diff --git a/CTestCustom.cmake.in b/CTestCustom.cmake.in
index 0585b3ceb9..9adb03ef8c 100644
--- a/CTestCustom.cmake.in
+++ b/CTestCustom.cmake.in
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ list(APPEND CTEST_CUSTOM_WARNING_EXCEPTION
   "was built for newer macOS version"
   "warning generated"
   "warnings generated"
+  "warning: template parameter ... is not used in declaring the parameter types of function template"
 )
 list(APPEND CTEST_CUSTOM_COVERAGE_EXCLUDE
   ".*/thirdparty/.*"
diff --git a/bindings/C/adios2/c/adios2_c_adios.cpp b/bindings/C/adios2/c/adios2_c_adios.cpp
index cf376e8770..dd658e9b4b 100644
--- a/bindings/C/adios2/c/adios2_c_adios.cpp
+++ b/bindings/C/adios2/c/adios2_c_adios.cpp
@@ -65,11 +65,22 @@ adios2_adios *adios2_init_serial()
     return adios2_init_config_glue_serial("", "C");
 }
 
+adios2_adios *adios2_init_serial_debug(adios2_debug_mode)
+{
+    return adios2_init_serial();
+}
+
 adios2_adios *adios2_init_config_serial(const char *config_file)
 {
     return adios2_init_config_glue_serial(config_file, "C");
 }
 
+adios2_adios *adios2_init_config_serial_debug(const char *config_file,
+                                              adios2_debug_mode)
+{
+    return adios2_init_config_serial(config_file);
+}
+
 adios2_io *adios2_declare_io(adios2_adios *adios, const char *name)
 {
     adios2_io *io = nullptr;
diff --git a/bindings/C/adios2/c/adios2_c_adios.h b/bindings/C/adios2/c/adios2_c_adios.h
index c50b5e83b2..676e024196 100644
--- a/bindings/C/adios2/c/adios2_c_adios.h
+++ b/bindings/C/adios2/c/adios2_c_adios.h
@@ -22,9 +22,9 @@ extern "C" {
 #endif
 
 #if ADIOS2_USE_MPI
-#define adios2_init(comm) adios2_init_mpi(comm)
-#define adios2_init_config(config_file, comm)                                  \
-    adios2_init_config_mpi(config_file, comm)
+#define adios2_init(comm, debug) adios2_init_mpi_debug(comm, debug)
+#define adios2_init_config(config_file, comm, debug)                           \
+    adios2_init_config_mpi_debug(config_file, comm, debug)
 
 /**
  * Starting point for MPI apps. Creates an ADIOS handler.
@@ -34,6 +34,9 @@ extern "C" {
  */
 adios2_adios *adios2_init_mpi(MPI_Comm comm);
 
+ADIOS2_DEPRECATED
+adios2_adios *adios2_init_mpi_debug(MPI_Comm comm, adios2_debug_mode);
+
 /**
  * Starting point for MPI apps. Creates an ADIOS handler allowing a runtime
  * config file.
@@ -44,9 +47,15 @@ adios2_adios *adios2_init_mpi(MPI_Comm comm);
  * @return success: handler, failure: NULL
  */
 adios2_adios *adios2_init_config_mpi(const char *config_file, MPI_Comm comm);
+
+ADIOS2_DEPRECATED
+adios2_adios *adios2_init_config_mpi_debug(const char *config_file,
+                                           MPI_Comm comm, adios2_debug_mode);
+
 #else
-#define adios2_init() adios2_init_serial()
-#define adios2_init_config(config_file) adios2_init_config_serial(config_file)
+#define adios2_init(debug) adios2_init_serial_debug(debug)
+#define adios2_init_config(config_file, debug)                                 \
+    adios2_init_config_serial_debug(config_file, debug)
 #endif
 
 /**
@@ -56,6 +65,9 @@ adios2_adios *adios2_init_config_mpi(const char *config_file, MPI_Comm comm);
  */
 adios2_adios *adios2_init_serial(void);
 
+ADIOS2_DEPRECATED
+adios2_adios *adios2_init_serial_debug(adios2_debug_mode);
+
 /**
  * Initialize an ADIOS struct pointer handler in a serial, non-MPI application.
  * Doesn't require a runtime config file.
@@ -63,6 +75,10 @@ adios2_adios *adios2_init_serial(void);
  */
 adios2_adios *adios2_init_config_serial(const char *config_file);
 
