diff --git a/tuhi/gui/application.py b/tuhi/gui/application.py
index 2e89dac..fdd65fc 100644
--- a/tuhi/gui/application.py
+++ b/tuhi/gui/application.py
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@
 #
 
 from gi.repository import Gio, GLib, Gtk
+import logging
+
 from .window import MainWindow
 from .config import Config
 
@@ -19,6 +21,11 @@ import gi
 gi.require_version("Gio", "2.0")
 gi.require_version("Gtk", "3.0")
 
+logging.basicConfig(format='%(asctime)s %(levelname)s: %(name)s: %(message)s',
+                    level=logging.INFO,
+                    datefmt='%H:%M:%S')
+logger = logging.getLogger('tuhi.gui')
+
 
 class Application(Gtk.Application):
     def __init__(self):
@@ -30,6 +37,10 @@ class Application(Gtk.Application):
                              GLib.OptionArg.STRING,
                              'path to configuration directory',
                              '/path/to/config-dir')
+        self.add_main_option('verbose', 0,
+                             GLib.OptionFlags.NONE,
+                             GLib.OptionArg.NONE,
+                             'enable verbose output')
         self._tuhi = None
 
     def do_startup(self):
@@ -50,6 +61,9 @@ class Application(Gtk.Application):
         except KeyError:
             pass
 
+        if 'verbose' in options:
+            logger.setLevel(logging.DEBUG)
+
         self.activate()
         return 0
 
diff --git a/tuhi/gui/drawingperspective.py b/tuhi/gui/drawingperspective.py
index 0f4b219..3aa2195 100644
--- a/tuhi/gui/drawingperspective.py
+++ b/tuhi/gui/drawingperspective.py
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ import logging
 
 gi.require_version("Gtk", "3.0")
 
-logging.basicConfig(level=logging.DEBUG)
 logger = logging.getLogger('tuhi.gui.drawingperspective')
 
 
diff --git a/tuhi/gui/tuhi.py b/tuhi/gui/tuhi.py
index 147a2a0..94e0ba9 100644
--- a/tuhi/gui/tuhi.py
+++ b/tuhi/gui/tuhi.py
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ import logging
 import re
 import xdg.BaseDirectory
 
-logging.basicConfig(level=logging.DEBUG)
 logger = logging.getLogger('tuhi.gui.dbus')
 
 CONFIG_PATH = os.path.join(xdg.BaseDirectory.xdg_data_home, 'tuhi-kete')
diff --git a/tuhi/gui/window.py b/tuhi/gui/window.py
index dc1e29f..a90bd4c 100644
--- a/tuhi/gui/window.py
+++ b/tuhi/gui/window.py
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ import logging
 import gi
 gi.require_version("Gtk", "3.0")
 
-logging.basicConfig(level=logging.DEBUG)
 logger = logging.getLogger('tuhi.gui.window')
 
 MENU_XML = """