diff --git a/Shorewall-lite/shorecap b/Shorewall-lite/shorecap
index ba08b336c..24ff83268 100755
--- a/Shorewall-lite/shorecap
+++ b/Shorewall-lite/shorecap
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ VERSION=$(cat /usr/share/shorewall-lite/version)
 
 [ -n "$IPTABLES" ] || IPTABLES=$(mywhich iptables)
 
-VERBOSE=0
+VERBOSITY=0
 load_kernel_modules No
 determine_capabilities
 report_capabilities1
diff --git a/Shorewall-lite/shorewall-lite b/Shorewall-lite/shorewall-lite
index 7b13c7f63..5b33981b3 100755
--- a/Shorewall-lite/shorewall-lite
+++ b/Shorewall-lite/shorewall-lite
@@ -149,9 +149,9 @@ get_config() {
 
     [ -n "${VERBOSITY:=2}" ]
 
-    [ -n "$g_use_verbosity" ] && VERBOSE=$g_use_verbosity || VERBOSE=$(($g_verbose_offset + $VERBOSITY))
+    [ -n "$g_use_verbosity" ] && VERBOSITY=$g_use_verbosity || VERBOSITY=$(($g_verbose_offset + $VERBOSITY))
 
-    export VERBOSE
+    export VERBOSITY
 
     [ -n "${HOSTNAME:=$(hostname)}" ]
 
diff --git a/Shorewall/Perl/Shorewall/Compiler.pm b/Shorewall/Perl/Shorewall/Compiler.pm
index 706dea0a8..3db5ef102 100644
--- a/Shorewall/Perl/Shorewall/Compiler.pm
+++ b/Shorewall/Perl/Shorewall/Compiler.pm
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ sub generate_script_2() {
     my @dont_load = split_list $config{DONT_LOAD}, 'module';
 
     emit ( '[ -n "${COMMAND:=restart}" ]',
-	   '[ -n "${VERBOSE:=0}" ]',
+	   '[ -n "${VERBOSITY:=0}" ]',
 	   qq([ -n "\${RESTOREFILE:=$config{RESTOREFILE}}" ]) );
 
     emit ( qq(VERSION="$globals{VERSION}") ) unless $test;
diff --git a/Shorewall/Perl/prog.footer b/Shorewall/Perl/prog.footer
index 1b5684eee..e9396b915 100644
--- a/Shorewall/Perl/prog.footer
+++ b/Shorewall/Perl/prog.footer
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ if [ $# -gt 1 ]; then
     fi
 fi
 
+[ -z "$VERBOSITY" ] && [ -n "$VERBOSE" ] & VERBOSITY=$VERBOSE
+
 initialize
 
 if [ -n "$STARTUP_LOG" ]; then
@@ -51,11 +53,11 @@ while [ $finished -eq 0 -a $# -gt 0 ]; do
 	    while [ -n "$option" ]; do
 		case $option in
 		    v*)
-			VERBOSE=$(($VERBOSE + 1 ))
+			VERBOSITY=$(($VERBOSITY + 1 ))
 			option=${option#v}
 			;;
 		    q*)
-			VERBOSE=$(($VERBOSE - 1 ))
+			VERBOSITY=$(($VERBOSITY - 1 ))
 			option=${option#q}
 			;;
 		    n*)
@@ -81,7 +83,7 @@ while [ $finished -eq 0 -a $# -gt 0 ]; do
 			if [ -n "$option" ]; then
 			    case $option in
 				-1|0|1|2)
-				    VERBOSE=$option
+				    VERBOSITY=$option
 				    option=
 				    ;;
 				*)
diff --git a/Shorewall/Perl/prog.footer6 b/Shorewall/Perl/prog.footer6
index 6e28596ed..4c513fce6 100644
--- a/Shorewall/Perl/prog.footer6
+++ b/Shorewall/Perl/prog.footer6
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ if [ $# -gt 1 ]; then
     fi
 fi
 
