diff --git a/Shorewall-core/lib.cli b/Shorewall-core/lib.cli
index f5cc717f6..68d917733 100644
--- a/Shorewall-core/lib.cli
+++ b/Shorewall-core/lib.cli
@@ -2881,10 +2881,10 @@ report_capabilities1() {
 
 show_status() {
     if product_is_started ; then
-	echo "$g_product is running"
+	[ $VERBOSITY -ge 1 ] && echo "$g_product is running"
 	status=0
     else
-	echo "$g_product is stopped"
+	[ $VERBOSITY -ge 1 ] && echo "$g_product is stopped"
 	status=4
     fi
 
@@ -2898,14 +2898,13 @@ show_status() {
     else
 	state=Unknown
     fi
-    echo "State:$state"
+    [ $VERBOSITY -ge 1 ] && echo "State:$state"
 }
 
 status_command() {
-    echo "${g_product}-$SHOREWALL_VERSION Status at $g_hostname - $(date)"
-    echo
+    [ $VERBOSITY -ge 1 ] && echo "${g_product}-$SHOREWALL_VERSION Status at $g_hostname - $(date)" && echo
     show_status
-    echo
+    [ $VERBOSITY -ge 1 ] && echo
     exit $status
 }
 
diff --git a/Shorewall-lite/manpages/shorewall-lite.xml b/Shorewall-lite/manpages/shorewall-lite.xml
index e8d8524a9..b721f6437 100644
--- a/Shorewall-lite/manpages/shorewall-lite.xml
+++ b/Shorewall-lite/manpages/shorewall-lite.xml
@@ -1086,6 +1086,23 @@
     </variablelist>
   </refsect1>
 
+  <refsect1>
+    <title>EXIT STATUS</title>
+
+    <para>In general, when a command succeeds, status 0 is returned; when the
+    command fails, a non-zero status is returned.</para>
+
+    <para>The <command>status</command> command returns exit status as
+    follows:</para>
+
+    <para>0 - Firewall is started.</para>
+
+    <para>3 - Firewall is stopped or cleared</para>
+
+    <para>4 - Unknown state; usually means that the firewall has never been
+    started.</para>
+  </refsect1>
+
   <refsect1>
     <title>FILES</title>
 
diff --git a/Shorewall/Perl/prog.footer b/Shorewall/Perl/prog.footer
index 7003a51b0..5860e7087 100644
--- a/Shorewall/Perl/prog.footer
+++ b/Shorewall/Perl/prog.footer
@@ -321,13 +321,12 @@ case "$COMMAND" in
 	;;
     status)
 	[ $# -ne 1 ] && usage 2
-	echo "$g_product-$SHOREWALL_VERSION Status at $(hostname) - $(date)"
-	echo
+	[ $VERBOSITY -ge 1 ] && echo "$g_product-$SHOREWALL_VERSION Status at $(hostname) - $(date)" &&	echo
 	if product_is_started; then
-	    echo "$g_product is running"
+	    [ $VERBOSITY -ge 1 ] && echo "$g_product is running"
 	    status=0
 	else
-	    echo "$g_product is stopped"
+	    [ $VERBOSITY -ge 1 ] && echo "$g_product is stopped"
 	    status=4
 	fi
 
@@ -341,8 +340,7 @@ case "$COMMAND" in
 	else
 	    state=Unknown
 	fi
-	echo "State:$state"
-	echo
+	[ $VERBOSITY -ge 1 ] && echo "State:$state" && echo
 	;;
     up|down)
 	[ $# -eq 1 ] && exit 0
diff --git a/Shorewall/manpages/shorewall.xml b/Shorewall/manpages/shorewall.xml
index b954a7165..a710cfaf9 100644
--- a/Shorewall/manpages/shorewall.xml
+++ b/Shorewall/manpages/shorewall.xml
@@ -1793,6 +1793,23 @@
     </variablelist>
   </refsect1>
 
+  <refsect1>
+    <title>EXIT STATUS</title>
+
+    <para>In general, when a command succeeds, status 0 is returned; when the
+    command fails, a non-zero status is returned.</para>
+
+    <para>The <command>status</command> command returns exit status as
+    follows:</para>
+
+    <para>0 - Firewall is started.</para>
+
+    <para>3 - Firewall is stopped or cleared</para>
+
+    <para>4 - Unknown state; usually means that the firewall has never been
+    started.</para>
+  </refsect1>
+
   <refsect1>
     <title>FILES</title>
 
diff --git a/Shorewall6-lite/manpages/shorewall6-lite.xml b/Shorewall6-lite/manpages/shorewall6-lite.xml
index 3d409e3d9..4ee06b48b 100644
--- a/Shorewall6-lite/manpages/shorewall6-lite.xml
+++ b/Shorewall6-lite/manpages/shorewall6-lite.xml
@@ -1085,9 +1085,20 @@
   </refsect1>
 
   <refsect1>
-    <title>FILES</title>
+    <title>EXIT STATUS</title>
 
-    <para>/etc/shorewall6-lite/</para>
+    <para>In general, when a command succeeds, status 0 is returned; when the
+    command fails, a non-zero status is returned.</para>
+
+    <para>The <command>status</command> command returns exit status as
+    follows:</para>
+
+    <para>0 - Firewall is started.</para>
+
+    <para>3 - Firewall is stopped or cleared</para>
+
+    <para>4 - Unknown state; usually means that the firewall has never been
+    started.</para>
   </refsect1>
 
   <refsect1>
diff --git a/Shorewall6/manpages/shorewall6.xml b/Shorewall6/manpages/shorewall6.xml
index 9f3161e42..e86d8b1fc 100644
--- a/Shorewall6/manpages/shorewall6.xml
+++ b/Shorewall6/manpages/shorewall6.xml
@@ -1630,9 +1630,20 @@
   </refsect1>
 
   <refsect1>
-    <title>FILES</title>
+    <title>EXIT STATUS</title>
 
-    <para>/etc/shorewall6/</para>
+    <para>In general, when a command succeeds, status 0 is returned; when the
+    command fails, a non-zero status is returned.</para>
+
+    <para>The <command>status</command> command returns exit status as
+    follows:</para>
+
+    <para>0 - Firewall is started.</para>
+
+    <para>3 - Firewall is stopped or cleared</para>
+
+    <para>4 - Unknown state; usually means that the firewall has never been
+    started.</para>
   </refsect1>
 
   <refsect1>