diff --git a/etc/vz.conf b/etc/vz.conf
index 29d13ff..a230f5a 100644
--- a/etc/vz.conf
+++ b/etc/vz.conf
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ VE0CPUUNITS=1000
 LOGGING=yes
 LOGFILE=/var/log/vzctl.log
 LOG_LEVEL=0
+VERBOSE=0
 
 ## Disk quota parameters
 DISK_QUOTA=yes
diff --git a/include/vzctl_param.h b/include/vzctl_param.h
index ab4790e..0037b5c 100644
--- a/include/vzctl_param.h
+++ b/include/vzctl_param.h
@@ -129,6 +129,7 @@
 #define PARAM_NETIF_IFNAME	355
 #define PARAM_NETIF_HOST_MAC	356
 #define PARAM_NETIF_HOST_IFNAME	357
+#define PARAM_VERBOSE		358
 
 #define PARAM_LINE		"e:p:f:t:i:l:k:a:b:n:x:h"
 #endif
diff --git a/src/lib/config.c b/src/lib/config.c
index 3128ce9..bd3db10 100644
--- a/src/lib/config.c
+++ b/src/lib/config.c
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ static vps_config config[] = {
 {"LOGGING",	NULL, PARAM_LOGGING},
 {"LOG_LEVEL",	NULL, PARAM_LOGLEVEL},
 {"LOGFILE",	NULL, PARAM_LOGFILE},
+{"VERBOSE",	NULL, PARAM_VERBOSE},
 
 {"IPTABLES",	NULL, PARAM_IPTABLES},
 /*	UB	*/
@@ -1806,6 +1807,11 @@ static int parse(envid_t veid, vps_param *vps_p, char *val, int id)
 			break;
 		vps_p->log.level = int_id;
 		break;
+	case PARAM_VERBOSE:
+		if (parse_int(val, &int_id))
+			break;
+		vps_p->log.verbose = int_id;
+		break;
 	case PARAM_IPTABLES:
 		ret = parse_iptables(&vps_p->res.env, val);
 		break;
diff --git a/src/vzctl.c b/src/vzctl.c
index cdfcd3f..5a0d773 100644
--- a/src/vzctl.c
+++ b/src/vzctl.c
@@ -102,6 +102,9 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[], char *envp[])
 {
 	int action = 0;
 	int verbose = 0;
+	int verbose_inc = 0;
+	int verbose_abs = 0;
+	int verbose_abs_unset = 1;
 	int quiet = 0;
 	int veid, ret, skiplock = 0;
 	char buf[256];
@@ -116,6 +119,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[], char *envp[])
 	gparam = init_vps_param();
 	vps_p = init_vps_param();
 	cmd_p = init_vps_param();
+	gparam->log.verbose = 0;
 
 	sigemptyset(&act.sa_mask);
 	act.sa_handler = SIG_IGN;
@@ -124,7 +128,16 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[], char *envp[])
 
 	while (argc > 1) {
 		if (!strcmp(argv[1], "--verbose")) {
-			verbose = 2;
+			verbose_inc++;
+		} else if (!strncmp(argv[1], "--verbose=", 10)) {
+			if(argv[1][10] != '\0') {
+				verbose_abs_unset = parse_int(&argv[1][10], &verbose_abs);
+				verbose_inc = 0;
+			}
+			if(verbose_abs_unset) {
+				printf("Invalid value for --verbose\n");
+				exit(VZ_INVALID_PARAMETER_SYNTAX);
+			}
 		} else if (!strcmp(argv[1], "--quiet"))
 			quiet = 1;
 		else if (!strcmp(argv[1], "--version")) {
@@ -140,6 +153,13 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[], char *envp[])
 		usage();
 		exit(VZ_INVALID_PARAMETER_SYNTAX);
 	}
+	if(verbose_abs_unset)
+		verbose = gparam->log.verbose;
+	else
+		verbose = verbose_abs;
+	verbose += verbose_inc;
+	if(verbose < -1)
+		verbose = -1;
 	action_nm = argv[1];
 	init_log(NULL, 0, 1, 0, 0, verbose, NULL);
 	if (!strcmp(argv[1], "set")) {
diff --git a/man/vzctl.8 b/man/vzctl.8
index c98c779..c6edd78 100644
--- a/man/vzctl.8
+++ b/man/vzctl.8
@@ -29,9 +29,9 @@ OpenVZ internal purposes.
 .SS Flags
 These flags can be used with almost any option.
 .IP \fB--quiet\fR 4
-Disables logging to log file and screen.
-.IP \fB--verbose\fR 4
-Sets logging level to maximum value.
+Disables logging to screen.
+.IP \fB--verbose[=value]\fR 4
+Increase or set the logging level. No arguments will increase the current value by one.
 .SS Setting VE parameters
 .IP "\fBset\fR \fIveid\fR [\fIparameters\fR] [\fB--save\fR]" 4 
 This command sets various VE parameters. If flag \fB--save\fR is given,