper bound of distance to surface
 
-#ifdef DEBUG_TRACE
-    std::cerr << "  make_surface_mesh(dichotomy error="<<m_sm_error_bound<<" * point set radius,\n"
-              << "                    sphere center=("<<sm_sphere_center << "),\n"
-              << "                    sphere radius="<<sm_sphere_radius/size<<" * p.s.r.,\n"
-              << "                    angle="<<m_sm_angle << " degrees,\n"
-              << "                    radius="<<m_sm_radius<<" * p.s.r.,\n"
-              << "                    distance="<<m_sm_distance_apss<<" * p.s.r.,\n"
-              << "                    Non_manifold_tag)\n";
-#endif
+    CGAL_TRACE_STREAM << "  make_surface_mesh(dichotomy error="<<m_sm_error_bound<<" * point set radius,\n"
+                      << "                    sphere center=("<<sm_sphere_center << "),\n"
+                      << "                    sphere radius="<<sm_sphere_radius/size<<" * p.s.r.,\n"
+                      << "                    angle="<<m_sm_angle << " degrees,\n"
+                      << "                    radius="<<m_sm_radius<<" * p.s.r.,\n"
+                      << "                    distance="<<m_sm_distance_apss<<" * p.s.r.,\n"
+                      << "                    Non_manifold_tag)\n";
 
     // meshing surface
     CGAL::make_surface_mesh(m_surface_mesher_c2t3, surface, criteria, CGAL::Non_manifold_tag());
diff --git a/Surface_reconstruction_3/examples/Surface_reconstruction_3/APSS_reconstruction.cpp b/Surface_reconstruction_3/examples/Surface_reconstruction_3/APSS_reconstruction.cpp
index b1b34a6542e..975e7093814 100644
--- a/Surface_reconstruction_3/examples/Surface_reconstruction_3/APSS_reconstruction.cpp
+++ b/Surface_reconstruction_3/examples/Surface_reconstruction_3/APSS_reconstruction.cpp
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 #include <CGAL/Point_with_normal_3.h>
 #include <CGAL/IO/surface_reconstruction_output.h>
 #include <CGAL/IO/surface_reconstruction_read_xyz.h>
+#include <CGAL/surface_reconstruction_assertions.h>
 
 // This test
 #include "enriched_polyhedron.h"
@@ -204,9 +205,7 @@ int main(int argc, char * argv[])
     std::cerr << "Compute implicit function...\n";
 
     // Create implicit function
-#ifdef DEBUG_TRACE
-    std::cerr << "  APSS_implicit_function(knn="<<number_of_neighbours << ")\n";
-#endif
+    CGAL_TRACE_STREAM << "  APSS_implicit_function(knn="<<number_of_neighbours << ")\n";
     APSS_implicit_function apss_function(pwns.begin(), pwns.end(),
                                          number_of_neighbours);
 
@@ -252,15 +251,13 @@ int main(int argc, char * argv[])
                                                         sm_radius*size,  // upper bound of Delaunay balls radii
                                                         sm_distance*size); // upper bound of distance to surface
     
-#ifdef DEBUG_TRACE
-    std::cerr << "  make_surface_mesh(dichotomy error="<<sm_error_bound<<" * point set radius,\n"
-              << "                    sphere center=("<<sm_sphere_center << "),\n"
-              << "                    sphere radius="<<sm_sphere_radius/size<<" * p.s.r.,\n"
-              << "                    angle="<<sm_angle << " degrees,\n"
-              << "                    radius="<<sm_radius<<" * p.s.r.,\n"
-              << "                    distance="<<sm_distance<<" * p.s.r.,\n"
-              << "                    Non_manifold_tag)\n";
-#endif
+    CGAL_TRACE_STREAM << "  make_surface_mesh(dichotomy error="<<sm_error_bound<<" * point set radius,\n"
+                      << "                    sphere center=("<<sm_sphere_center << "),\n"
+                      << "                    sphere radius="<<sm_sphere_radius/size<<" * p.s.r.,\n"
+                      << "                    angle="<<sm_angle << " degrees,\n"
+                      << "                    radius="<<sm_radius<<" * p.s.r.,\n"
+                      << "                    distance="<<sm_distance<<" * p.s.r.,\n"
+                      << "                    Non_manifold_tag)\n";
 
