diff --git a/MyTracks/src/com/google/android/apps/mytracks/MyTracks.java b/MyTracks/src/com/google/android/apps/mytracks/MyTracks.java
index 951234d9e..87bf63159 100644
--- a/MyTracks/src/com/google/android/apps/mytracks/MyTracks.java
+++ b/MyTracks/src/com/google/android/apps/mytracks/MyTracks.java
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ import com.google.android.apps.mytracks.services.StatusAnnouncerFactory;
 import com.google.android.apps.mytracks.services.TrackRecordingService;
 import com.google.android.apps.mytracks.util.ApiFeatures;
 import com.google.android.apps.mytracks.util.FileUtils;
+import com.google.android.apps.mytracks.util.MyTracksUtils;
 import com.google.android.maps.mytracks.R;
 
 import android.app.Activity;
@@ -252,6 +253,11 @@ public class MyTracks extends TabActivity implements OnTouchListener,
     Log.d(MyTracksConstants.TAG, "MyTracks.onCreate");
     super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
     instance = this;
+    ApiFeatures apiFeatures = ApiFeatures.getInstance();
+    if (!MyTracksUtils.isRelease(this)) {
+      apiFeatures.getApiPlatformAdapter().enableStrictMode();
+    }
+
     providerUtils = MyTracksProviderUtils.Factory.get(this);
     menuManager = new MenuManager(this);
     sharedPreferences = getSharedPreferences(MyTracksSettings.SETTINGS_NAME, 0);
@@ -259,7 +265,7 @@ public class MyTracks extends TabActivity implements OnTouchListener,
 
     // The volume we want to control is the Text-To-Speech volume
     int volumeStream =
-        new StatusAnnouncerFactory(ApiFeatures.getInstance()).getVolumeStream();
+        new StatusAnnouncerFactory(apiFeatures).getVolumeStream();
     setVolumeControlStream(volumeStream);
 
     // We don't need a window title bar:
diff --git a/MyTracks/src/com/google/android/apps/mytracks/util/MyTracksUtils.java b/MyTracks/src/com/google/android/apps/mytracks/util/MyTracksUtils.java
index 71caa003c..52f5dee72 100644
--- a/MyTracks/src/com/google/android/apps/mytracks/util/MyTracksUtils.java
+++ b/MyTracks/src/com/google/android/apps/mytracks/util/MyTracksUtils.java
@@ -21,7 +21,12 @@ import com.google.android.apps.mytracks.stats.TripStatistics;
 
 import com.google.android.maps.GeoPoint;
 
+import android.content.Context;
+import android.content.pm.PackageManager;
+import android.content.pm.PackageManager.NameNotFoundException;
+import android.content.pm.Signature;
 import android.location.Location;
+import android.os.StrictMode;
 import android.util.Log;
 
 import java.util.ArrayList;
@@ -34,6 +39,7 @@ import java.util.Stack;
  * @author Leif Hendrik Wilden
  */
 public class MyTracksUtils {
+  private static final int RELEASE_SIGNATURE_HASHCODE = -1855564782;
 
   /**
    * Computes the distance on the two sphere between the point c0 and the line
@@ -246,6 +252,25 @@ public class MyTracksUtils {
                         (int) (location.getLongitude() * 1E6));
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Returns whether or not this is a release build.
+   */
+  public static boolean isRelease(Context context) {
+    try {
+      Signature [] sigs = context.getPackageManager().getPackageInfo(
+          context.getPackageName(), PackageManager.GET_SIGNATURES).signatures;
+      for (Signature sig : sigs) {
+        if (sig.hashCode() == RELEASE_SIGNATURE_HASHCODE) {
+          return true;
+        }
+      }
+    } catch (NameNotFoundException e) {
+      Log.e(MyTracksConstants.TAG, "Unable to get signatures", e);
+    }
+
+    return false;
+  }
+  
   /**
    * This is a utility class w/ only static memebers.
    */