diff --git a/Shorewall/Perl/prog.footer b/Shorewall/Perl/prog.footer
index 6092bedf6..a2e391902 100644
--- a/Shorewall/Perl/prog.footer
+++ b/Shorewall/Perl/prog.footer
@@ -71,11 +71,11 @@ while [ $finished -eq 0 -a $# -gt 0 ]; do
 	    while [ -n "$option" ]; do
 		case $option in
 		    v*)
-			VERBOSITY=$(($VERBOSITY + 1 ))
+			[ $VERBOSITY -lt 2 ] && VERBOSITY=$(($VERBOSITY + 1 ))
 			option=${option#v}
 			;;
 		    q*)
-			VERBOSITY=$(($VERBOSITY - 1 ))
+			[ $VERBOSITY -gt -1 ] && VERBOSITY=$(($VERBOSITY - 1 ))
 			option=${option#q}
 			;;
 		    n*)
diff --git a/Shorewall/Perl/prog.footer6 b/Shorewall/Perl/prog.footer6
index dedb97e14..74d5e8db2 100644
--- a/Shorewall/Perl/prog.footer6
+++ b/Shorewall/Perl/prog.footer6
@@ -71,11 +71,11 @@ while [ $finished -eq 0 -a $# -gt 0 ]; do
 	    while [ -n "$option" ]; do
 		case $option in
 		    v*)
-			VERBOSITY=$(($VERBOSITY + 1 ))
+			[ $VERBOSITY -lt 2 ] && VERBOSITY=$(($VERBOSITY + 1 ))
 			option=${option#v}
 			;;
 		    q*)
-			VERBOSITY=$(($VERBOSITY - 1 ))
+			[ $VERBOSITY -gt -1 ] && VERBOSITY=$(($VERBOSITY - 1 ))
 			option=${option#q}
 			;;
 		    n*)