diff --git a/Python/pythonrun.c b/Python/pythonrun.c
index 2ffecc7..677f6e4 100644
--- a/Python/pythonrun.c
+++ b/Python/pythonrun.c
@@ -37,14 +37,6 @@
 #include "windows.h"
 #endif
 
-#ifndef Py_REF_DEBUG
-#define PRINT_TOTAL_REFS()
-#else /* Py_REF_DEBUG */
-#define PRINT_TOTAL_REFS() fprintf(stderr,                              \
-                   "[%" PY_FORMAT_SIZE_T "d refs]\n",                   \
-                   _Py_GetRefTotal())
-#endif
-
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 extern "C" {
 #endif
@@ -104,6 +96,21 @@
     return PyImport_ImportModule("warnings");
 }
 
+static void
+_PyDebug_PrintTotalRefs(void)
+{
+#ifdef Py_REF_DEBUG
+    Py_ssize_t total;
+
+    if (!Py_GETENV("PYTHONSHOWREFCOUNT")) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    total = _Py_GetRefTotal();
+    fprintf(stderr, "[%" PY_FORMAT_SIZE_T "d refs]\n", total);
+#endif
+}
+
 static int initialized = 0;
 
 /* API to access the initialized flag -- useful for esoteric use */
@@ -484,7 +491,7 @@
     dump_counts(stdout);
 #endif
 
-    PRINT_TOTAL_REFS();
+    _PyDebug_PrintTotalRefs();
 
 #ifdef Py_TRACE_REFS
     /* Display all objects still alive -- this can invoke arbitrary
@@ -775,7 +782,7 @@
     }
     for (;;) {
         ret = PyRun_InteractiveOneFlags(fp, filename, flags);
-        PRINT_TOTAL_REFS();
+        _PyDebug_PrintTotalRefs();
         if (ret == E_EOF)
             return 0;
         /*