diff --git a/sylk-server b/sylk-server
index 3e421f0..a497c5c 100755
--- a/sylk-server
+++ b/sylk-server
@@ -1,116 +1,119 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python
 
 import os
 import signal
 import sys
 
 from application import log
 from application.process import process, ProcessError
 from argparse import ArgumentParser
 
 import sipsimple
 import sylk
 
 
 # noinspection PyUnusedLocal
 def stop_server(signum, frame):
     sylk_server = SylkServer()
     sylk_server.stop()
 
 
 # noinspection PyUnusedLocal
 def toggle_debugging(signum, frame):
     if log.level.current != log.level.DEBUG:
         log.level.current = log.level.DEBUG
         log.info('Switched logging level to DEBUG')
     else:
         log.info('Switched logging level to {}'.format(ServerConfig.log_level))
         log.level.current = ServerConfig.log_level
 
 
 # noinspection PyUnusedLocal
 def dump_observers(signum, frame):
     from application.notification import NotificationCenter
     from pprint import pprint
     notification_center = NotificationCenter()
     pprint(notification_center.observers)
 
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     name = 'sylk-server'
     fullname = 'SylkServer'
 
     process.configuration.subdirectory = 'sylkserver'
     process.runtime.subdirectory = 'sylkserver'
 
     parser = ArgumentParser(usage='%(prog)s [options]')
     parser.add_argument('--version', action='version', version='%(prog)s {}'.format(sylk.__version__))
     parser.add_argument('--systemd', action='store_true', help='run as a systemd simple service and log to journal')
     parser.add_argument('--no-fork', action='store_false', dest='fork', help='run in the foreground and log to terminal')
     parser.add_argument('--config-dir', dest='config_directory', default=None, help='the configuration directory', metavar='PATH')
     parser.add_argument('--runtime-dir', dest='runtime_directory', default=None, help='the runtime directory ({})'.format(process.runtime.directory), metavar='PATH')
     parser.add_argument('--enable-bonjour', action='store_true', help='enable Bonjour services')
+    parser.add_argument('--debug', action='store_true', help='enable verbose logging')
     parser.add_argument('--debug-memory', action='store_true', help='enable memory debugging')
 
     options = parser.parse_args()
 
     if options.config_directory is not None:
         process.configuration.local_directory = options.config_directory
     if options.runtime_directory is not None:
         process.runtime.directory = options.runtime_directory
 
     if options.systemd:
         from systemd.journal import JournalHandler
         log.set_handler(JournalHandler(SYSLOG_IDENTIFIER=name))
         log.capture_output()
     elif options.fork:
         sys.argv[0] = os.path.realpath(sys.argv[0])  # on fork the current directory changes to / resulting in the wrong resources directory if started with a relative path
         pid_file = '{}.pid'.format(name)
         try:
             process.daemonize(pid_file)
         except ProcessError as e:
             log.fatal('Failed to start {name}: {exception!s}'.format(name=fullname, exception=e))
             sys.exit(1)
         log.use_syslog(name)
 
     from sylk.resources import Resources
     from sylk.server import SylkServer, ServerConfig
 
     log.info('Starting {name} {sylk.__version__}, using SIP SIMPLE SDK {sipsimple.__version__}'.format(name=fullname, sylk=sylk, sipsimple=sipsimple))
 
     configuration = ServerConfig.__cfgtype__(ServerConfig.__cfgfile__)
     if configuration.files:
         log.info('Reading configuration from {}'.format(', '.join(configuration.files)))
     else:
         log.info('Not reading any configuration files (using internal defaults)')
 
     log.info('Using resources from {}'.format(Resources.directory))
 
+    if options.debug:
+        log.level.current = log.level.DEBUG
     if options.debug_memory:
         from application.debug.memory import memory_dump
 
     process.signals.add_handler(signal.SIGTERM, stop_server)
     process.signals.add_handler(signal.SIGINT, stop_server)
     process.signals.add_handler(signal.SIGUSR1, toggle_debugging)
     process.signals.add_handler(signal.SIGUSR2, dump_observers)
 
     server = SylkServer()
     try:
         server.run(options)
     except Exception as e:
         log.fatal('Failed to start {name}: {exception!s}'.format(name=fullname, exception=e))
         log.exception()
         sys.exit(1)
     finally:
         if options.debug_memory:
             memory_dump()
 
     # the run() method returns after the server is stopped
 
     if server.state == 'stopped':
         log.info('{name} stopped'.format(name=fullname))
         sys.exit(int(server.failed))
     else:
         log.info('Forcefully exiting {name}...'.format(name=fullname))
         # noinspection PyProtectedMember
         os._exit(1)