diff --git a/SConstruct b/SConstruct
index 66e17f299d1..67138a3ebf7 100644
--- a/SConstruct
+++ b/SConstruct
@@ -311,7 +311,7 @@ env["LIBPATH"] = []
 
 if GetOption( "recstore" ) != None:
     env.Append( CPPDEFINES=[ "_RECSTORE" ] )
-env.Append( CPPDEFINES=[ "_SCONS" ] )
+env.Append( CPPDEFINES=[ "_SCONS" , "MONGO_EXPOSE_MACROS" ] )
 env.Append( CPPPATH=[ "." ] )
 
 
diff --git a/client/cleanup.h b/client/cleanup.h
deleted file mode 100644
index db18fec23ae..00000000000
--- a/client/cleanup.h
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,66 +0,0 @@
-/** @file cleanup.h - remove mongo-specific macros that might cause issues
- *                    If included, it must be the last of the mongo headers
- */
-
-/*    Copyright 2009 10gen Inc.
- *
- *    Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
- *    you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
- *    You may obtain a copy of the License at
- *
- *    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
- *
- *    Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
- *    distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
- *    WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
- *    See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
- *    limitations under the License.
- */
-
-// If you define a new global un-prefixed macro, please undef it here
-
-// util/allocator.h
-#undef malloc
-#undef realloc
-
-// util/assert_util.h
-#undef assert
-#undef dassert
-#undef massert
-#undef uassert
-#undef wassert
-#undef yassert
-#undef xassert
-#undef ASSERT_ID_DUPKEY
-#undef ASSERT_STREAM_GOOD
-#undef BOOST_CHECK_EXCEPTION
-#undef DESTRUCTOR_GUARD
-
-// util/goodies.h
-#undef PRINT
-#undef PRINTFL
-#undef asctime
-#undef gmtime
-#undef localtime
-#undef ctime
-
-// util/log.h
-#undef OUTPUT_ERRNOX
-#undef OUTPUT_ERRNO
-
-// util/debug_util.h
-#undef WIN
-#undef DEV
-#undef DEBUGGING
-#undef SOMETIMES
-#undef OCCASIONALLY
-#undef RARELY
-#undef ONCE
-
-// db/instance.h
-#undef OPREAD
-#undef OPWRITE
-
-// stdafx.h
-#undef null
-
diff --git a/client/connpool.h b/client/connpool.h
index 7f1763c22a2..f5c0c866974 100644
--- a/client/connpool.h
+++ b/client/connpool.h
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 
 #include <stack>
 #include "dbclient.h"
+#include "redef_macros.h"
 
 namespace mongo {
 
@@ -134,3 +135,5 @@ namespace mongo {
     };
 
 } // namespace mongo
+
+#include "undef_macros.h"
diff --git a/client/dbclient.h b/client/dbclient.h
index e90a66e57d6..ca7218835cb 100644
--- a/client/dbclient.h
+++ b/client/dbclient.h
@@ -960,3 +960,5 @@ namespace mongo {
     DBClientBase * createDirectClient();
     
 } // namespace mongo
+
+#include "undef_macros.h"
diff --git a/client/gridfs.h b/client/gridfs.h
index 3165d5f2988..3b8001ba6a6 100644
--- a/client/gridfs.h
+++ b/client/gridfs.h
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #include "dbclient.h"
+#include "redef_macros.h"
 
 namespace mongo {
 
@@ -200,4 +201,4 @@ namespace mongo {
     };
 }
 
-
+#include "undef_macros.h"
diff --git a/client/model.h b/client/model.h
index 907b2eaca4e..108efc06ba7 100644
--- a/client/model.h
+++ b/client/model.h
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #include "dbclient.h"
+#include "redef_macros.h"
 
 namespace mongo {
 
@@ -57,3 +58,5 @@ namespace mongo {
     };
 
 } // namespace mongo
+
+#include "undef_macros.h"
diff --git a/client/parallel.h b/client/parallel.h
index 4431e358bfa..c3181bc6237 100644
--- a/client/parallel.h
+++ b/client/parallel.h
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@
 
