diff --git a/cmd/jpictl/dump.go b/cmd/jpictl/dump.go
index fb892ba..8a694f1 100644
--- a/cmd/jpictl/dump.go
+++ b/cmd/jpictl/dump.go
@@ -52,8 +52,9 @@ const encoding = YAMLEncoding
 
 // Command
 var dumpCmd = &cobra.Command{
-	Use:   "dump",
-	Short: "generates a text representation of the config",
+	Use:    "dump",
+	Short:  "generates a text representation of the config",
+	PreRun: setVerbosity,
 	RunE: func(_ *cobra.Command, _ []string) error {
 		var buf bytes.Buffer
 		var enc Encoder
diff --git a/cmd/jpictl/env.go b/cmd/jpictl/env.go
index 4b21773..224d92d 100644
--- a/cmd/jpictl/env.go
+++ b/cmd/jpictl/env.go
@@ -8,8 +8,9 @@ import (
 
 // Command
 var envCmd = &cobra.Command{
-	Use:   "env",
-	Short: "generates environment variables for shell scripts",
+	Use:    "env",
+	Short:  "generates environment variables for shell scripts",
+	PreRun: setVerbosity,
 	RunE: func(_ *cobra.Command, _ []string) error {
 		m, err := cfg.LoadZones(false)
 		if err != nil {
diff --git a/cmd/jpictl/gateway.go b/cmd/jpictl/gateway.go
index 1004db3..41b869b 100644
--- a/cmd/jpictl/gateway.go
+++ b/cmd/jpictl/gateway.go
@@ -19,8 +19,9 @@ var gatewayCmd = &cobra.Command{
 
 // gateway set
 var gatewaySetCmd = &cobra.Command{
-	Use:   "set",
-	Short: "gateway set sets machines as gateways",
+	Use:    "set",
+	Short:  "gateway set sets machines as gateways",
+	PreRun: setVerbosity,
 	RunE: func(_ *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		m, err := cfg.LoadZones(false)
 		if err != nil {
diff --git a/cmd/jpictl/log.go b/cmd/jpictl/log.go
index bb5f65c..709f5b7 100644
--- a/cmd/jpictl/log.go
+++ b/cmd/jpictl/log.go
@@ -3,15 +3,9 @@ package main
 import (
 	"fmt"
 
-	"darvaza.org/sidecar/pkg/logger/zerolog"
 	"darvaza.org/slog"
 )
 
-// TODO: make log level configurable via flags
-var (
-	log = zerolog.New(nil, slog.Debug)
-)
-
 // fatal is a convenience wrapper for slog.Logger.Fatal().Print()
 func fatal(err error, msg string, args ...any) {
 	l := log.Fatal()
diff --git a/cmd/jpictl/main.go b/cmd/jpictl/main.go
index 9e9f6a8..14cf10c 100644
--- a/cmd/jpictl/main.go
+++ b/cmd/jpictl/main.go
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"darvaza.org/sidecar/pkg/logger/zerolog"
+	"darvaza.org/slog"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 )
 
@@ -10,13 +12,29 @@ const (
 	CmdName = "jpictl"
 )
 
-var rootCmd = &cobra.Command{
-	Use:   CmdName,
-	Short: "control tool for jpi.cloud",
-}
+var (
+	log       = zerolog.New(nil, slog.Error)
+	verbosity int
+	rootCmd   = &cobra.Command{
+		Use:   CmdName,
+		Short: "control tool for jpi.cloud",
+	}
+)
 
 func main() {
 	if err := rootCmd.Execute(); err != nil {
 		fatal(err, "")
 	}
 }
+
+func init() {
+	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().CountVarP(&verbosity, "verbosity", "v", "increase the verbosity level to Warn, Info or Debug")
+}
+
+func setVerbosity(_ *cobra.Command, _ []string) {
+	desired := int8(slog.Error) + int8(verbosity)
+	if desired > 6 {
+		desired = 6
+	}
+	log = log.WithLevel(slog.LogLevel(desired))
+}
diff --git a/cmd/jpictl/write.go b/cmd/jpictl/write.go
index acb79c2..be9117f 100644
--- a/cmd/jpictl/write.go
+++ b/cmd/jpictl/write.go
@@ -6,8 +6,9 @@ import (
 
 // Command
 var writeCmd = &cobra.Command{
-	Use:   "write",
-	Short: "rewrites all config files",
+	Use:    "write",
+	Short:  "rewrites all config files",
+	PreRun: setVerbosity,
 	RunE: func(_ *cobra.Command, _ []string) error {
 		m, err := cfg.LoadZones(false)
 		if err != nil {