diff --git a/desmume/src/types.h b/desmume/src/types.h
index d2b67197b..1e9a2db84 100644
--- a/desmume/src/types.h
+++ b/desmume/src/types.h
@@ -40,6 +40,11 @@
 #include "config.h"
 #endif
 
+//enforce a constraint: gdb stub requires developer
+#if defined(GDB_STUB) && !defined(DEVELOPER)
+#define DEVELOPER
+#endif
+
 //xbox needs to include this to resemble windows
 #ifdef _XBOX
 	#include <xtl.h>
diff --git a/desmume/src/windows/defaultconfig/userconfig.h b/desmume/src/windows/defaultconfig/userconfig.h
index ca33398d7..ede47cdc4 100644
--- a/desmume/src/windows/defaultconfig/userconfig.h
+++ b/desmume/src/windows/defaultconfig/userconfig.h
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 //#define NOSSE2 
 
 //#define DEVELOPER //enables dev+ features
-//#define GDB_STUB //enables the gdb stub. for some reason this is separate from dev+ for now
+//#define GDB_STUB //enables the gdb stub. for some reason this is separate from dev+ for now. requires DEVELOPER.
 
 //#define EXPERIMENTAL_WIFI_COMM //enables experimental wifi communication features which do not actually work yet
 //basic wifi register emulation is still enabled, to at least make it seem like the wifi is working in an empty universe