diff --git a/build/bakefiles/wxpresets/presets/wx.bkl b/build/bakefiles/wxpresets/presets/wx.bkl
index ae522769d7..ca3689c199 100644
--- a/build/bakefiles/wxpresets/presets/wx.bkl
+++ b/build/bakefiles/wxpresets/presets/wx.bkl
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 
     - WX_* : used to let the user of the generated makefile choose a wxWidgets
              build among those available; you can use them in your project to
-             e.g. build a target only if WX_DEBUG is 0 or if WX_PORT is "msw".
+             e.g. build a target only if WX_SHARED is 0 or if WX_PORT is "msw".
 
 
     VARIABLES:
@@ -24,7 +24,8 @@
 
     - wx, wx-lib: templates to be used respectively for <dll>/<exe> and <lib>
                   targets; they add all the wxWidgets-related settings (e.g. the
-                  include and library search paths, the __WXDEBUG__ symbol, etc).
+                  include and library search paths, the necessary preprocessor
+                  symbols, etc).
 
     - wxgui: to be used when building GUI-mode applications.
 
@@ -33,7 +34,7 @@
                  need it when compiling wxBase-only code).
 
     - wxlike: this template should be combined with "wx" or "wx-lib" and will
-              make your project build with the same Unicode, debug & shared
+              make your project build with the same Unicode & shared
               config as the wxWidgets build selected using the WX_* options.
 
 
@@ -176,7 +177,6 @@
     <!-- 'gnu' format needs to redefine the following options later in wx_unix.bkl -->
     <if cond="FORMAT=='gnu'">
         <set var="WX_UNICODE"/>
-        <set var="WX_DEBUG"/>
         <set var="WX_SHARED"/>
         <set var="WX_PORT"/>
         <set var="WX_VERSION"/>
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@
             <values-description>Release,Debug</values-description>
             <default-value>$(WX_DEBUG_DEFAULT)</default-value>
             <description>
-                Use debug build of wxWidgets (define __WXDEBUG__)?
+                Use debug build of wxWidgets (linked with debug CRT)?
             </description>
         </option>
     </if>
diff --git a/build/bakefiles/wxpresets/presets/wx_unix.bkl b/build/bakefiles/wxpresets/presets/wx_unix.bkl
index f35e29cb5a..b3ab0bb4d9 100644
--- a/build/bakefiles/wxpresets/presets/wx_unix.bkl
+++ b/build/bakefiles/wxpresets/presets/wx_unix.bkl
@@ -67,7 +67,6 @@ Format-specific notes:
              of the WX_* options in wx.bkl -->
         <unset var="WX_SHARED"/>
         <unset var="WX_UNICODE"/>
-        <unset var="WX_DEBUG"/>
         <unset var="WX_PORT"/>
         <unset var="WX_VERSION"/>
 
@@ -112,18 +111,6 @@ Format-specific notes:
             </description>
         </option>
 
-        <set var="WX_DEBUG_DEFAULT" overwrite="0">
-            $(DOLLAR)(shell $(WX_CONFIG) --query-debugtype | sed 's/debug/1/;s/release/0/')
-        </set>
-        <option name="WX_DEBUG">
-            <values>0,1</values>
-            <values-description>Release,Debug</values-description>
-            <default-value force="1">$(WX_DEBUG_DEFAULT)</default-value>
-            <description>
-                Use debug build of wxWidgets (define __WXDEBUG__)?
-            </description>
-        </option>
-
         <set var="WX_VERSION_DEFAULT" overwrite="0">
             $(DOLLAR)(shell $(WX_CONFIG) --query-version | sed -e 's/\([0-9]*\)\.\([0-9]*\)/\1\2/')
         </set>
@@ -148,14 +135,10 @@ Format-specific notes:
             a win32 makefile: i.e. a makefile where you can select the wanted
             wxWidgets build using the WX_* options.
 
-            The difference with win32 makefiles is that WX_DEBUG, WX_UNICODE and
+            The difference with win32 makefiles is that WX_PORT, WX_UNICODE and
             WX_SHARED options have a smart default value which is created using
             the installed wx-config or the wx-config given using WX_CONFIG option
         -->
-        <set var="WX_CONFIG_DEBUG_FLAG">
-            <if cond="WX_DEBUG=='0'">--debug=no</if>
-            <if cond="WX_DEBUG=='1'">--debug=yes</if>
-        </set>
         <set var="WX_CONFIG_UNICODE_FLAG">
             <if cond="WX_UNICODE=='0'">--unicode=no</if>
             <if cond="WX_UNICODE=='1'">--unicode=yes</if>
@@ -172,7 +155,7 @@ Format-specific notes:
         </set>
 
         <set var="WX_CONFIG_FLAGS" make_var="1">
-            $(WX_CONFIG_DEBUG_FLAG) $(WX_CONFIG_UNICODE_FLAG) $(WX_CONFIG_SHARED_FLAG) 
+            $(WX_CONFIG_UNICODE_FLAG) $(WX_CONFIG_SHARED_FLAG)
             $(WX_CONFIG_PORT_FLAG) $(WX_CONFIG_VERSION_FLAG)
         </set>