+ADIOS2_DEPRECATED
+adios2_adios *adios2_init_config_serial_debug(const char *config_file,
+                                              adios2_debug_mode);
+
 /**
  * Declares a new io handler
  * @param adios owner the io handler
diff --git a/bindings/C/adios2/c/adios2_c_adios_mpi.cpp b/bindings/C/adios2/c/adios2_c_adios_mpi.cpp
index 7ae76381ce..8df28532e5 100644
--- a/bindings/C/adios2/c/adios2_c_adios_mpi.cpp
+++ b/bindings/C/adios2/c/adios2_c_adios_mpi.cpp
@@ -41,9 +41,20 @@ adios2_adios *adios2_init_mpi(MPI_Comm comm)
     return adios2_init_config_glue_mpi("", comm, "C");
 }
 
+adios2_adios *adios2_init_mpi_debug(MPI_Comm comm, adios2_debug_mode)
+{
+    return adios2_init_mpi(comm);
+}
+
 adios2_adios *adios2_init_config_mpi(const char *config_file, MPI_Comm comm)
 {
     return adios2_init_config_glue_mpi(config_file, comm, "C");
 }
 
+adios2_adios *adios2_init_config_mpi_debug(const char *config_file,
+                                           MPI_Comm comm, adios2_debug_mode)
+{
+    return adios2_init_config_mpi(config_file, comm);
+}
+
 } // end extern C
diff --git a/bindings/C/adios2/c/adios2_c_types.h b/bindings/C/adios2/c/adios2_c_types.h
index c61504d32d..063ee3cece 100644
--- a/bindings/C/adios2/c/adios2_c_types.h
+++ b/bindings/C/adios2/c/adios2_c_types.h
@@ -61,6 +61,13 @@ typedef enum
     adios2_true = 1,
 } adios2_bool;
 
+/* DEPRECATED: Debug mode will be removed in a future release */
+typedef enum
+{
+    adios2_debug_mode_off = 0,
+    adios2_debug_mode_on = 1,
+} adios2_debug_mode;
+
 typedef enum
 {
     adios2_constant_dims_false = 0,
diff --git a/bindings/CXX11/adios2.h b/bindings/CXX11/adios2.h
index a092053765..807363cdaa 100644
--- a/bindings/CXX11/adios2.h
+++ b/bindings/CXX11/adios2.h
@@ -15,6 +15,13 @@
 #include "adios2/common/ADIOSMacros.h"
 #include "adios2/common/ADIOSTypes.h"
 
+// DEPRECATED: Debug mode will be removed in a future release
+namespace adios2
+{
+constexpr bool DebugON = true;
+constexpr bool DebugOFF = false;
+} // end namespace adios2
+
 #include "adios2/cxx11/ADIOS.h"
 #include "adios2/cxx11/Attribute.h"
 #include "adios2/cxx11/Engine.h"
diff --git a/bindings/CXX11/adios2/cxx11/ADIOS.cpp b/bindings/CXX11/adios2/cxx11/ADIOS.cpp
index 5f9120885f..48b2c60f9f 100644
--- a/bindings/CXX11/adios2/cxx11/ADIOS.cpp
+++ b/bindings/CXX11/adios2/cxx11/ADIOS.cpp
@@ -20,8 +20,6 @@ ADIOS::ADIOS(const std::string &configFile)
 {
 }
 
-ADIOS::ADIOS(const char *configFile) : ADIOS(std::string(configFile), "C++") {}
-
 ADIOS::ADIOS() : ADIOS("", "C++") {}
 
 ADIOS::ADIOS(const std::string &configFile, const std::string &hostLanguage)
diff --git a/bindings/CXX11/adios2/cxx11/ADIOS.h b/bindings/CXX11/adios2/cxx11/ADIOS.h
index 9d9e20e54c..3fd4da6b47 100644
--- a/bindings/CXX11/adios2/cxx11/ADIOS.h
+++ b/bindings/CXX11/adios2/cxx11/ADIOS.h
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 #include <functional>
 #include <memory>
 #include <string>
+#include <type_traits>
 
