diff --git a/config/extra/with-handholding.mk b/config/extra/with-handholding.mk
index 81944c8297..506c17b73d 100644
--- a/config/extra/with-handholding.mk
+++ b/config/extra/with-handholding.mk
@@ -2,6 +2,6 @@ CPPFLAGS+=-DFD_EQVOC_USE_HANDHOLDING=1
 CPPFLAGS+=-DFD_FORKS_USE_HANDHOLDING=1
 CPPFLAGS+=-DFD_GHOST_USE_HANDHOLDING=1
 CPPFLAGS+=-DFD_SCRATCH_USE_HANDHOLDING=1
+CPPFLAGS+=-DFD_SPAD_USE_HANDHOLDING=1
 CPPFLAGS+=-DFD_TOWER_USE_HANDHOLDING=1
-# CPPFLAGS+=-DFD_TXN_HANDHOLDING=1 # DOES NOT WORK
-
+# CPPFLAGS+=-DFD_TXN_HANDHOLDING=1 # DOES NOT WORK
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/util/spad/fd_spad.c b/src/util/spad/fd_spad.c
index 0f1da01937..82e8c22ff0 100644
--- a/src/util/spad/fd_spad.c
+++ b/src/util/spad/fd_spad.c
@@ -1,6 +1,20 @@
 #include "fd_spad.h"
 #include "../log/fd_log.h"
 
+/* FIXME: better ways to avoid macro definition conflicts? */
+#ifdef FD_SPAD_USE_HANDHOLDING
+#undef fd_spad_alloc_max
+#undef fd_spad_frame_lo
+#undef fd_spad_frame_hi
+#undef fd_spad_push
+#undef fd_spad_pop
+#undef fd_spad_alloc
+#undef fd_spad_trim
+#undef fd_spad_prepare
+#undef fd_spad_cancel
+#undef fd_spad_publish
+#endif 
+
 int
 fd_spad_verify( fd_spad_t const * spad ) {
 
diff --git a/src/util/spad/fd_spad.h b/src/util/spad/fd_spad.h
index 2d233df7d1..d10136e77d 100644
--- a/src/util/spad/fd_spad.h
+++ b/src/util/spad/fd_spad.h
@@ -531,6 +531,28 @@ fd_spad_private_frame_end_debug( fd_spad_t ** _spad ) {
 
 #define FD_SPAD_FRAME_END_DEBUG while(0); } while(0)
 
+#ifdef FD_SPAD_USE_HANDHOLDING
+
+#define fd_spad_alloc_max fd_spad_alloc_max_debug
+#define fd_spad_frame_lo  fd_spad_frame_lo_debug
+#define fd_spad_frame_hi  fd_spad_frame_hi_debug
+#define fd_spad_push      fd_spad_push_debug
+#define fd_spad_pop       fd_spad_pop_debug
+#define fd_spad_alloc     fd_spad_alloc_debug
+#define fd_spad_trim      fd_spad_trim_debug
+#define fd_spad_prepare   fd_spad_prepare_debug
+#define fd_spad_cancel    fd_spad_cancel_debug
+#define fd_spad_publish   fd_spad_publish_debug
+
+#undef  FD_SPAD_FRAME_BEGIN
+#undef  FD_SPAD_FRAME_END
+
+#define FD_SPAD_FRAME_BEGIN FD_SPAD_FRAME_BEGIN_DEBUG
+#define FD_SPAD_FRAME_END   FD_SPAD_FRAME_END_DEBUG
+
+#endif /* FD_SPAD_USE_HANDHOLDING */
+
+
 /* fd_valloc virtual function table for spad */
 extern const fd_valloc_vtable_t fd_spad_vtable;