diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 57821d8..9a6db0a 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ coverage/addon.info: coverage/lcov.info
 	lcov --capture --base-directory build/ --directory . --output-file coverage/addon.info
 # This generates the JS lcov info as well as gcov `*.gcda` files:
 coverage/lcov.info: $(test_deps) $(ISTANBUL)
-	DEBUG=true $(NODE) --nouse_idle_notification --expose-gc \
+	NODE_OPENCV_DEBUG=true $(NODE) --nouse_idle_notification --expose-gc \
 	$(ISTANBUL) cover --report lcovonly -- test/unit.js
 
 $(NODE_PRE_GYP):
diff --git a/lib/bindings.js b/lib/bindings.js
index 8974ac0..62e551b 100755
--- a/lib/bindings.js
+++ b/lib/bindings.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 var binary = require('node-pre-gyp');
 var path = require('path');
-var binding_path = binary.find(path.resolve(path.join(__dirname,'../package.json')), { debug: !!process.env.DEBUG });
+var binding_path = binary.find(path.resolve(path.join(__dirname,'../package.json')), { debug: !!process.env.NODE_OPENCV_DEBUG });
 var binding = require(binding_path);
 
 //module.exports = require('../build/Release/opencv.node');
diff --git a/test/unit.js b/test/unit.js
index 412eef3..a003ea2 100755
--- a/test/unit.js
+++ b/test/unit.js
@@ -335,7 +335,7 @@ test('LDA Wrap', function(assert) {
 
 
 test('Native Matrix', function(assert) {
-  var nativemat = require('../build/' + (!!process.env.DEBUG ? 'Debug' : 'Release') + '/test_nativemat.node');
+  var nativemat = require('../build/' + (!!process.env.NODE_OPENCV_DEBUG ? 'Debug' : 'Release') + '/test_nativemat.node');
   var mat = new cv.Matrix(42, 8);
 
   assert.deepEqual(mat.size(), nativemat.size(mat), 'nativemat');