diff --git a/Examples/python/funcptr2/example.i b/Examples/python/funcptr2/example.i
index 81a66146a..681775a3e 100644
--- a/Examples/python/funcptr2/example.i
+++ b/Examples/python/funcptr2/example.i
@@ -8,11 +8,11 @@
 extern int  do_op(int a, int b, int (*op)(int, int));
 
 /* Now install a bunch of "ops" as constants */
-%callback("%(upper)s")
+%callback("%(upper)s");
 int add(int, int);
 int sub(int, int);
 int mul(int, int);
-%nocallback
+%nocallback;
 
 extern int (*funcvar)(int,int);
 
diff --git a/Examples/ruby/funcptr2/example.i b/Examples/ruby/funcptr2/example.i
index 81a66146a..681775a3e 100644
--- a/Examples/ruby/funcptr2/example.i
+++ b/Examples/ruby/funcptr2/example.i
@@ -8,11 +8,11 @@
 extern int  do_op(int a, int b, int (*op)(int, int));
 
 /* Now install a bunch of "ops" as constants */
-%callback("%(upper)s")
+%callback("%(upper)s");
 int add(int, int);
 int sub(int, int);
 int mul(int, int);
-%nocallback
+%nocallback;
 
 extern int (*funcvar)(int,int);
 
diff --git a/Examples/test-suite/python/callback.i b/Examples/test-suite/python/callback.i
index 3c923bb73..ac3ae1bfb 100644
--- a/Examples/test-suite/python/callback.i
+++ b/Examples/test-suite/python/callback.i
@@ -1,14 +1,13 @@
 %module callback
 
-%pythoncallback(1);
-%pythoncallback(1) foo;
-%pythoncallback(1) A::bar;
-%pythoncallback(1) A::foom;
-%pythoncallback(1) foo_T;
+%callback(1) foo;
+%callback(1) foof;
+%callback(1) A::bar;
+%callback(1) A::foom;
+%callback("%s_Cb_Ptr") foo_T;  // old style, still works.
 
 %inline %{
 
-
   int foo(int a) {
     return a;
   }
diff --git a/Lib/python/pyuserdir.swg b/Lib/python/pyuserdir.swg
index d201ba3d5..fe9118ab7 100644
--- a/Lib/python/pyuserdir.swg
+++ b/Lib/python/pyuserdir.swg
@@ -108,6 +108,17 @@ These methods "may be called" if needed.
 
 */
 
-%define %pythoncallback(FLAG) %feature("python:callback",#FLAG) %enddef
-%define %nopythoncallback %feature("python:callback","") %enddef
+#define %pythoncallback(x) %feature("python:callback",`x`)
+#define %nopythoncallback %feature("python:callback","")
+
+/*  Support for the old %callback directive name */
+#ifdef %callback
+#undef %callback
+#endif
+#define %callback(x) %pythoncallback(x)
+
+#ifdef %nocallback
+#undef %nocallback
+#endif
+#define %nocallback %nopythoncallback; %feature("callback","")
 
diff --git a/Lib/swig.swg b/Lib/swig.swg
index 92fb048ca..531c3412d 100644
--- a/Lib/swig.swg
+++ b/Lib/swig.swg
@@ -44,8 +44,8 @@
 
 /* Experimental */
 
-#define %callback(x) %feature("callback") `x`;
-#define %nocallback  %feature("callback","");
+#define %callback(x) %feature("callback",`x`)
+#define %nocallback  %feature("callback","")
 
 /* Directives for attribute functions */
 
diff --git a/Source/Modules/python.cxx b/Source/Modules/python.cxx
index 47c8dafc9..f4348a068 100644
--- a/Source/Modules/python.cxx
+++ b/Source/Modules/python.cxx
@@ -502,8 +502,17 @@ public:
   
 
   int functionHandler(Node *n) {
-    if (Getattr(n,"feature:python:callback")) {
-      Setattr(n,"feature:callback","%s_cb_ptr");
+    String *pcb = Getattr(n,"feature:python:callback");
+    if (pcb && (Strcmp(pcb,"0") == 0)) {
+      Setattr(n,"feature:python:callback","");
+      pcb = 0;
+    }
+    if (pcb) {
+      if (Strcmp(pcb,"1") == 0) {
+	Setattr(n,"feature:callback","%s_cb_ptr");
+      } else {
+	Setattr(n,"feature:callback",pcb);
+      }
       autodoc_l dlevel = autodoc_level(Getattr(n, "feature:autodoc"));
       if (dlevel != NO_AUTODOC && dlevel > TYPES_AUTODOC) {
 	Setattr(n,"feature:autodoc","1");