+[ -z "$VERBOSITY" ] && [ -n "$VERBOSE" ] & VERBOSITY=$VERBOSE
+
 initialize
 
 if [ -n "$STARTUP_LOG" ]; then
@@ -51,11 +53,11 @@ while [ $finished -eq 0 -a $# -gt 0 ]; do
 	    while [ -n "$option" ]; do
 		case $option in
 		    v*)
-			VERBOSE=$(($VERBOSE + 1 ))
+			VERBOSITY=$(($VERBOSITY + 1 ))
 			option=${option#v}
 			;;
 		    q*)
-			VERBOSE=$(($VERBOSE - 1 ))
+			VERBOSITY=$(($VERBOSITY - 1 ))
 			option=${option#q}
 			;;
 		    n*)
@@ -81,7 +83,7 @@ while [ $finished -eq 0 -a $# -gt 0 ]; do
 			if [ -n "$option" ]; then
 			    case $option in
 				-1|0|1|2)
-				    VERBOSE=$option
+				    VERBOSITY=$option
 				    option=
 				    ;;
 				*)
diff --git a/Shorewall/Perl/prog.header b/Shorewall/Perl/prog.header
index 73248f72a..96e5b6b35 100644
--- a/Shorewall/Perl/prog.header
+++ b/Shorewall/Perl/prog.header
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ progress_message() # $* = Message
     local timestamp
     timestamp=
 
-    if [ $VERBOSE -gt 1 ]; then
+    if [ $VERBOSITY -gt 1 ]; then
 	[ -n "$TIMESTAMP" ] && timestamp="$(date +%H:%M:%S) "
 	echo "${timestamp}$@"
     fi
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ progress_message2() # $* = Message
     local timestamp
     timestamp=
 
-    if [ $VERBOSE -gt 0 ]; then
+    if [ $VERBOSITY -gt 0 ]; then
 	[ -n "$TIMESTAMP" ] && timestamp="$(date +%H:%M:%S) "
 	echo "${timestamp}$@"
     fi
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ progress_message3() # $* = Message
     local timestamp
     timestamp=
 
-    if [ $VERBOSE -ge 0 ]; then
+    if [ $VERBOSITY -ge 0 ]; then
 	[ -n "$TIMESTAMP" ] && timestamp="$(date +%H:%M:%S) "
 	echo "${timestamp}$@"
     fi
diff --git a/Shorewall/Perl/prog.header6 b/Shorewall/Perl/prog.header6
index 82a25e51b..a5260d079 100644
--- a/Shorewall/Perl/prog.header6
+++ b/Shorewall/Perl/prog.header6
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ progress_message() # $* = Message
     local timestamp
     timestamp=
 
-    if [ $VERBOSE -gt 1 ]; then
+    if [ $VERBOSITY -gt 1 ]; then
 	[ -n "$TIMESTAMP" ] && timestamp="$(date +%H:%M:%S) "
 	echo "${timestamp}$@"
     fi
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ progress_message2() # $* = Message
     local timestamp
     timestamp=
 
-    if [ $VERBOSE -gt 0 ]; then
+    if [ $VERBOSITY -gt 0 ]; then
 	[ -n "$TIMESTAMP" ] && timestamp="$(date +%H:%M:%S) "
 	echo "${timestamp}$@"
     fi
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ progress_message3() # $* = Message
     local timestamp
     timestamp=
 
-    if [ $VERBOSE -ge 0 ]; then
+    if [ $VERBOSITY -ge 0 ]; then
 	[ -n "$TIMESTAMP" ] && timestamp="$(date +%H:%M:%S) "
 	echo "${timestamp}$@"
     fi
diff --git a/Shorewall/lib.base b/Shorewall/lib.base
index c88b223c8..a179545d1 100644
--- a/Shorewall/lib.base
+++ b/Shorewall/lib.base
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ progress_message() # $* = Message
     local timestamp
     timestamp=
 
-    if [ $VERBOSE -gt 1 ]; then
+    if [ $VERBOSITY -gt 1 ]; then
 	[ -n "$TIMESTAMP" ] && timestamp="$(date +%H:%M:%S) "
 	echo "${timestamp}$@"
     fi
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ progress_message2() # $* = Message
     local timestamp
     timestamp=
 
-    if [ $VERBOSE -gt 0 ]; then
+    if [ $VERBOSITY -gt 0 ]; then
 	[ -n "$TIMESTAMP" ] && timestamp="$(date +%H:%M:%S) "
 	echo "${timestamp}$@"
     fi
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ progress_message3() # $* = Message
     local timestamp
     timestamp=
 
-    if [ $VERBOSE -ge 0 ]; then
+    if [ $VERBOSITY -ge 0 ]; then
 	[ -n "$TIMESTAMP" ] && timestamp="$(date +%H:%M:%S) "
 	echo "${timestamp}$@"
     fi
@@ -990,7 +990,7 @@ report_capabilities() {
 	echo "  " $1: $setting
     }
 
