diff --git a/testing/README.md b/testing/README.md
index 184656dd..e09dec51 100644
--- a/testing/README.md
+++ b/testing/README.md
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ $ python convert.py -h
 usage: convert.py [-h] [--des_in file] [--gro_in file file] [--lmp_in file]
                   [--desmond] [--gromacs] [--lammps] [--odir directory]
                   [--oname prefix] [-e] [--efile EFILE] [-d path] [-g path]
-                  [-l path] [-v] [-f]
+                  [-l path] [-v]
 
 Perform a file conversion
 
@@ -41,8 +41,7 @@ Other optional arguments:
                         path for GROMACS binary, needed for energy evaluation
   -l path, --lmppath path
                         path for LAMMPS binary, needed for energy evaluation
-  -v, --verbose         verbosity
-  -f, --force           ignore warnings
+  -v, --verbose         high verbosity, includes DEBUG level output
 ````
 
 UnitTest.py
@@ -51,7 +50,7 @@ UnitTest.py
 ````
 $ python UnitTest.py -h
 usage: PROG [-h] [--desmond] [--gromacs] [--lammps] [-e] [-d path] [-g path]
-            [-l path]
+            [-l path] [-v]
 
          InterMol Unit Testing Script
          --------------------------------
@@ -81,4 +80,6 @@ Other optional arguments:
                         path for GROMACS binary, needed for energy evaluation
   -l path, --lmppath path
                         path for LAMMPS binary, needed for energy evaluation
+  -v, --verbose         print conversion output to console, -v for INFO level,
+                        -vv for DEBUG level
 ````
diff --git a/testing/UnitTest.py b/testing/UnitTest.py
index dfb3456f..d3ff9ad7 100644
--- a/testing/UnitTest.py
+++ b/testing/UnitTest.py
@@ -51,6 +51,8 @@ def parse_args():
     group_misc.add_argument('-l', '--lmppath', dest='lmppath',
             metavar='path', default='lmp_openmpi',
             help='path for LAMMPS binary, needed for energy evaluation')
+    group_misc.add_argument('-v', '--verbose', dest='verbose', action='count',
+            help='print conversion output to console, -v for INFO level, -vv for DEBUG level')
     if len(sys.argv)==1:
         parser.print_help()
         sys.exit(1)
@@ -217,6 +219,16 @@ def summarize_results(input_type, files, results):
 def main():
     args = parse_args()
 
+    if args.verbose:
+        h = logging.StreamHandler()
+        if args.verbose == 2:
+            h.setLevel(logging.DEBUG) # more verbosity
+        else: # == 1
+            h.setLevel(logging.INFO)
+        f = logging.Formatter("%(levelname)s %(asctime)s %(message)s", "%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S")
+        h.setFormatter(f)
+        logger.addHandler(h)
+
     if not os.path.isdir(OUTPUT_DIR):
         os.mkdir(OUTPUT_DIR)