diff --git a/doc/manual/command-ref/nix-copy-closure.xml b/doc/manual/command-ref/nix-copy-closure.xml
index 6168f859d..6d070c970 100644
--- a/doc/manual/command-ref/nix-copy-closure.xml
+++ b/doc/manual/command-ref/nix-copy-closure.xml
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
     <arg><option>--include-outputs</option></arg>
     <arg><option>--use-substitutes</option></arg>
     <arg><option>-s</option></arg>
+    <arg><option>-v</option></arg>
     <arg choice='plain'>
       <replaceable>user@</replaceable><replaceable>machine</replaceable>
     </arg>
@@ -138,6 +139,12 @@ those paths.  If this bothers you, use
 
   </varlistentry>
 
+  <varlistentry><term><option>-v</option></term>
+
+    <listitem><para>Show verbose output.</para></listitem>
+
+  </varlistentry>
+
 </variablelist>
 
 </refsection>
diff --git a/scripts/build-remote.pl.in b/scripts/build-remote.pl.in
index c9b4a502e..ee214b930 100755
--- a/scripts/build-remote.pl.in
+++ b/scripts/build-remote.pl.in
@@ -16,8 +16,6 @@ binmode STDERR, ":encoding(utf8)";
 
 my $debug = defined $ENV{NIX_DEBUG_HOOK};
 
-setVerbosity(0); # make exportPath() less verbose
-
 
 # General operation:
 #
diff --git a/scripts/nix-copy-closure.in b/scripts/nix-copy-closure.in
index d7a2c9739..55d108fbb 100755
--- a/scripts/nix-copy-closure.in
+++ b/scripts/nix-copy-closure.in
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ my $toMode = 1;
 my $includeOutputs = 0;
 my $dryRun = 0;
 my $useSubstitutes = 0;
+my $verbosity = 1;
 
 
 # !!! Copied from nix-pack-closure, should put this in a module.
@@ -61,6 +62,10 @@ while (@ARGV) {
     elsif ($arg eq "--use-substitutes" || $arg eq "-s") {
         $useSubstitutes = 1;
     }
+    elsif ($arg eq "-v") {
+        $verbosity++;
+        setVerbosity($verbosity);
+    }
     elsif (!defined $sshHost) {
         $sshHost = $arg;
     }
diff --git a/src/libstore/local-store.cc b/src/libstore/local-store.cc
index c76fde1d0..978bca28d 100644
--- a/src/libstore/local-store.cc
+++ b/src/libstore/local-store.cc
@@ -1510,7 +1510,7 @@ void LocalStore::exportPath(const Path & path, bool sign,
 {
     assertStorePath(path);
 
-    printMsg(lvlInfo, format("exporting path ‘%1%’") % path);
+    printMsg(lvlTalkative, format("exporting path ‘%1%’") % path);
 
     if (!isValidPath(path))
         throw Error(format("path ‘%1%’ is not valid") % path);
@@ -1613,6 +1613,8 @@ Path LocalStore::importPath(bool requireSignature, Source & source)
 
     Path dstPath = readStorePath(hashAndReadSource);
 
+    printMsg(lvlTalkative, format("importing path ‘%1%’") % dstPath);
+
     PathSet references = readStorePaths<PathSet>(hashAndReadSource);
 
     Path deriver = readString(hashAndReadSource);