 #include "IO.h"
 #include "Operator.h"
@@ -41,6 +42,10 @@ class ADIOS
 {
 
 public:
+    template <class T>
+    using enable_if_bool =
+        typename std::enable_if<std::is_same<T, bool>::value, bool>::type;
+
 #if ADIOS2_USE_MPI
     /**
      * Starting point for MPI apps. Creates an ADIOS object.
@@ -50,6 +55,11 @@ class ADIOS
      */
     ADIOS(MPI_Comm comm);
 
+    template <typename TDebugMode, enable_if_bool<TDebugMode> Enable = true>
+    ADIOS2_DEPRECATED ADIOS(MPI_Comm comm, TDebugMode) : ADIOS(comm)
+    {
+    }
+
     /**
      * Starting point for MPI apps. Creates an ADIOS object allowing a
      * runtime config file.
@@ -61,6 +71,13 @@ class ADIOS
      */
     ADIOS(const std::string &configFile, MPI_Comm comm);
 
+    template <typename TDebugMode, enable_if_bool<TDebugMode> Enable = true>
+    ADIOS2_DEPRECATED ADIOS(const std::string &configFile, MPI_Comm comm,
+                            TDebugMode)
+    : ADIOS(configFile, comm)
+    {
+    }
+
     /** extra constructor for R and other languages that use the
      * public C++ API but has data in column-major. Pass "" for configfile
      * if there is no config file. Last bool argument exist only to
@@ -72,20 +89,14 @@ class ADIOS
      */
     ADIOS(const std::string &configFile, MPI_Comm comm,
           const std::string &hostLanguage);
-#else
-    // Client code that does not enable ADIOS2_USE_MPI may accidentally
-    // try to pass a MPI_Comm instance to our constructor.  If the type
-    // the MPI library uses to implement MPI_Comm happens to be convertible
-    // to one of the types offered by our serial constructors (e.g. 'bool'),
-    // the invocation will appear to succeed but will ignore the
-    // communicator passed.  Add explicitly deleted constructors that have
-    // better conversions for common MPI_Comm types.
-
-    // openmpi uses 'ompi_communicator_t*' for MPI_Comm
-    ADIOS(void *define_ADIOS2_USE_MPI_to_use_MPI_constructor) = delete;
-
-    // mpich uses 'int' for MPI_Comm
-    ADIOS(int define_ADIOS2_USE_MPI_to_use_MPI_constructor) = delete;
+
+    template <typename TDebugMode, enable_if_bool<TDebugMode> Enable = true>
+    ADIOS2_DEPRECATED ADIOS(const std::string &configFile, MPI_Comm comm,
+                            const std::string &hostLanguage, TDebugMode)
+    : ADIOS(configFile, comm, hostLanguage)
+    {
+    }
+
 #endif
 
     /**
@@ -96,13 +107,11 @@ class ADIOS
      */
     ADIOS(const std::string &configFile);
 
-    /**
-     * Starting point for non-MPI serial apps. Creates an ADIOS object allowing
-     * a runtime config file.
-     * @param configFile runtime config file
-     * @exception std::invalid_argument if user input is incorrect
-     */
-    ADIOS(const char *configFile);
+    template <typename TDebugMode, enable_if_bool<TDebugMode> Enable = true>
+    ADIOS2_DEPRECATED ADIOS(const std::string &configFile, TDebugMode)
+    : ADIOS(configFile)
+    {
+    }
 
     /**
      * Starting point for non-MPI apps. Creates an ADIOS object
@@ -110,6 +119,11 @@ class ADIOS
      */
     ADIOS();
 
+    template <typename TDebugMode, enable_if_bool<TDebugMode> Enable = true>
+    ADIOS2_DEPRECATED ADIOS(TDebugMode) : ADIOS()
+    {
+    }
+
     /** extra constructor for R and other languages that use the
      * public C++ API but has data in column-major. Pass "" for configfile
      * if there is no config file. Last bool argument exist only to
@@ -121,6 +135,13 @@ class ADIOS
      */
     ADIOS(const std::string &configFile, const std::string &hostLanguage);
 
