diff --git a/include/SDL_compat.h b/include/SDL_compat.h
index 109dfb374..81988fb7d 100644
--- a/include/SDL_compat.h
+++ b/include/SDL_compat.h
@@ -22,6 +22,16 @@
 
 /* This file contains functions for backwards compatibility with SDL 1.2 */
 
+/* 
+   #define SDL_NO_COMPAT to prevent SDL_compat.h from being included.
+   SDL_NO_COMPAT is intended to make it easier to covert SDL 1.2 code to
+   SDL 1.3/2.0
+*/
+
+#ifdef SDL_NO_COMPAT
+#define _SDL_compat_h
+#endif
+
 #ifndef _SDL_compat_h
 #define _SDL_compat_h