diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/opts.cc b/gtk2_ardour/opts.cc
index 7ce66c176e..883d8d5845 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/opts.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/opts.cc
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ list_debug_options ()
 	cerr << "\tConfiguration\n";
 	cerr << "\tLatency\n";
 	cerr << "\tGraph\n";
+	cerr << "\tDestruction\n";
 }
 
 static int
@@ -126,6 +127,8 @@ parse_debug_options (const char* str)
 			bits |= ARDOUR::DEBUG::Processors;
 		} else if (strncasecmp (p, "graph", strlen (p)) == 0) {
 			bits |= ARDOUR::DEBUG::Graph;
+		} else if (strncasecmp (p, "destruction", strlen (p)) == 0) {
+			bits |= ARDOUR::DEBUG::Destruction;
 		}
 
 		p = strtok_r (0, ",", &sp);
diff --git a/libs/ardour/ardour/debug.h b/libs/ardour/ardour/debug.h
index f31c42675e..b373e227fd 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/ardour/debug.h
+++ b/libs/ardour/ardour/debug.h
@@ -42,7 +42,8 @@ namespace ARDOUR {
 			Configuration = 0x10,
 			Latency = 0x20,
 			Processors = 0x40,
-			Graph = 0x80
+			Graph = 0x80,
+			Destruction = 0x100
 		};
 	}
 
diff --git a/wscript b/wscript
index 41976d9627..1fce071465 100644
--- a/wscript
+++ b/wscript
@@ -314,6 +314,8 @@ def set_options(opt):
 			help='Architecture-specific compiler flags')
 	opt.add_option('--aubio', action='store_true', default=True, dest='aubio',
 			help="Use Paul Brossier's aubio library for feature detection (if available)")
+	opt.add_option('--boost-sp-debug', action='store_true', default=False, dest='boost_sp_debug',
+			help='Compile with Boost shared pointer debugging')
 	opt.add_option('--audiounits', action='store_true', default=False, dest='audiounits',
 			help='Compile with Apple\'s AudioUnit library (experimental)')
 	opt.add_option('--coreaudio', action='store_true', default=False, dest='coreaudio',
@@ -401,7 +403,9 @@ def configure(conf):
 		#
 		conf.env.append_value('CXXFLAGS_OSX', "-F/System/Library/Frameworks")
 		conf.env.append_value('CCFLAGS_OSX', "-F/System/Library/Frameworks")
-
+		
+	if Options.options.boost_sp_debug:
+		conf.env.append_value('CXXFLAGS', '-DBOOST_SP_ENABLE_DEBUG_HOOKS')
 
 	if Options.options.gtkosx:
 		#