-    if [ $VERBOSE -gt 1 ]; then
+    if [ $VERBOSITY -gt 1 ]; then
 	echo "Shorewall has detected the following iptables/netfilter capabilities:"
 	report_capability "NAT" $NAT_ENABLED
 	report_capability "Packet Mangling" $MANGLE_ENABLED
diff --git a/Shorewall/lib.cli b/Shorewall/lib.cli
index 1b6cf155f..65d69cf6e 100644
--- a/Shorewall/lib.cli
+++ b/Shorewall/lib.cli
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ syslog_circular_buffer() {
 #
 packet_log() # $1 = number of messages
 {
-    if [ -n "$g_showmacs" -o $VERBOSE -gt 2 ]; then
+    if [ -n "$g_showmacs" -o $VERBOSITY -gt 2 ]; then
 	$g_logread | grep 'IN=.* OUT=.*SRC=.*\..*DST=' | head -n$1 | tac | sed 's/ kernel://; s/\[.*\] //' | sed s/" $host $LOGFORMAT"/" "/
     else
 	$g_logread | grep 'IN=.* OUT=.*SRC=.*\..*DST=' |  head -n$1 | tac | sed 's/ kernel://; s/MAC=.* SRC=/SRC=/; s/\[.*\] '// | sed s/" $host $LOGFORMAT"/" "/
@@ -458,7 +458,7 @@ show_command() {
 			    option=
 			    ;;
 			v*)
-			    VERBOSE=$(($VERBOSE + 1 ))
+			    VERBOSITY=$(($VERBOSITY + 1 ))
 			    option=${option#v}
 			    ;;
 			x*)
@@ -587,7 +587,7 @@ show_command() {
 	capabilities)
 	    [ $# -gt 1 ] && usage 1
 	    determine_capabilities
-	    VERBOSE=2
+	    VERBOSITY=2
 	    if [ -n "$g_filemode" ]; then
 		report_capabilities1
 	    else
@@ -778,7 +778,7 @@ dump_command() {
 
     g_ipt_options="$g_ipt_options $g_ipt_options1"
 
-    [ $VERBOSE -lt 2 ] && VERBOSE=2
+    [ $VERBOSITY -lt 2 ] && VERBOSITY=2
 
     [ -n "$g_debugging" ] && set -x
     [ $# -eq 0 ] || usage 1
@@ -1390,11 +1390,11 @@ logwatch_command() {
 		while [ -n "$option" ]; do
 		    case $option in
 			v*)
-			    VERBOSE=$(($VERBOSE + 1 ))
+			    VERBOSITY=$(($VERBOSITY + 1 ))
 			    option=${option#v}
 			    ;;
 			q*)
-			    VERBOSE=$(($VERBOSE - 1 ))
+			    VERBOSITY=$(($VERBOSITY - 1 ))
 			    option=${option#q}
 			    ;;
 			m*)
diff --git a/Shorewall/releasenotes.txt b/Shorewall/releasenotes.txt
index 29188f5a5..81eef667a 100644
--- a/Shorewall/releasenotes.txt
+++ b/Shorewall/releasenotes.txt
@@ -297,6 +297,7 @@ None.
 	RING_BELL
 	TEST
 	USE_VERBOSITY
+	VERBOSE
 	VERBOSE_OFFSET
 	
     See Migration Issue 14 above for additional information.
diff --git a/Shorewall/shorewall b/Shorewall/shorewall
index 6e9da27eb..efaa7844b 100755
--- a/Shorewall/shorewall
+++ b/Shorewall/shorewall
@@ -259,15 +259,15 @@ get_config() {
 	    ;;
     esac
 
-    [ -n "$g_use_verbosity" ] && VERBOSE=$g_use_verbosity || VERBOSE=$(($g_verbose_offset + $VERBOSITY))
+    [ -n "$g_use_verbosity" ] && VERBOSITY=$g_use_verbosity || VERBOSITY=$(($g_verbose_offset + $VERBOSITY))
 
-    if [ $VERBOSE -lt -1 ]; then
-	VERBOSE=-1
-    elif [ $VERBOSE -gt 2 ]; then
-	VERBOSE=2
+    if [ $VERBOSITY -lt -1 ]; then
+	VERBOSITY=-1
+    elif [ $VERBOSITY -gt 2 ]; then
+	VERBOSITY=2
     fi
 
-    export VERBOSE
+    export VERBOSITY
 
     [ -n "${HOSTNAME:=$(hostname)}" ]
 