     // meshing surface
     CGAL::make_surface_mesh(c2t3, surface, criteria, CGAL::Non_manifold_tag());
diff --git a/Surface_reconstruction_3/examples/Surface_reconstruction_3/poisson_reconstruction.cpp b/Surface_reconstruction_3/examples/Surface_reconstruction_3/poisson_reconstruction.cpp
index fa651069d32..4eb65853635 100644
--- a/Surface_reconstruction_3/examples/Surface_reconstruction_3/poisson_reconstruction.cpp
+++ b/Surface_reconstruction_3/examples/Surface_reconstruction_3/poisson_reconstruction.cpp
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 #include <CGAL/Point_with_normal_3.h>
 #include <CGAL/IO/surface_reconstruction_output.h>
 #include <CGAL/IO/surface_reconstruction_read_xyz.h>
+#include <CGAL/surface_reconstruction_assertions.h>
 
 // This test
 #include "enriched_polyhedron.h"
@@ -263,15 +264,13 @@ int main(int argc, char * argv[])
                                                         sm_radius*size,  // upper bound of Delaunay balls radii
                                                         sm_distance*size); // upper bound of distance to surface
     
-#ifdef DEBUG_TRACE
-    std::cerr << "  make_surface_mesh(dichotomy error="<<sm_error_bound<<" * point set radius,\n"
-              << "                    sphere center=("<<sm_sphere_center << "),\n"
-              << "                    sphere radius="<<sm_sphere_radius/size<<" * p.s.r.,\n"
-              << "                    angle="<<sm_angle << " degrees,\n"
-              << "                    radius="<<sm_radius<<" * p.s.r.,\n"
-              << "                    distance="<<sm_distance<<" * p.s.r.,\n"
-              << "                    Non_manifold_tag)\n";
-#endif
+    CGAL_TRACE_STREAM << "  make_surface_mesh(dichotomy error="<<sm_error_bound<<" * point set radius,\n"
+                      << "                    sphere center=("<<sm_sphere_center << "),\n"
+                      << "                    sphere radius="<<sm_sphere_radius/size<<" * p.s.r.,\n"
+                      << "                    angle="<<sm_angle << " degrees,\n"
+                      << "                    radius="<<sm_radius<<" * p.s.r.,\n"
+                      << "                    distance="<<sm_distance<<" * p.s.r.,\n"
+                      << "                    Non_manifold_tag)\n";
 
     // meshing surface
     CGAL::make_surface_mesh(c2t3, surface, criteria, CGAL::Non_manifold_tag());
diff --git a/Surface_reconstruction_3/include/CGAL/Poisson_implicit_function.h b/Surface_reconstruction_3/include/CGAL/Poisson_implicit_function.h
index 04257fc425c..382cf275823 100644
--- a/Surface_reconstruction_3/include/CGAL/Poisson_implicit_function.h
+++ b/Surface_reconstruction_3/include/CGAL/Poisson_implicit_function.h
@@ -290,10 +290,8 @@ public:
   /// TODO: add parameters to compute_implicit_function()?
   bool compute_implicit_function()
   {
-#ifdef DEBUG_TRACE
     CGAL::Timer task_timer; task_timer.start();
-    std::cerr << "Delaunay refinement...\n";
-#endif
+    CGAL_TRACE_STREAM << "Delaunay refinement...\n";
 
     // Delaunay refinement
     int nb_vertices = m_dt.number_of_vertices();
@@ -302,24 +300,20 @@ public:
     const FT enlarge_ratio = 1.5;
     delaunay_refinement(quality,max_vertices,enlarge_ratio,50000);
 
