diff --git a/makedef.pl b/makedef.pl
index a77c2b3745..e95c04a791 100644
--- a/makedef.pl
+++ b/makedef.pl
@@ -211,6 +211,15 @@ if ($define{MULTIPLICITY} && (   $define{USE_POSIX_2008_LOCALE}
     $define{USE_PERL_SWITCH_LOCALE_CONTEXT} = 1;
 }
 
+# enable PERL_COPY_ON_WRITE by default
+$define{PERL_COPY_ON_WRITE} = 1 unless $define{PERL_NO_COW};
+if ($define{PERL_COPY_ON_WRITE}) {
+    $define{PERL_ANY_COW} = 1;
+}
+else {
+    $define{PERL_SAWAMPERSAND} = 1;
+}
+
 # perl.h logic duplication ends
 #==========================================================================
 
@@ -371,10 +380,6 @@ else {
 			 );
 }
 
-if (!$define{'PERL_COPY_ON_WRITE'} || $define{'PERL_NO_COW'}) {
-    ++$skip{Perl_sv_setsv_cow};
-}
-
 unless ($define{PERL_SAWAMPERSAND}) {
     ++$skip{PL_sawampersand};
 }
diff --git a/perl.h b/perl.h
index 427a05c1c6..f63e298a32 100644
--- a/perl.h
+++ b/perl.h
@@ -1325,6 +1325,17 @@ typedef enum {
 #  endif
 #endif  /* End of USE_LOCALE */
 
+/* enable PERL_COPY_ON_WRITE by default */
+#if !defined(PERL_COPY_ON_WRITE) && !defined(PERL_NO_COW)
+#  define PERL_COPY_ON_WRITE
+#endif
+
+#ifdef PERL_COPY_ON_WRITE
+#  define PERL_ANY_COW
+#else
+# define PERL_SAWAMPERSAND
+#endif
+
 /* end of makedef.pl logic duplication
  * ========================================================================= */
 
@@ -3218,17 +3229,6 @@ typedef struct padname PADNAME;
 #  define PERL_OP_PARENT
 #endif
 
-/* enable PERL_COPY_ON_WRITE by default */
-#if !defined(PERL_COPY_ON_WRITE) && !defined(PERL_NO_COW)
-#  define PERL_COPY_ON_WRITE
-#endif
-
-#ifdef PERL_COPY_ON_WRITE
-#  define PERL_ANY_COW
-#else
-# define PERL_SAWAMPERSAND
-#endif
-
 #if defined(PERL_DEBUG_READONLY_OPS) && !defined(USE_ITHREADS)
 # error PERL_DEBUG_READONLY_OPS only works with ithreads
 #endif