diff --git a/OpenMQTTGateway.ino b/OpenMQTTGateway.ino
index 78ecf1a..3004fcd 100644
--- a/OpenMQTTGateway.ino
+++ b/OpenMQTTGateway.ino
@@ -887,43 +887,43 @@ bool to_bool(String const& s) { // thanks Chris Jester-Young from stackoverflow
 
 //trace
 void trc(String msg){
-  if (TRACE) {
+  #ifdef TRACE
   Serial.println(msg);
-  }
+  #endif
 }
 
 void trc(int msg){
-  if (TRACE) {
+  #ifdef TRACE
   Serial.println(msg);
-  }
+  #endif
 }
 
 void trc(unsigned int msg){
-  if (TRACE) {
+  #ifdef TRACE
   Serial.println(msg);
-  }
+  #endif
 }
 
 void trc(long msg){
-  if (TRACE) {
+  #ifdef TRACE
   Serial.println(msg);
-  }
+  #endif
 }
 
 void trc(unsigned long msg){
-  if (TRACE) {
+  #ifdef TRACE
   Serial.println(msg);
-  }
+  #endif
 }
 
 void trc(double msg){
-  if (TRACE) {
+  #ifdef TRACE
   Serial.println(msg);
-  }
+  #endif
 }
 
 void trc(float msg){
-  if (TRACE) {
+  #ifdef TRACE
   Serial.println(msg);
-  }
+  #endif
 }
diff --git a/User_config.h b/User_config.h
index 89581ef..00d9005 100644
--- a/User_config.h
+++ b/User_config.h
@@ -130,4 +130,4 @@ const byte subnet[] = { 255, 255, 255, 0 }; //ip adress
 #define subjectSYStoMQTT  Base_Topic Gateway_Name "/SYStoMQTT"
 
 /*-------------------ACTIVATE TRACES----------------------*/
-#define TRACE 1  // 0= trace off 1 = trace on
+#define TRACE 1  // commented =  trace off, uncommented = trace on