diff --git a/include/emp/base/_optional_throw.hpp b/include/emp/base/_optional_throw.hpp
index b4cf060952..3eca499988 100644
--- a/include/emp/base/_optional_throw.hpp
+++ b/include/emp/base/_optional_throw.hpp
@@ -19,40 +19,40 @@
 namespace emp {
 
     /// Base case for assert_print...
-    inline void assert_print(std::stringstream &) { ; }
+    inline void assert_print_opt(std::stringstream &) { ; }
 
     /// Print out information about the next variable and recurse...
     template <typename T, typename... EXTRA>
-    void assert_print(std::stringstream & ss, std::string name, T && val, EXTRA &&... extra) {
+    void assert_print_opt(std::stringstream & ss, std::string name, T && val, EXTRA &&... extra) {
         if constexpr ( emp::is_streamable<std::stringstream, T>::value ) {
         ss << name << ": [" << val << "]" << std::endl;
         } else ss << name << ": (non-streamable type)" << std::endl;
-        assert_print(ss, std::forward<EXTRA>(extra)...);
+        assert_print_opt(ss, std::forward<EXTRA>(extra)...);
     }
 
     template <typename T, typename... EXTRA>
-    void assert_print_second(std::stringstream & ss, std::string name, T && val, EXTRA &&... extra) {
-        assert_print(ss, std::forward<EXTRA>(extra)...);
+    void assert_print_second_opt(std::stringstream & ss, std::string name, T && val, EXTRA &&... extra) {
+        assert_print_opt(ss, std::forward<EXTRA>(extra)...);
     }
 
     template <typename T>
-    void assert_print_second(std::stringstream & ss, std::string name, T && val) {;}
+    void assert_print_second_opt(std::stringstream & ss, std::string name, T && val) {;}
 
     template <typename T, typename... EXTRA>
-    void assert_print_first(std::stringstream & ss, std::string name, T && val, EXTRA &&... extra) {
+    void assert_print_first_opt(std::stringstream & ss, std::string name, T && val, EXTRA &&... extra) {
         if constexpr ( emp::is_streamable<std::stringstream, T>::value ) {
         ss << name << ": [" << val << "]" << std::endl;
         } else ss << name << ": (non-streamable type)" << std::endl;
-        assert_print_second(ss, std::forward<EXTRA>(extra)...);
+        assert_print_second_opt(ss, std::forward<EXTRA>(extra)...);
     }
 
-    void assert_print_first(std::stringstream & ss, int placeholder) {;}
+    void assert_print_first_opt(std::stringstream & ss, int placeholder) {;}
 
     template <typename... EXTRA>
-    void assert_throw(std::string filename, size_t line, std::string expr, std::string message, EXTRA &&... extra) {
+    void assert_throw_opt(std::string filename, size_t line, std::string expr, std::string message, EXTRA &&... extra) {
         std::stringstream ss;
         ss << "Internal Error (in " << filename << " line " << line << "): " << expr << ".\n\n Message: " << message << "\n\n";
-        assert_print_first(ss, std::forward<EXTRA>(extra)...);
+        assert_print_first_opt(ss, std::forward<EXTRA>(extra)...);
         throw(std::runtime_error(ss.str()));
     }
 }
diff --git a/include/emp/base/always_assert.hpp b/include/emp/base/always_assert.hpp
index b77020cdbd..a4c34b4995 100644
--- a/include/emp/base/always_assert.hpp
+++ b/include/emp/base/always_assert.hpp
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@
 
   #define emp_always_assert_impl(TEST) emp_always_assert_msvc_impl(TEST)
 
-#elif defined(IN_PYTHON)
+#elif defined(EMP_OPTIONAL_THROW_ON)
 
   #define emp_always_assert_impl(...)                                     \
     do {                                                                  \
diff --git a/include/emp/base/optional_throw.hpp b/include/emp/base/optional_throw.hpp
index 0b2f1ee78d..62762c5260 100644
--- a/include/emp/base/optional_throw.hpp
+++ b/include/emp/base/optional_throw.hpp
@@ -20,14 +20,14 @@
 #endif
 
 
-#if defined( IN_PYTHON )
+#if defined( EMP_OPTIONAL_THROW_ON )
 
   // #if defined (_MSC_VER )
 
   #define emp_optional_throw(TEST, MESSAGE)                                     \
     do {                                                                  \
       if (!(TEST)) {                                                      \
-        emp::assert_throw(__FILE__, __LINE__, #TEST, MESSAGE, 0);                \
+        emp::assert_throw_opt(__FILE__, __LINE__, #TEST, MESSAGE, 0);                \
       }                                                                   \
     } while(0)
 
diff --git a/tests/base/optional_throw.cpp b/tests/base/optional_throw.cpp
index 6e9bb84f39..e0a2998e4f 100644
--- a/tests/base/optional_throw.cpp
+++ b/tests/base/optional_throw.cpp
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ TEST_CASE("Optional throw" "[asserts]") {
   emp_optional_throw(false);
   REQUIRE(emp::assert_last_fail);
 
-  #define IN_PYTHON 1
+  #define EMP_OPTIONAL_THROW_ON 1
   try {
     emp_optional_throw(false);
   }