diff --git a/src/libmain/common-args.cc b/src/libmain/common-args.cc
index 20b5befe4..8fcb10325 100644
--- a/src/libmain/common-args.cc
+++ b/src/libmain/common-args.cc
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #include "common-args.hh"
 #include "args/root.hh"
+#include "error.hh"
 #include "globals.hh"
 #include "loggers.hh"
 #include "logging.hh"
@@ -14,14 +15,14 @@ MixCommonArgs::MixCommonArgs(const std::string & programName)
         .shortName = 'v',
         .description = "Increase the logging verbosity level.",
         .category = loggingCategory,
-        .handler = {[]() { verbosity = (Verbosity) (verbosity + 1); }},
+        .handler = {[]() { verbosity = verbosityFromIntClamped(int(verbosity) + 1); }},
     });
 
     addFlag({
         .longName = "quiet",
         .description = "Decrease the logging verbosity level.",
         .category = loggingCategory,
-        .handler = {[]() { verbosity = verbosity > lvlError ? (Verbosity) (verbosity - 1) : lvlError; }},
+        .handler = {[]() { verbosity = verbosityFromIntClamped(int(verbosity) - 1); }},
     });
 
     addFlag({
diff --git a/src/libutil/error.hh b/src/libutil/error.hh
index 0884f9f32..06dfba0df 100644
--- a/src/libutil/error.hh
+++ b/src/libutil/error.hh
@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@ typedef enum {
     lvlVomit
 } Verbosity;
 
+Verbosity verbosityFromIntClamped(int val);
+
 /**
  * The lines of code surrounding an error.
  */
diff --git a/src/libutil/logging.cc b/src/libutil/logging.cc
index b01bb4dd4..fecbc89ac 100644
--- a/src/libutil/logging.cc
+++ b/src/libutil/logging.cc
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 #include "position.hh"
 #include "terminal.hh"
 
+#include <algorithm>
 #include <atomic>
 #include <sstream>
 #include <nlohmann/json.hpp>
@@ -110,6 +111,12 @@ public:
 
 Verbosity verbosity = lvlInfo;
 
+Verbosity verbosityFromIntClamped(int val)
+{
+    int clamped = std::clamp(val, int(lvlError), int(lvlVomit));
+    return static_cast<Verbosity>(clamped);
+}
+
 void writeToStderr(std::string_view s)
 {
     try {