diff --git a/client.py b/client.py
index 3195d37..42da341 100644
--- a/client.py
+++ b/client.py
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import struct, socket, select, subprocess, errno
-import ssnet, ssh, helpers
+import helpers, ssnet, ssh
 from ssnet import SockWrapper, Handler, Proxy, Mux, MuxWrapper
 from helpers import *
 
@@ -15,7 +15,9 @@ def original_dst(sock):
 
 def iptables_setup(port, subnets):
     subnets_str = ['%s/%d' % (ip,width) for ip,width in subnets]
-    argv = ['sudo', sys.argv[0], '--iptables', str(port)] + subnets_str
+    argv = (['sudo', sys.argv[0]] +
+            ['-v'] * (helpers.verbose or 0) +
+            ['--iptables', str(port)] + subnets_str)
     rv = subprocess.call(argv)
     if rv != 0:
         raise Exception('%r returned %d' % (argv, rv))
@@ -46,10 +48,10 @@ def _main(listener, listenport, use_server, remotename, subnets):
     def onaccept():
         sock,srcip = listener.accept()
         dstip = original_dst(sock)
-        log('Accept: %r:%r -> %r:%r.\n' % (srcip[0],srcip[1],
+        debug1('Accept: %r:%r -> %r:%r.\n' % (srcip[0],srcip[1],
                                            dstip[0],dstip[1]))
         if dstip == sock.getsockname():
-            log("-- ignored: that's my address!\n")
+            debug1("-- ignored: that's my address!\n")
             sock.close()
             return
         if use_server:
@@ -73,7 +75,7 @@ def _main(listener, listenport, use_server, remotename, subnets):
         handlers = filter(lambda s: s.ok, handlers)
         for s in handlers:
             s.pre_select(r,w,x)
-        log('Waiting: %d[%d,%d,%d]...\n' 
+        debug2('Waiting: %d[%d,%d,%d]...\n' 
             % (len(handlers), len(r), len(w), len(x)))
         (r,w,x) = select.select(r,w,x)
         #log('r=%r w=%r x=%r\n' % (r,w,x))
@@ -84,7 +86,7 @@ def _main(listener, listenport, use_server, remotename, subnets):
 
 
 def main(listenip, use_server, remotename, subnets):
-    log('Starting sshuttle proxy.\n')
+    debug1('Starting sshuttle proxy.\n')
     listener = socket.socket()
     listener.setsockopt(socket.SOL_SOCKET, socket.SO_REUSEADDR, 1)
     if listenip[1]:
@@ -93,22 +95,22 @@ def main(listenip, use_server, remotename, subnets):
         ports = xrange(12300,65536)
     last_e = None
     bound = False
-    log('Binding:')
+    debug2('Binding:')
     for port in ports:
-        log(' %d' % port)
+        debug2(' %d' % port)
         try:
             listener.bind((listenip[0], port))
             bound = True
             break
         except socket.error, e:
             last_e = e
-    log('\n')
+    debug2('\n')
     if not bound:
         assert(last_e)
         raise last_e
     listener.listen(10)
     listenip = listener.getsockname()
-    log('Listening on %r.\n' % (listenip,))
+    debug1('Listening on %r.\n' % (listenip,))
 
     try:
         return _main(listener, listenip[1], use_server, remotename, subnets)
diff --git a/helpers.py b/helpers.py
index d397cd8..5ffada5 100644
--- a/helpers.py
+++ b/helpers.py
@@ -1,8 +1,17 @@
 import sys, os
 
 logprefix = ''
+verbose = 0
 
 def log(s):
     sys.stdout.flush()
     sys.stderr.write(logprefix + s)
     sys.stderr.flush()
+
+def debug1(s):
+    if verbose >= 1:
+        log(s)
+
+def debug2(s):
+    if verbose >= 2:
+        log(s)
diff --git a/iptables.py b/iptables.py
index 096844e..8afdb81 100644
--- a/iptables.py
+++ b/iptables.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import subprocess, re
+import helpers
 from helpers import *
 
 
@@ -15,7 +16,7 @@ def chain_exists(name):
 
 def ipt(*args):
     argv = ['iptables', '-t', 'nat'] + list(args)
-    log('>> %s\n' % ' '.join(argv))
+    debug1('>> %s\n' % ' '.join(argv))
     rv = subprocess.call(argv)
     if rv:
         raise Exception('%r returned %d' % (argv, rv))
diff --git a/main.py b/main.py
index 9115e63..b83502b 100755
--- a/main.py
+++ b/main.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python
 import sys, os, re
-import options, client, iptables, server
+import helpers, options, client, server, iptables
 
 
 # list of:
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ sshuttle --server
 --
 l,listen=  transproxy to this ip address and port number [default=0]
 r,remote=  ssh hostname (and optional username) of remote sshuttle server
+v,verbose  increase debug message verbosity
 noserver   don't use a separate server process (mostly for debugging)
 server     [internal use only]
 iptables   [internal use only]
@@ -57,6 +58,8 @@ iptables   [internal use only]
 o = options.Options('sshuttle', optspec)
 (opt, flags, extra) = o.parse(sys.argv[1:])
 