@@ -355,7 +355,7 @@ compiler() {
     [ "$1" = nolock ] && shift;
     shift 
 
-    options="--verbose=$VERBOSE"
+    options="--verbose=$VERBOSITY"
     [ -n "$STARTUP_LOG" ] && options="$options --log=$STARTUP_LOG"
     [ -n "$LOG_VERBOSITY" ] && options="$options --log_verbosity=$LOG_VERBOSITY";
     [ -n "$g_export" ] && options="$options --export"
diff --git a/Shorewall6-lite/shorecap b/Shorewall6-lite/shorecap
index a1cc68745..a06d5c0bf 100755
--- a/Shorewall6-lite/shorecap
+++ b/Shorewall6-lite/shorecap
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ VERSION=$(cat /usr/share/shorewall6-lite/version)
 
 [ -n "$IPTABLES" ] || IPTABLES=$(mywhich iptables)
 
-VERBOSE=0
+VERBOSITY=0
 load_kernel_modules No
 determine_capabilities
 report_capabilities1
diff --git a/Shorewall6-lite/shorewall6-lite b/Shorewall6-lite/shorewall6-lite
index fecfc6c2e..f18010e9f 100755
--- a/Shorewall6-lite/shorewall6-lite
+++ b/Shorewall6-lite/shorewall6-lite
@@ -149,9 +149,9 @@ get_config() {
 
     [ -n "${VERBOSITY:=2}" ]
 
-    [ -n "$g_use_verbosity" ] && VERBOSE=$g_use_verbosity || VERBOSE=$(($g_verbose_offset + $VERBOSITY))
+    [ -n "$g_use_verbosity" ] && VERBOSITY=$g_use_verbosity || VERBOSITY=$(($g_verbose_offset + $VERBOSITY))
 
-    export VERBOSE
+    export VERBOSITY
 
     [ -n "${HOSTNAME:=$(hostname)}" ]
 
diff --git a/Shorewall6/lib.base b/Shorewall6/lib.base
index 592755e68..c9687f42e 100644
--- a/Shorewall6/lib.base
+++ b/Shorewall6/lib.base
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ progress_message() # $* = Message
     local timestamp
     timestamp=
 
-    if [ $VERBOSE -gt 1 ]; then
+    if [ $VERBOSITY -gt 1 ]; then
 	[ -n "$TIMESTAMP" ] && timestamp="$(date +%H:%M:%S) "
 	echo "${timestamp}$@"
     fi
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ progress_message2() # $* = Message
     local timestamp
     timestamp=
 
-    if [ $VERBOSE -gt 0 ]; then
+    if [ $VERBOSITY -gt 0 ]; then
 	[ -n "$TIMESTAMP" ] && timestamp="$(date +%H:%M:%S) "
 	echo "${timestamp}$@"
     fi
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ progress_message3() # $* = Message
     local timestamp
     timestamp=
 
-    if [ $VERBOSE -ge 0 ]; then
+    if [ $VERBOSITY -ge 0 ]; then
 	[ -n "$TIMESTAMP" ] && timestamp="$(date +%H:%M:%S) "
 	echo "${timestamp}$@"
     fi
@@ -897,7 +897,7 @@ report_capabilities() {
 	echo "  " $1: $setting
     }
 
-    if [ $VERBOSE -gt 1 ]; then
+    if [ $VERBOSITY -gt 1 ]; then
 	echo "Shorewall6 has detected the following ip6tables/netfilter capabilities:"
 	report_capability "Packet Mangling" $MANGLE_ENABLED
 	report_capability "Multi-port Match" $MULTIPORT
diff --git a/Shorewall6/lib.cli b/Shorewall6/lib.cli
index 138146ed8..b5d4f34d4 100644
--- a/Shorewall6/lib.cli
+++ b/Shorewall6/lib.cli
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ syslog_circular_buffer() {
 #
 packet_log() # $1 = number of messages
 {
-    if [ -n "$g_showmacs" -o $VERBOSE -gt 2 ]; then
+    if [ -n "$g_showmacs" -o $VERBOSITY -gt 2 ]; then
 	$g_logread | grep 'IN=.* OUT=.*SRC=.*:.*DST=' | head -n$1 | tac | sed 's/ kernel://; s/\[.*\] //' | sed s/" $host $LOGFORMAT"/" "/
     else
 	$g_logread | grep 'IN=.* OUT=.*SRC=.*:.*DST=' |  head -n$1 | tac | sed 's/ kernel://; s/MAC=.* SRC=/SRC=/; s/\[.*\] '// | sed s/" $host $LOGFORMAT"/" "/
@@ -371,7 +371,7 @@ show_command() {
 			    option=
 			    ;;
 			v*)
-			    VERBOSE=$(($VERBOSE + 1 ))
+			    VERBOSITY=$(($VERBOSITY + 1 ))
 			    option=${option#v}
 			    ;;
 			x*)
@@ -492,7 +492,7 @@ show_command() {
 	capabilities)
 	    [ $# -gt 1 ] && usage 1
 	    determine_capabilities
-	    VERBOSE=2
+	    VERBOSITY=2
 	    if [ -n "$g_filemode" ]; then
 		report_capabilities1
 	    else
@@ -654,7 +654,7 @@ dump_command() {
 
     g_ipt_options="$g_ipt_options $g_ipt_options1"
 