-#ifdef DEBUG_TRACE
     // Print status
     long memory = CGAL::Memory_sizer().virtual_size();
     int nb_vertices2 = m_dt.number_of_vertices();
-    std::cerr << "Delaunay refinement: " << "added " << nb_vertices2-nb_vertices << " Steiner points, "
-                                         << task_timer.time() << " seconds, "
-                                         << (memory>>20) << " Mb allocated"
-                                         << std::endl;
+    CGAL_TRACE_STREAM << "Delaunay refinement: " << "added " << nb_vertices2-nb_vertices << " Steiner points, "
+                                                 << task_timer.time() << " seconds, "
+                                                 << (memory>>20) << " Mb allocated"
+                                                 << std::endl;
     task_timer.reset();
-#endif
 
     // Smooth normals field.
     // Commented out as it shrinks the reconstructed model.
     //extrapolate_normals();
 
-#ifdef DEBUG_TRACE
-    std::cerr << "Solve Poisson equation...\n";
-#endif
+    CGAL_TRACE_STREAM << "Solve Poisson equation...\n";
 
     /// Compute the Poisson indicator function f()
     /// at each vertex of the triangulation.
@@ -336,14 +330,12 @@ public:
     // - f() < 0 inside the surface.
     set_contouring_value(median_value_at_input_vertices());
 
-#ifdef DEBUG_TRACE
     // Print status
     /*long*/ memory = CGAL::Memory_sizer().virtual_size();
-    std::cerr << "Solve Poisson equation: " << task_timer.time() << " seconds, "
-                                            << (memory>>20) << " Mb allocated"
-                                            << std::endl;
+    CGAL_TRACE_STREAM << "Solve Poisson equation: " << task_timer.time() << " seconds, "
+                                                    << (memory>>20) << " Mb allocated"
+                                                    << std::endl;
     task_timer.reset();
-#endif
 
     return true;
   }
diff --git a/Surface_reconstruction_3/include/CGAL/surface_reconstruction_assertions.h b/Surface_reconstruction_3/include/CGAL/surface_reconstruction_assertions.h
index 54ed4350358..760d73db8f1 100644
--- a/Surface_reconstruction_3/include/CGAL/surface_reconstruction_assertions.h
+++ b/Surface_reconstruction_3/include/CGAL/surface_reconstruction_assertions.h
@@ -296,4 +296,10 @@
   #define CGAL_TRACE  if (false) printf
 #endif
 
+#ifdef DEBUG_TRACE
+  #define CGAL_TRACE_STREAM  std::cerr
+#else
+  #define CGAL_TRACE_STREAM  if (false) std::cerr
+#endif
+
 
diff --git a/Surface_reconstruction_3/test/Surface_reconstruction_3/APSS_reconstruction_test.cpp b/Surface_reconstruction_3/test/Surface_reconstruction_3/APSS_reconstruction_test.cpp
index 9dfea62858f..89724068da2 100644
--- a/Surface_reconstruction_3/test/Surface_reconstruction_3/APSS_reconstruction_test.cpp
+++ b/Surface_reconstruction_3/test/Surface_reconstruction_3/APSS_reconstruction_test.cpp
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 #include <CGAL/Point_with_normal_3.h>
 #include <CGAL/IO/surface_reconstruction_output.h>
 #include <CGAL/IO/surface_reconstruction_read_xyz.h>
+#include <CGAL/surface_reconstruction_assertions.h>
 
 // This test
 #include "enriched_polyhedron.h"
@@ -200,9 +201,7 @@ int main(int argc, char * argv[])
     std::cerr << "Compute implicit function...\n";
 
     // Create implicit function
-#ifdef DEBUG_TRACE
-    std::cerr << "  APSS_implicit_function(knn="<<number_of_neighbours << ")\n";
-#endif
+    CGAL_TRACE_STREAM << "  APSS_implicit_function(knn="<<number_of_neighbours << ")\n";
     APSS_implicit_function apss_function(pwns.begin(), pwns.end(),
                                          number_of_neighbours);
 