+    template <typename TDebugMode, enable_if_bool<TDebugMode> Enable = true>
+    ADIOS2_DEPRECATED ADIOS(const std::string &configFile,
+                            const std::string &hostLanguage, TDebugMode)
+    : ADIOS(configFile, hostLanguage)
+    {
+    }
+
     /** object inspection true: valid object, false: invalid object */
     explicit operator bool() const noexcept;
 
diff --git a/examples/hello/bpWriter/helloBPWriter.c b/examples/hello/bpWriter/helloBPWriter.c
index f034eb72ba..789f21e034 100644
--- a/examples/hello/bpWriter/helloBPWriter.c
+++ b/examples/hello/bpWriter/helloBPWriter.c
@@ -60,9 +60,9 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     }
 
 #if ADIOS2_USE_MPI
-    adios2_adios *adios = adios2_init(MPI_COMM_WORLD);
+    adios2_adios *adios = adios2_init_mpi(MPI_COMM_WORLD);
 #else
-    adios2_adios *adios = adios2_init();
+    adios2_adios *adios = adios2_init_serial();
 #endif
 
     check_handler(adios, "adios");
diff --git a/source/adios2/common/ADIOSConfig.h.in b/source/adios2/common/ADIOSConfig.h.in
index e92aa8d9bc..2fef35756b 100644
--- a/source/adios2/common/ADIOSConfig.h.in
+++ b/source/adios2/common/ADIOSConfig.h.in
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@
 #cmakedefine ADIOS2_VERSION_TWEAK @ADIOS2_VERSION_TWEAK@
 
 #define ADIOS2_VERSION (ADIOS2_VERSION_MAJOR* 10000 + ADIOS2_VERSION_MINOR * 100 + ADIOS2_VERSION_PATCH)
-#define ADIOS2_DEBUGMODE_REMOVED 1
 
 /*
  * ADIOS Build Information:
@@ -42,4 +41,14 @@
 #  error "ADIOS2 was not built with MPI enabled."
 #endif
 
+#ifndef ADIOS2_DEPRECATED
+#  if defined(__GNUC__) || defined (__clang__)
+#    define ADIOS2_DEPRECATED __attribute__((deprecated))
+#  elif defined(_MSC_VER)
+#    define ADIOS2_DEPRECATED __declspec(deprecated)
+#  else
+#    define ADIOS2_DEPRECATED
+#  endif
+#endif
+
 #endif /* ADIOSCONFIG_H_ */
diff --git a/testing/adios2/bindings/C/TestBPAvailableVariablesAttribites.cpp b/testing/adios2/bindings/C/TestBPAvailableVariablesAttribites.cpp
index 103ef916ea..357ed70f2b 100644
--- a/testing/adios2/bindings/C/TestBPAvailableVariablesAttribites.cpp
+++ b/testing/adios2/bindings/C/TestBPAvailableVariablesAttribites.cpp
@@ -34,11 +34,11 @@ TEST_F(BPAvailableVariablesAttributes, AvailableVariablesAttributes)
     size_t steps = 5;
 
 #if ADIOS2_USE_MPI
-    adios2_adios *adiosH = adios2_init(MPI_COMM_WORLD);
+    adios2_adios *adiosH = adios2_init_mpi(MPI_COMM_WORLD);
     MPI_Comm_rank(MPI_COMM_WORLD, &rank);
     MPI_Comm_size(MPI_COMM_WORLD, &size);
 #else
-    adios2_adios *adiosH = adios2_init();
+    adios2_adios *adiosH = adios2_init_serial();
 #endif
 
     // count dims are allocated in stack
diff --git a/testing/adios2/bindings/C/TestBPWriteAggregateReadLocal.cpp b/testing/adios2/bindings/C/TestBPWriteAggregateReadLocal.cpp
index ce4669e089..790ea42580 100644
--- a/testing/adios2/bindings/C/TestBPWriteAggregateReadLocal.cpp
+++ b/testing/adios2/bindings/C/TestBPWriteAggregateReadLocal.cpp
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ void LocalAggregate1D(const std::string substreams)
     std::vector<int32_t> inumbers(NSteps * Nx);
     std::vector<float> fnumbers(NSteps * Nx);
 