-    [ $VERBOSE -lt 2 ] && VERBOSE=2
+    [ $VERBOSITY -lt 2 ] && VERBOSITY=2
 
     [ -n "$g_debugging" ] && set -x
     [ $# -eq 0 ] || usage 1
@@ -1088,11 +1088,11 @@ logwatch_command() {
 		while [ -n "$option" ]; do
 		    case $option in
 			v*)
-			    VERBOSE=$(($VERBOSE + 1 ))
+			    VERBOSITY=$(($VERBOSITY + 1 ))
 			    option=${option#v}
 			    ;;
 			q*)
-			    VERBOSE=$(($VERBOSE - 1 ))
+			    VERBOSITY=$(($VERBOSITY - 1 ))
 			    option=${option#q}
 			    ;;
 			m*)
diff --git a/Shorewall6/shorewall6 b/Shorewall6/shorewall6
index 3bb58c9d8..6974f551f 100755
--- a/Shorewall6/shorewall6
+++ b/Shorewall6/shorewall6
@@ -178,15 +178,15 @@ get_config() {
 	    ;;
     esac
 
-    [ -n "$g_use_verbosity" ] && VERBOSE=$g_use_verbosity || VERBOSE=$(($g_verbose_offset + $VERBOSITY))
+    [ -n "$g_use_verbosity" ] && VERBOSITY=$g_use_verbosity || VERBOSITY=$(($g_verbose_offset + $VERBOSITY))
 
-    if [ $VERBOSE -lt -1 ]; then
-	VERBOSE=-1
-    elif [ $VERBOSE -gt 2 ]; then
-	VERBOSE=2
+    if [ $VERBOSITY -lt -1 ]; then
+	VERBOSITY=-1
+    elif [ $VERBOSITY -gt 2 ]; then
+	VERBOSITY=2
     fi
 
-    export VERBOSE
+    export VERBOSITY
 
     [ -n "${HOSTNAME:=$(hostname)}" ]
 
@@ -285,7 +285,7 @@ compiler() {
     [ "$1" = nolock ] && shift;
     shift 
 
-    options="--verbose=$VERBOSE --family=6"
+    options="--verbose=$VERBOSITY --family=6"
     [ -n "$STARTUP_LOG" ] && options="$options --log=$STARTUP_LOG"
     [ -n "$LOG_VERBOSITY" ] && options="$options --log_verbosity=$LOG_VERBOSITY";
     [ -n "$g_export" ] && options="$options --export"
diff --git a/docs/configuration_file_basics.xml b/docs/configuration_file_basics.xml
index 1a4f8daa1..cab390611 100644
--- a/docs/configuration_file_basics.xml
+++ b/docs/configuration_file_basics.xml
@@ -666,7 +666,7 @@ SHELL cat /etc/shorewall/rules.d/*.rules</programlisting></para>
 
       <member><emphasis role="bold">VARDIR</emphasis></member>
 
-      <member><emphasis role="bold">VERBOSE</emphasis></member>
+      <member>VERBOSE</member>
 
       <member>VERBOSE_OFFSET</member>
     </simplelist>
diff --git a/manpages/shorewall-params.xml b/manpages/shorewall-params.xml
index c1277ef15..61c685ec6 100644
--- a/manpages/shorewall-params.xml
+++ b/manpages/shorewall-params.xml
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@
 
       <member><emphasis role="bold">VARDIR</emphasis></member>
 
-      <member><emphasis role="bold">VERBOSE</emphasis></member>
+      <member>VERBOSE</member>
 
       <member>VERBOSE_OFFSET</member>
     </simplelist>
diff --git a/manpages6/shorewall6-params.xml b/manpages6/shorewall6-params.xml
index 1db6a2144..8a0f0119b 100644
--- a/manpages6/shorewall6-params.xml
+++ b/manpages6/shorewall6-params.xml
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@
 
       <member><emphasis role="bold">VARDIR</emphasis></member>
 
-      <member><emphasis role="bold">VERBOSE</emphasis></member>
+      <member>VERBOSE</member>
 
       <member>VERBOSE_OFFSET</member>
     </simplelist>