diff --git a/birdtest/birdtest.c b/birdtest/birdtest.c
index cafadb2d..03fa35b0 100644
--- a/birdtest/birdtest.c
+++ b/birdtest/birdtest.c
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ bt_init(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
   int c;
 
+  bt_verbose = 0;
   bt_filename = argv[0];
 
   while ((c = getopt(argc, argv, "lcftv")) >= 0)
@@ -58,7 +59,7 @@ bt_init(int argc, char *argv[])
 	break;
 
       case 'v':
-	bt_verbose = 1;
+	bt_verbose++;
 	break;
 
       default:
@@ -83,7 +84,7 @@ bt_init(int argc, char *argv[])
   return;
 
   usage:
-  printf("Usage: %s [-l] [-c] [-f] [-t] [-v] [<test_id>]\n", argv[0]);
+  printf("Usage: %s [-l] [-c] [-f] [-t] [-vv] [<test_id>]\n", argv[0]);
   exit(3);
 }
 
diff --git a/birdtest/birdtest.h b/birdtest/birdtest.h
index 19a2d4f8..3ca8e5b8 100644
--- a/birdtest/birdtest.h
+++ b/birdtest/birdtest.h
@@ -30,6 +30,9 @@ void bt_test_case2(int (*fn)(void), const char *id, const char *dsc, int forked,
 #define bt_note(format, ...) \
     do { if (bt_verbose) bt_log(format, ##__VA_ARGS__); } while (0)
 
+#define bt_debug(format, ...) \
+    do { if (bt_verbose > 1) printf(format, ##__VA_ARGS__); } while (0)
+
 #define bt_abort() \
     bt_abort_msg("Aborted at %s:%d", __FILE__, __LINE__)