-    adios2_adios *adiosH = adios2_init(MPI_COMM_WORLD);
+    adios2_adios *adiosH = adios2_init_mpi(MPI_COMM_WORLD);
 
     // writer
     {
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ void LocalAggregate1DBlock0(const std::string substreams)
     std::vector<int32_t> inumbers(NSteps * Nx);
     std::vector<float> fnumbers(NSteps * Nx);
 
-    adios2_adios *adiosH = adios2_init(MPI_COMM_WORLD);
+    adios2_adios *adiosH = adios2_init_mpi(MPI_COMM_WORLD);
 
     // writer
     {
diff --git a/testing/adios2/bindings/C/TestBPWriteReadMultiblock.cpp b/testing/adios2/bindings/C/TestBPWriteReadMultiblock.cpp
index f501f6d22a..339d6b8711 100644
--- a/testing/adios2/bindings/C/TestBPWriteReadMultiblock.cpp
+++ b/testing/adios2/bindings/C/TestBPWriteReadMultiblock.cpp
@@ -31,11 +31,11 @@ TEST_F(BPWriteReadMultiblockCC, ZeroSizeBlocks)
     size_t steps = 5;
 
 #if ADIOS2_USE_MPI
-    adios2_adios *adiosH = adios2_init(MPI_COMM_WORLD);
+    adios2_adios *adiosH = adios2_init_mpi(MPI_COMM_WORLD);
     MPI_Comm_rank(MPI_COMM_WORLD, &rank);
     MPI_Comm_size(MPI_COMM_WORLD, &size);
 #else
-    adios2_adios *adiosH = adios2_init();
+    adios2_adios *adiosH = adios2_init_serial();
 #endif
 
     // count dims are allocated in stack
diff --git a/testing/adios2/bindings/C/TestBPWriteTypes.cpp b/testing/adios2/bindings/C/TestBPWriteTypes.cpp
index 72552af884..f2911360f5 100644
--- a/testing/adios2/bindings/C/TestBPWriteTypes.cpp
+++ b/testing/adios2/bindings/C/TestBPWriteTypes.cpp
@@ -28,11 +28,11 @@ class ADIOS2_C_API : public ::testing::Test
     ADIOS2_C_API()
     {
 #if ADIOS2_USE_MPI
-        adiosH = adios2_init(MPI_COMM_WORLD);
+        adiosH = adios2_init_mpi(MPI_COMM_WORLD);
         MPI_Comm_rank(MPI_COMM_WORLD, &rank);
         MPI_Comm_size(MPI_COMM_WORLD, &size);
 #else
-        adiosH = adios2_init();
+        adiosH = adios2_init_serial();
 #endif
     }
 
diff --git a/testing/adios2/bindings/C/TestNullWriteRead.cpp b/testing/adios2/bindings/C/TestNullWriteRead.cpp
index 8bd50b39b6..f5800c8f33 100644
--- a/testing/adios2/bindings/C/TestNullWriteRead.cpp
+++ b/testing/adios2/bindings/C/TestNullWriteRead.cpp
@@ -44,9 +44,9 @@ TEST_F(NullWriteReadTests_C_API, NullWriteRead1D8)
     // Write test data using BP
 
 #if ADIOS2_USE_MPI
-    adios2_adios *adios = adios2_init(MPI_COMM_WORLD);
+    adios2_adios *adios = adios2_init_mpi(MPI_COMM_WORLD);
 #else
-    adios2_adios *adios = adios2_init();
+    adios2_adios *adios = adios2_init_serial();
 #endif
     {
         adios2_io *io = adios2_declare_io(adios, "WriteNull");
diff --git a/testing/adios2/engine/bp/TestBPWriteReadBlockInfo.cpp b/testing/adios2/engine/bp/TestBPWriteReadBlockInfo.cpp
index ae2468df7b..387086fc73 100644
--- a/testing/adios2/engine/bp/TestBPWriteReadBlockInfo.cpp
+++ b/testing/adios2/engine/bp/TestBPWriteReadBlockInfo.cpp
@@ -839,9 +839,9 @@ TEST_F(BPWriteReadBlockInfo, BPWriteReadBlockInfo1D8_C)
 