 #include "../stdafx.h"
 #include "dbclient.h"
+#include "redef_macros.h"
+
 #include "../db/dbmessage.h"
 #include "../db/matcher.h"
 
@@ -270,3 +272,5 @@ namespace mongo {
 
     
 }
+
+#include "undef_macros.h"
diff --git a/client/redef_macros.h b/client/redef_macros.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..0af9111fb01
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/redef_macros.h
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+/** @file redef_macros.h - redefine macros from undef_macros.h */
+
+/*    Copyright 2009 10gen Inc.
+ *
+ *    Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ *    you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ *    You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ *    Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ *    distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ *    WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ *    See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ *    limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+// If you define a new global un-prefixed macro, please add it here and in undef_macros
+// The push_macro and pop_macro pragmas as specific to MSVC and GCC
+
+// #pragma once // this file is intended to be processed multiple times
+
+#if defined(MONGO_MACROS_CLEANED)
+
+// util/allocator.h
+#pragma pop_macro("malloc")
+#pragma pop_macro("realloc")
+
+// util/assert_util.h
+#pragma pop_macro("assert")
+#pragma pop_macro("dassert")
+#pragma pop_macro("massert")
+#pragma pop_macro("uassert")
+#pragma pop_macro("wassert")
+#pragma pop_macro("yassert")
+#pragma pop_macro("xassert")
+#pragma pop_macro("ASSERT_ID_DUPKEY")
+#pragma pop_macro("ASSERT_STREAM_GOOD")
+#pragma pop_macro("BOOST_CHECK_EXCEPTION")
+#pragma pop_macro("DESTRUCTOR_GUARD")
+
+// util/goodies.h
+#pragma pop_macro("PRINT")
+#pragma pop_macro("PRINTFL")
+#pragma pop_macro("asctime")
+#pragma pop_macro("gmtime")
+#pragma pop_macro("localtime")
+#pragma pop_macro("ctime")
+
+// util/log.h
+#pragma pop_macro("OUTPUT_ERRNOX")
+#pragma pop_macro("OUTPUT_ERRNO")
+
+// util/debug_util.h
+#pragma pop_macro("WIN")
+#pragma pop_macro("DEV")
+#pragma pop_macro("DEBUGGING")
+#pragma pop_macro("SOMETIMES")
+#pragma pop_macro("OCCASIONALLY")
+#pragma pop_macro("RARELY")
+#pragma pop_macro("ONCE")
+
+// db/instance.h
+#pragma pop_macro("OPREAD")
+#pragma pop_macro("OPWRITE")
+
+// stdafx.h
+#pragma pop_macro("null")
+
+#undef MONGO_MACROS_CLEANED
+#endif
+
diff --git a/client/syncclusterconnection.h b/client/syncclusterconnection.h
index 9efed93071f..ff8bb2bfc86 100644
--- a/client/syncclusterconnection.h
+++ b/client/syncclusterconnection.h
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 
 #include "../stdafx.h"
 #include "dbclient.h"
+#include "redef_macros.h"
 
