--- dropbear-git/cli-runopts.c
+++ dropbear-patch/cli-runopts.c
@@ -94,7 +94,9 @@
 #endif
 					"-b    [bind_address][:bind_port]\n"
 					"-V    Version\n"
-#if DEBUG_TRACE
+#if DEBUG_LEVELS
+					"-v    verbose (repeat for more verbose)\n"
+#elif DEBUG_TRACE
 					"-v    verbose (compiled with DEBUG_TRACE)\n"
 #endif
 					,DROPBEAR_VERSION, cli_opts.progname,
@@ -294,10 +296,14 @@
 					next = &opts.mac_list;
 					break;
 #endif
-#if DEBUG_TRACE
+#if DEBUG_LEVELS
 				case 'v':
-					debug_trace = 1;
+					debug_trace++;
 					break;
+#elif DEBUG_TRACE
+				case 'v':
+					debug_trace = 9;
+					break;
 #endif
 				case 'F':
 				case 'e':
@@ -541,6 +547,16 @@
 	ret = m_malloc(len);
 	total = 0;
 
+#if DEBUG_LEVELS
+	if (debug_trace)
+	{
+		int no;
+		for (no=0; no<debug_trace; no++) {
+			int written = snprintf(ret+total, len-total, "-v ");
+			total += written;
+		}
+	}
+#endif
 	if (cli_opts.no_hostkey_check)
 	{
 		int written = snprintf(ret+total, len-total, "-y -y ");