diff --git a/render/vulkan/renderer.c b/render/vulkan/renderer.c
index 0b411f5dd..b03d21273 100644
--- a/render/vulkan/renderer.c
+++ b/render/vulkan/renderer.c
@@ -2570,7 +2570,7 @@ struct wlr_renderer *wlr_vk_renderer_create_with_drm_fd(int drm_fd) {
 	wlr_log(WLR_INFO, "The vulkan renderer is only experimental and "
 		"not expected to be ready for daily use");
 	wlr_log(WLR_INFO, "Run with VK_INSTANCE_LAYERS=VK_LAYER_KHRONOS_validation "
-		"to enable the validation layer");
+		"and a log level of WLR_DEBUG to enable the validation layer");
 
 	struct wlr_vk_instance *ini = vulkan_instance_create(default_debug);
 	if (!ini) {
diff --git a/render/vulkan/vulkan.c b/render/vulkan/vulkan.c
index 78bc25941..20fdf2e4a 100644
--- a/render/vulkan/vulkan.c
+++ b/render/vulkan/vulkan.c
@@ -60,6 +60,9 @@ static VKAPI_ATTR VkBool32 debug_callback(VkDebugUtilsMessageSeverityFlagBitsEXT
 	case VK_DEBUG_UTILS_MESSAGE_SEVERITY_INFO_BIT_EXT:
 		importance = WLR_INFO;
 		break;
+	case VK_DEBUG_UTILS_MESSAGE_SEVERITY_VERBOSE_BIT_EXT:
+		importance = WLR_DEBUG;
+		break;
 	}
 
 	wlr_log(importance, "%s (%s)", debug_data->pMessage,
@@ -152,15 +155,24 @@ struct wlr_vk_instance *vulkan_instance_create(bool debug) {
 		.ppEnabledLayerNames = NULL,
 	};
 
-	VkDebugUtilsMessageSeverityFlagsEXT severity =
-		// VK_DEBUG_UTILS_MESSAGE_SEVERITY_INFO_BIT_EXT |
-		VK_DEBUG_UTILS_MESSAGE_SEVERITY_WARNING_BIT_EXT |
-		VK_DEBUG_UTILS_MESSAGE_SEVERITY_ERROR_BIT_EXT;
+	VkDebugUtilsMessageSeverityFlagsEXT severity = 0;
 	VkDebugUtilsMessageTypeFlagsEXT types =
-		// VK_DEBUG_UTILS_MESSAGE_TYPE_GENERAL_BIT_EXT |
 		VK_DEBUG_UTILS_MESSAGE_TYPE_VALIDATION_BIT_EXT |
 		VK_DEBUG_UTILS_MESSAGE_TYPE_PERFORMANCE_BIT_EXT;
 
+	enum wlr_log_importance verbosity = wlr_log_get_verbosity();
+	if (verbosity >= WLR_DEBUG) {
+		severity |= VK_DEBUG_UTILS_MESSAGE_SEVERITY_VERBOSE_BIT_EXT;
+	}
+	if (verbosity >= WLR_INFO) {
+		severity |= VK_DEBUG_UTILS_MESSAGE_SEVERITY_INFO_BIT_EXT;
+		types |= VK_DEBUG_UTILS_MESSAGE_TYPE_GENERAL_BIT_EXT;
+	}
+	if (verbosity >= WLR_ERROR) {
+		severity |= VK_DEBUG_UTILS_MESSAGE_SEVERITY_WARNING_BIT_EXT |
+			VK_DEBUG_UTILS_MESSAGE_SEVERITY_ERROR_BIT_EXT;
+	}
+
 	VkDebugUtilsMessengerCreateInfoEXT debug_info = {
 		.sType = VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_DEBUG_UTILS_MESSENGER_CREATE_INFO_EXT,
 		.messageSeverity = severity,