diff --git a/docs/dunst.pod b/docs/dunst.pod
index 0973fa8..d2c7a0b 100644
--- a/docs/dunst.pod
+++ b/docs/dunst.pod
@@ -444,6 +444,12 @@ WM_CLASS). There should be no need to modify this setting for regular use.
 Display a notification on startup. This is usually used for debugging and there
 shouldn't be any need to use this option.
 
+=item B<verbosity> (values: 'crit', 'warn', 'mesg', 'info', 'debug' default 'mesg')
+
+Do not display log messages, which have lower precedence than specified
+verbosity. This won't affect printing notifications on the terminal. Use
+the '-print' option for this.
+
 =item B<force_xinerama> (values: [true/false], default: false)
 
 Use the Xinerama extension instead of RandR for multi-monitor support. This
diff --git a/dunstrc b/dunstrc
index dbe7eab..0f4c4aa 100644
--- a/dunstrc
+++ b/dunstrc
@@ -198,6 +198,15 @@
     # automatically after a crash.
     startup_notification = false
 
+    # Manage dunst's desire for talking
+    # Can be one of the following values:
+    #  crit: Critical features. Dunst aborts
+    #  warn: Only non-fatal warnings
+    #  mesg: Important Messages
+    #  info: all unimportant stuff
+    # debug: all less than unimportant stuff
+    verbosity = mesg
+
     ### Legacy
 
     # Use the Xinerama extension instead of RandR for multi-monitor support.
diff --git a/src/dunst.c b/src/dunst.c
index 18e4536..53fb2fc 100644
--- a/src/dunst.c
+++ b/src/dunst.c
@@ -132,6 +132,10 @@ int dunst_main(int argc, char *argv[])
                 print_version();
         }
 
+        char *verbosity = cmdline_get_string("-verbosity", NULL, "Minimum level for message");
+        log_set_level_from_string(verbosity);
+        g_free(verbosity);
+
         char *cmdline_config_path;
         cmdline_config_path =
             cmdline_get_string("-conf/-config", NULL,
diff --git a/src/log.c b/src/log.c
index a99b7fe..ad777f6 100644
--- a/src/log.c
+++ b/src/log.c
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 
 #include <glib.h>
 
+static GLogLevelFlags log_level = G_LOG_LEVEL_WARNING;
+
 static const char *log_level_to_string(GLogLevelFlags level)
 {
         switch (level) {
@@ -17,6 +19,38 @@ static const char *log_level_to_string(GLogLevelFlags level)
         }
 }
 
+void log_set_level_from_string(const char *level)
+{
+        if (!level)
+                return;
+
+        if (g_ascii_strcasecmp(level, "critical") == 0)
+                log_level = G_LOG_LEVEL_CRITICAL;
+        else if (g_ascii_strcasecmp(level, "crit") == 0)
+                log_level = G_LOG_LEVEL_CRITICAL;
+        else if (g_ascii_strcasecmp(level, "warning") == 0)
+                log_level = G_LOG_LEVEL_WARNING;
+        else if (g_ascii_strcasecmp(level, "warn") == 0)
+                log_level = G_LOG_LEVEL_WARNING;
+        else if (g_ascii_strcasecmp(level, "message") == 0)
+                log_level = G_LOG_LEVEL_MESSAGE;
+        else if (g_ascii_strcasecmp(level, "mesg") == 0)
+                log_level = G_LOG_LEVEL_MESSAGE;
+        else if (g_ascii_strcasecmp(level, "info") == 0)
+                log_level = G_LOG_LEVEL_INFO;
+        else if (g_ascii_strcasecmp(level, "debug") == 0)
+                log_level = G_LOG_LEVEL_DEBUG;
+        else if (g_ascii_strcasecmp(level, "deb") == 0)
+                log_level = G_LOG_LEVEL_DEBUG;
+        else
+                LOG_W("Unknown log level: '%s'", level);
+}
+
+void log_set_level(GLogLevelFlags level)
+{
+        log_level = level;
+}
+
 /*
  * Log handling function for GLib's logging wrapper
  *
@@ -31,6 +65,12 @@ static void dunst_log_handler(
         if (testing)
                 return;
 
+/* if you want to have a debug build, you want to log anything,
+ * unconditionally, without specifying debug log level again */
+#ifndef DEBUG_BUILD
+        if (log_level < message_level)
+                return;
+#endif
         const char *log_level_str =
                 log_level_to_string(message_level & G_LOG_LEVEL_MASK);
 
diff --git a/src/log.h b/src/log.h
index 1bfc921..3ca6e9d 100644
--- a/src/log.h
+++ b/src/log.h
@@ -16,6 +16,9 @@
 
 #define DIE(...) do { LOG_C(__VA_ARGS__); exit(EXIT_FAILURE); } while (0)
 
+void log_set_level(GLogLevelFlags level);
+void log_set_level_from_string(const char* level);
+
 void dunst_log_init(bool testing);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/settings.c b/src/settings.c
index 8f20476..e8b685f 100644
--- a/src/settings.c
+++ b/src/settings.c
@@ -106,6 +106,13 @@ void load_settings(char *cmdline_config_path)
               "Using STATIC_CONFIG is deprecated behavior.");
 #endif
 
+        log_set_level_from_string(option_get_string(
+                "global",
+                "verbosity", "-verbosity", NULL,
+                "The verbosity to log (one of 'info', 'mesg', 'warn', 'crit')"
+                "The verbosity to log (one of 'crit', 'warn', 'mesg', 'info', 'debug')"
+        ));
+
         settings.per_monitor_dpi = option_get_bool(
                 "experimental",
                 "per_monitor_dpi", NULL, false,
diff --git a/src/test b/src/test
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..66605e6
Binary files /dev/null and b/src/test differ