diff --git a/hw/kdrive/ephyr/ephyrinit.c b/hw/kdrive/ephyr/ephyrinit.c
index 09cd28cb3..f3bc34d2f 100644
--- a/hw/kdrive/ephyr/ephyrinit.c
+++ b/hw/kdrive/ephyr/ephyrinit.c
@@ -282,12 +282,14 @@ ddxProcessArgument(int argc, char **argv, int i)
         ephyrFuncs.finiAccel = ephyrDrawFini;
         return 1;
     }
+    /* Xephyr adopted a different spelling before the common -verbose option
+     *  was added, so it's been left for compatibility */
     else if (!strcmp(argv[i], "-verbosity")) {
         if (i + 1 < argc && argv[i + 1][0] != '-') {
             int verbosity = atoi(argv[i + 1]);
 
             LogSetParameter(XLOG_VERBOSITY, verbosity);
-            EPHYR_LOG("set verbosiry to %d\n", verbosity);
+            EPHYR_LOG("set verbosity to %d\n", verbosity);
             return 2;
         }
         else {
diff --git a/hw/xwayland/man/Xwayland.man b/hw/xwayland/man/Xwayland.man
index ea6d78eed..568477de9 100644
--- a/hw/xwayland/man/Xwayland.man
+++ b/hw/xwayland/man/Xwayland.man
@@ -154,15 +154,6 @@ buffers to the Wayland server.
 
 This option is not compatible with \fI-glamor\fP option.
 .TP 8
-.BR \-verbose " [\fIn\fP]"
-Sets the verbosity level for information printed on stderr.  If the
-.I n
-value isn't supplied, each occurrence of this option increments the
-verbosity level.  When the
-.I n
-value is supplied, the verbosity level is set to that value.  The default
-verbosity level is 0.
-.TP 8
 .B \-version
 Show the server version and exit.
 .TP 8
diff --git a/hw/xwayland/xwayland.c b/hw/xwayland/xwayland.c
index c7b66129a..91c94681b 100644
--- a/hw/xwayland/xwayland.c
+++ b/hw/xwayland/xwayland.c
@@ -110,7 +110,6 @@ ddxUseMsg(void)
 #ifdef XWL_HAS_GLAMOR
     ErrorF("-glamor [gl|es|off]    use given API for Glamor acceleration. Incompatible with -shm option\n");
 #endif
-    ErrorF("-verbose [n]           verbose startup messages\n");
     ErrorF("-version               show the server version and exit\n");
     ErrorF("-noTouchPointerEmulation  disable touch pointer emulation\n");
     ErrorF("-force-xrandr-emulation   force non-native modes to be exposed when viewporter is not exposed by the compositor\n");
@@ -126,7 +125,6 @@ static int init_fd = -1;
 static int wm_fd = -1;
 static int listen_fds[5] = { -1, -1, -1, -1, -1 };
 static int listen_fd_count = 0;
-static int verbosity = 0;
 
 static void
 xwl_show_version(void)
@@ -222,21 +220,6 @@ ddxProcessArgument(int argc, char *argv[], int i)
         return 2;
     }
 #endif
-    else if (strcmp(argv[i], "-verbose") == 0) {
-        if (++i < argc && argv[i]) {
-            char *end;
-            long val;
-
-            val = strtol(argv[i], &end, 0);
-            if (*end == '\0') {
-                verbosity = val;
-                LogSetParameter(XLOG_VERBOSITY, verbosity);
-                return 2;
-            }
-        }
-        LogSetParameter(XLOG_VERBOSITY, ++verbosity);
-        return 1;
-    }
     else if (strcmp(argv[i], "-version") == 0) {
         xwl_show_version();
         exit(0);
diff --git a/man/Xserver.man b/man/Xserver.man
index e21cc4a25..81f385463 100644
--- a/man/Xserver.man
+++ b/man/Xserver.man
@@ -309,6 +309,15 @@ sets video-off screen-saver preference.
 .B \-v
 sets video-on screen-saver preference.
 .TP 8
+.BR \-verbose " [\fIn\fP]"
+Sets the verbosity level for information printed on stderr.  If the
+.I n
+value isn't supplied, each occurrence of this option increments the
+verbosity level.  When the
+.I n
+value is supplied, the verbosity level is set to that value.  The default
+verbosity level is 0.
+.TP 8
 .B \-wr
 sets the default root window to solid white instead of the standard root weave
 pattern.
diff --git a/os/utils.c b/os/utils.c
index 430c84aa9..090af37c0 100644
--- a/os/utils.c
+++ b/os/utils.c
@@ -572,6 +572,7 @@ UseMsg(void)
     ErrorF("ttyxx                  server started from init on /dev/ttyxx\n");
     ErrorF("v                      video blanking for screen-saver\n");
     ErrorF("-v                     screen-saver without video blanking\n");
+    ErrorF("-verbose [n]           verbose startup messages\n");
     ErrorF("-wr                    create root window with white background\n");
     ErrorF("-maxbigreqsize         set maximal bigrequest size \n");
 #ifdef PANORAMIX
@@ -662,6 +663,7 @@ void
 ProcessCommandLine(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
     int i, skip;
+    int verbosity = 0;
 
     defaultKeyboardControl.autoRepeat = TRUE;
 
@@ -948,6 +950,21 @@ ProcessCommandLine(int argc, char *argv[])
             defaultScreenSaverBlanking = PreferBlanking;
         else if (strcmp(argv[i], "-v") == 0)
             defaultScreenSaverBlanking = DontPreferBlanking;
+        else if (strcmp(argv[i], "-verbose") == 0) {
+            int n = i + 1; /* next argument */
+            verbosity++;
+            if (n < argc && argv[n] && argv[n][0] != '-') {
+                char *end;
+                long val;
+
+                val = strtol(argv[n], &end, 0);
+                if (*end == '\0') {
+                    verbosity = val;
+                    i = n;
+                }
+            }
+            LogSetParameter(XLOG_VERBOSITY, verbosity);
+        }
         else if (strcmp(argv[i], "-wr") == 0)
             whiteRoot = TRUE;
         else if (strcmp(argv[i], "-background") == 0) {