+helpers.verbose = opt.verbose
+
 if opt.server:
     sys.exit(server.main())
 elif opt.iptables:
diff --git a/server.py b/server.py
index 03753b5..b050c82 100644
--- a/server.py
+++ b/server.py
@@ -32,8 +32,8 @@ def main():
         handlers = filter(lambda s: s.ok, handlers)
         for s in handlers:
             s.pre_select(r,w,x)
-        log('Waiting: %d[%d,%d,%d]...\n' 
-            % (len(handlers), len(r), len(w), len(x)))
+        debug2('Waiting: %d[%d,%d,%d]...\n' 
+               % (len(handlers), len(r), len(w), len(x)))
         (r,w,x) = select.select(r,w,x)
         #log('r=%r w=%r x=%r\n' % (r,w,x))
         ready = set(r) | set(w) | set(x)
diff --git a/ssh.py b/ssh.py
index ef3199e..4c983b9 100644
--- a/ssh.py
+++ b/ssh.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import sys, os, re, subprocess, socket
+import helpers
 
 def connect(rhost):
     main_exe = sys.argv[0]
@@ -7,7 +8,7 @@ def connect(rhost):
     if rhost == '-':
         rhost = None
     if not rhost:
-        argv = ['sshuttle', '--server']
+        argv = ['sshuttle', '--server'] + ['-v']*(helpers.verbose or 0)
     else:
         # WARNING: shell quoting security holes are possible here, so we
         # have to be super careful.  We have to use 'sh -c' because
diff --git a/ssnet.py b/ssnet.py
index bbc926f..e562390 100644
--- a/ssnet.py
+++ b/ssnet.py
@@ -55,9 +55,9 @@ class SockWrapper:
         self.peername = peername or _try_peername(self.rsock)
 
     def __del__(self):
-        log('%r: deleting\n' % self)
+        debug1('%r: deleting\n' % self)
         if self.exc:
-            log('%r: error was: %r\n' % (self, self.exc))
+            debug1('%r: error was: %r\n' % (self, self.exc))
 
     def __repr__(self):
         return 'SW:%s' % (self.peername,)
@@ -68,13 +68,13 @@ class SockWrapper:
 
     def noread(self):
         if not self.shut_read:
-            log('%r: done reading\n' % self)
+            debug2('%r: done reading\n' % self)
             self.shut_read = True
             #self.rsock.shutdown(socket.SHUT_RD)  # doesn't do anything anyway
         
     def nowrite(self):
         if not self.shut_write:
-            log('%r: done writing\n' % self)
+            debug2('%r: done writing\n' % self)
             self.shut_write = True
             try:
                 self.wsock.shutdown(socket.SHUT_WR)
@@ -200,18 +200,18 @@ class Mux(Handler):
         assert(len(data) <= 65535)
         p = struct.pack('!ccHHH', 'S', 'S', channel, cmd, len(data)) + data
         self.outbuf.append(p)
-        log(' > channel=%d cmd=%s len=%d\n' 
-            % (channel, cmd_to_name[cmd], len(data)))
+        debug2(' > channel=%d cmd=%s len=%d\n' 
+               % (channel, cmd_to_name[cmd], len(data)))
         #log('Mux: send queue is %d/%d\n' 
         #    % (len(self.outbuf), sum(len(b) for b in self.outbuf)))
 
     def got_packet(self, channel, cmd, data):
-        log('<  channel=%d cmd=%s len=%d\n' 
-            % (channel, cmd_to_name[cmd], len(data)))
+        debug2('<  channel=%d cmd=%s len=%d\n' 
+               % (channel, cmd_to_name[cmd], len(data)))
         if cmd == CMD_PING:
             self.send(0, CMD_PONG, data)
         elif cmd == CMD_PONG:
-            log('received PING response\n')
+            debug2('received PING response\n')
         elif cmd == CMD_EXIT:
             self.ok = False
         elif cmd == CMD_CONNECT:
@@ -278,7 +278,7 @@ class MuxWrapper(SockWrapper):
         self.mux = mux
         self.channel = channel
         self.mux.channels[channel] = self.got_packet
-        log('new channel: %d\n' % channel)
+        debug2('new channel: %d\n' % channel)
 
     def __del__(self):
         self.nowrite()
@@ -322,7 +322,7 @@ class MuxWrapper(SockWrapper):
 
 
 def connect_dst(ip, port):
-    log('Connecting to %s:%d\n' % (ip, port))
+    debug2('Connecting to %s:%d\n' % (ip, port))
     outsock = socket.socket()
     outsock.setsockopt(socket.SOL_IP, socket.IP_TTL, 42)
     e = None