diff --git a/frontend/cmd/compile.c b/frontend/cmd/compile.c
index 4a836dd..d6d33d7 100644
--- a/frontend/cmd/compile.c
+++ b/frontend/cmd/compile.c
@@ -12,12 +12,14 @@
 enum {
 	ARG_SOURCE_FILE = 200,
 	OPT_LEX_ONLY,
+	OPT_VERBOSE,
 };
 
 static int compile_file(const char *path, const b_arglist *args)
 {
 	bool lex_only
 		= b_arglist_get_count(args, OPT_LEX_ONLY, B_COMMAND_INVALID_ID) > 0;
+	int verbose = b_arglist_get_count(args, OPT_VERBOSE, B_COMMAND_INVALID_ID);
 
 	FILE *fp = fopen(path, "r");
 	if (!fp) {
@@ -61,7 +63,9 @@ static int compile_file(const char *path, const b_arglist *args)
 			break;
 		}
 
-		print_lex_token(tok);
+		if (verbose >= 2) {
+			print_lex_token(tok);
+		}
 
 		if (lex_only) {
 			ivy_token_destroy(tok);
@@ -82,7 +86,7 @@ static int compile_file(const char *path, const b_arglist *args)
 	int r = (status == IVY_OK || status == IVY_ERR_EOF) ? 0 : -1;
 	ivy_file_close(src);
 
-	if (!lex_only && r == 0) {
+	if (!lex_only && r == 0 && verbose >= 1) {
 		struct ivy_ast_node *root = ivy_parser_root_node(parser);
 		struct ivy_ast_node_iterator it = {0};
 		ivy_ast_node_iterate(root, &it, print_ast_node);
@@ -138,6 +142,15 @@ B_COMMAND(CMD_COMPILE, CMD_ROOT)
 			"files.");
 	}
 
+	B_COMMAND_OPTION(OPT_VERBOSE)
+	{
+		B_OPTION_LONG_NAME("verbose");
+		B_OPTION_SHORT_NAME('v');
+		B_OPTION_DESC(
+			"print detailed log output. this option can be used "
+			"multiple times to increase verbosity.");
+	}
+
 	B_COMMAND_ARG(ARG_SOURCE_FILE)
 	{
 		B_ARG_NAME("source file");