     {
 #if ADIOS2_USE_MPI
-        adios2_adios *adiosH = adios2_init(MPI_COMM_WORLD);
+        adios2_adios *adiosH = adios2_init_mpi(MPI_COMM_WORLD);
 #else
-        adios2_adios *adiosH = adios2_init();
+        adios2_adios *adiosH = adios2_init_serial();
 #endif
         adios2_io *ioR = adios2_declare_io(adiosH, "ReadIO");
         if (!engineName.empty())
diff --git a/testing/adios2/performance/manyvars/PerfManyVars.c b/testing/adios2/performance/manyvars/PerfManyVars.c
index 848c0c939b..ff33676473 100644
--- a/testing/adios2/performance/manyvars/PerfManyVars.c
+++ b/testing/adios2/performance/manyvars/PerfManyVars.c
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     }
 
     alloc_vars();
-    adios2_adios *adiosH = adios2_init(MPI_COMM_WORLD);
+    adios2_adios *adiosH = adios2_init_mpi(MPI_COMM_WORLD);
     ioW = adios2_declare_io(adiosH, "multiblockwrite"); // group for writing
     ioR = adios2_declare_io(adiosH, "multiblockread");  // group for reading
     set_gdim();
diff --git a/testing/adios2/performance/manyvars/TestManyVars.cpp b/testing/adios2/performance/manyvars/TestManyVars.cpp
index 8f2eb87309..9e6cc7874b 100644
--- a/testing/adios2/performance/manyvars/TestManyVars.cpp
+++ b/testing/adios2/performance/manyvars/TestManyVars.cpp
@@ -252,9 +252,9 @@ class TestManyVars : public ::testing::TestWithParam<RunParams>
 
         alloc_vars();
 #if ADIOS2_USE_MPI
-        adios2_adios *adiosH = adios2_init(MPI_COMM_WORLD);
+        adios2_adios *adiosH = adios2_init_mpi(MPI_COMM_WORLD);
 #else
-        adios2_adios *adiosH = adios2_init();
+        adios2_adios *adiosH = adios2_init_serial();
 #endif
 
         ioW = adios2_declare_io(adiosH, "multiblockwrite"); // group for writing
diff --git a/testing/install/C/main_mpi.c b/testing/install/C/main_mpi.c
index b5e1334f03..9341094fe9 100644
--- a/testing/install/C/main_mpi.c
+++ b/testing/install/C/main_mpi.c
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
     MPI_Init(&argc, &argv);
 
-    adios2_adios *adios = adios2_init(MPI_COMM_WORLD);
+    adios2_adios *adios = adios2_init_mpi(MPI_COMM_WORLD);
     if (!adios)
     {
         fprintf(stderr, "adios2_init() failed\n");
diff --git a/testing/install/C/main_nompi.c b/testing/install/C/main_nompi.c
index 6f232a15bd..57899d0624 100644
--- a/testing/install/C/main_nompi.c
+++ b/testing/install/C/main_nompi.c
@@ -13,10 +13,10 @@
 
 int main(void)
 {
-    adios2_adios *adios = adios2_init();
+    adios2_adios *adios = adios2_init_serial();
     if (!adios)
     {
-        fprintf(stderr, "adios2_init() failed\n");
+        fprintf(stderr, "adios2_init_serial() failed\n");
         return 1;
     }
     adios2_finalize(adios);
diff --git a/testing/utils/cwriter/TestUtilsCWriter.c b/testing/utils/cwriter/TestUtilsCWriter.c
index 9cf1a62e37..fc1779f2d1 100644
--- a/testing/utils/cwriter/TestUtilsCWriter.c
+++ b/testing/utils/cwriter/TestUtilsCWriter.c
@@ -27,9 +27,9 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     MPI_Init(&argc, &argv);
     MPI_Comm_rank(MPI_COMM_WORLD, &rank);
     MPI_Comm_size(MPI_COMM_WORLD, &nproc);
-    adios2_adios *adiosH = adios2_init(MPI_COMM_WORLD);
+    adios2_adios *adiosH = adios2_init_mpi(MPI_COMM_WORLD);
 #else
-    adios2_adios *adiosH = adios2_init();
+    adios2_adios *adiosH = adios2_init_serial();
 #endif
 
     char engineName[32] = "BPFile";