@@ -249,15 +248,13 @@ int main(int argc, char * argv[])
                                                         sm_radius*size,  // upper bound of Delaunay balls radii
                                                         sm_distance*size); // upper bound of distance to surface
     
-#ifdef DEBUG_TRACE
-    std::cerr << "  make_surface_mesh(dichotomy error="<<sm_error_bound<<" * point set radius,\n"
-              << "                    sphere center=("<<sm_sphere_center << "),\n"
-              << "                    sphere radius="<<sm_sphere_radius/size<<" * p.s.r.,\n"
-              << "                    angle="<<sm_angle << " degrees,\n"
-              << "                    radius="<<sm_radius<<" * p.s.r.,\n"
-              << "                    distance="<<sm_distance<<" * p.s.r.,\n"
-              << "                    Non_manifold_tag)\n";
-#endif
+    CGAL_TRACE_STREAM << "  make_surface_mesh(dichotomy error="<<sm_error_bound<<" * point set radius,\n"
+                      << "                    sphere center=("<<sm_sphere_center << "),\n"
+                      << "                    sphere radius="<<sm_sphere_radius/size<<" * p.s.r.,\n"
+                      << "                    angle="<<sm_angle << " degrees,\n"
+                      << "                    radius="<<sm_radius<<" * p.s.r.,\n"
+                      << "                    distance="<<sm_distance<<" * p.s.r.,\n"
+                      << "                    Non_manifold_tag)\n";
 
     // meshing surface
     CGAL::make_surface_mesh(c2t3, surface, criteria, CGAL::Non_manifold_tag());
diff --git a/Surface_reconstruction_3/test/Surface_reconstruction_3/poisson_reconstruction_test.cpp b/Surface_reconstruction_3/test/Surface_reconstruction_3/poisson_reconstruction_test.cpp
index 69b5dc5190f..0175d02e318 100644
--- a/Surface_reconstruction_3/test/Surface_reconstruction_3/poisson_reconstruction_test.cpp
+++ b/Surface_reconstruction_3/test/Surface_reconstruction_3/poisson_reconstruction_test.cpp
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
 #include <CGAL/Point_with_normal_3.h>
 #include <CGAL/IO/surface_reconstruction_output.h>
 #include <CGAL/IO/surface_reconstruction_read_xyz.h>
+#include <CGAL/surface_reconstruction_assertions.h>
 
 // This test
 #include "enriched_polyhedron.h"
@@ -267,15 +268,13 @@ int main(int argc, char * argv[])
                                                         sm_radius*size,  // upper bound of Delaunay balls radii
                                                         sm_distance*size); // upper bound of distance to surface
     
-#ifdef DEBUG_TRACE
-    std::cerr << "  make_surface_mesh(dichotomy error="<<sm_error_bound<<" * point set radius,\n"
-              << "                    sphere center=("<<sm_sphere_center << "),\n"
-              << "                    sphere radius="<<sm_sphere_radius/size<<" * p.s.r.,\n"
-              << "                    angle="<<sm_angle << " degrees,\n"
-              << "                    radius="<<sm_radius<<" * p.s.r.,\n"
-              << "                    distance="<<sm_distance<<" * p.s.r.,\n"
-              << "                    Non_manifold_tag)\n";
-#endif
+    CGAL_TRACE_STREAM << "  make_surface_mesh(dichotomy error="<<sm_error_bound<<" * point set radius,\n"
+                      << "                    sphere center=("<<sm_sphere_center << "),\n"
+                      << "                    sphere radius="<<sm_sphere_radius/size<<" * p.s.r.,\n"
+                      << "                    angle="<<sm_angle << " degrees,\n"
+                      << "                    radius="<<sm_radius<<" * p.s.r.,\n"
+                      << "                    distance="<<sm_distance<<" * p.s.r.,\n"
+                      << "                    Non_manifold_tag)\n";
 
     // meshing surface
     CGAL::make_surface_mesh(c2t3, surface, criteria, CGAL::Non_manifold_tag());