 namespace mongo {
 
@@ -102,3 +103,5 @@ namespace mongo {
     
 
 };
+
+#include "undef_macros.h"
diff --git a/client/undef_macros.h b/client/undef_macros.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..9c14c9bff81
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/undef_macros.h
@@ -0,0 +1,102 @@
+/** @file undef_macros.h - remove mongo-specific macros that might cause issues */
+
+/*    Copyright 2009 10gen Inc.
+ *
+ *    Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ *    you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ *    You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ *    Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ *    distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ *    WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ *    See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ *    limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+// If you define a new global un-prefixed macro, please add it here and in redef_macros
+// The push_macro and pop_macro pragmas as specific to MSVC and GCC
+
+// #pragma once // this file is intended to be processed multiple times
+
+#if !defined(MONGO_EXPOSE_MACROS) && !defined(MONGO_MACROS_CLEANED)
+
+// util/allocator.h
+#pragma push_macro("malloc")
+#undef malloc
+#pragma push_macro("realloc")
+#undef realloc
+
+// util/assert_util.h
+#pragma push_macro("assert")
+#undef assert
+#pragma push_macro("dassert")
+#undef dassert
+#pragma push_macro("massert")
+#undef massert
+#pragma push_macro("uassert")
+#undef uassert
+#pragma push_macro("wassert")
+#undef wassert
+#pragma push_macro("yassert")
+#undef yassert
+#pragma push_macro("xassert")
+#undef xassert
+#pragma push_macro("ASSERT_ID_DUPKEY")
+#undef ASSERT_ID_DUPKEY
+#pragma push_macro("ASSERT_STREAM_GOOD")
+#undef ASSERT_STREAM_GOOD
+#pragma push_macro("BOOST_CHECK_EXCEPTION")
+#undef BOOST_CHECK_EXCEPTION
+#pragma push_macro("DESTRUCTOR_GUARD")
+#undef DESTRUCTOR_GUARD
+
+// util/goodies.h
+#pragma push_macro("PRINT")
+#undef PRINT
+#pragma push_macro("PRINTFL")
+#undef PRINTFL
+#pragma push_macro("asctime")
+#undef asctime
+#pragma push_macro("gmtime")
+#undef gmtime
+#pragma push_macro("localtime")
+#undef localtime
+#pragma push_macro("ctime")
+#undef ctime
+
+// util/log.h
+#pragma push_macro("OUTPUT_ERRNOX")
+#undef OUTPUT_ERRNOX
+#pragma push_macro("OUTPUT_ERRNO")
+#undef OUTPUT_ERRNO
+
+// util/debug_util.h
+#pragma push_macro("WIN")
+#undef WIN
+#pragma push_macro("DEV")
+#undef DEV
+#pragma push_macro("DEBUGGING")
+#undef DEBUGGING
+#pragma push_macro("SOMETIMES")
+#undef SOMETIMES
+#pragma push_macro("OCCASIONALLY")
+#undef OCCASIONALLY
+#pragma push_macro("RARELY")
+#undef RARELY
+#pragma push_macro("ONCE")
+#undef ONCE
+
+// db/instance.h
+#pragma push_macro("OPREAD")
+#undef OPREAD
+#pragma push_macro("OPWRITE")
+#undef OPWRITE
+
+// stdafx.h
+#pragma push_macro("null")
+#undef null
+
+#define MONGO_MACROS_CLEANED
+#endif
diff --git a/dbtests/clienttests.cpp b/dbtests/clienttests.cpp
index c4caa43b387..1d4e1d6bfe2 100644
--- a/dbtests/clienttests.cpp
+++ b/dbtests/clienttests.cpp
@@ -20,9 +20,6 @@
 #include "../client/dbclient.h"
 #include "dbtests.h"
 #include "../db/concurrency.h"
-
-// must be last
-#include "../client/cleanup.h"
  
 namespace ClientTests {
     
@@ -157,16 +154,6 @@ namespace ClientTests {
         }
     };
 
-    class HiddenMacros{
-    public:
-        void run(){
-            ASSERT_EQUALS(&malloc, &std::malloc);
-#ifdef assert
-            ASSERT(!"assert macro still defined");
-#endif
-        }
-    };
-    
     class All : public Suite {
     public:
         All() : Suite( "client" ){
@@ -179,7 +166,6 @@ namespace ClientTests {
             add<CS_10>();
             add<PushBack>();
             add<Create>();
-            add<HiddenMacros>();
         }
         
     } all;
diff --git a/dbtests/macrotests.cpp b/dbtests/macrotests.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..7aed519ba3e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dbtests/macrotests.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+#undef MONGO_EXPOSE_MACROS
+
+#include "../client/dbclient.h"
+
+#ifdef malloc
+# error malloc defined 0
+#endif
+
+#ifdef assert
+# error assert defined 1
+#endif
+
+#include "../client/parallel.h" //uses assert
+
+#ifdef assert
+# error assert defined 2
+#endif
+
+#include "../client/redef_macros.h"
+
+#ifndef assert
+# error assert not defined 3
+#endif
+
+#include "../client/undef_macros.h"
+
+#ifdef assert
+# error assert defined 3
+#endif
+
+