diff --git a/gnupg/_meta.py b/gnupg/_meta.py
index 181db33..57a0dfb 100644
--- a/gnupg/_meta.py
+++ b/gnupg/_meta.py
@@ -139,6 +139,12 @@ class GPGBase(object):
             log.error("GPGBase.__init__(): %s" % ae.message)
             raise RuntimeError(ae.message)
         else:
+            if verbose is True:
+                # The caller wants logging, but we need a valid --debug-level
+                # for gpg. Default to "basic", and warn about the ambiguity.
+                # (garrettr)
+                verbose = "basic"
+                log.warning('GPG(verbose=True) is ambiguous, defaulting to "basic" logging')
             self.verbose = verbose
             self.use_agent = use_agent
 
diff --git a/gnupg/gnupg.py b/gnupg/gnupg.py
index d3f08ac..0605f68 100644
--- a/gnupg/gnupg.py
+++ b/gnupg/gnupg.py
@@ -78,6 +78,13 @@ class GPG(GPGBase):
                             and private keyrings. Default is whatever GnuPG
                             defaults to.
 
+        :param str,int,bool verbose: String or numeric value to pass to gpg's
+                                     ``--debug-level`` option. See the gpg man
+                                     page for the list of valid options. If
+                                     False, debug output is not generated by
+                                     the gpg binary. If True, defaults to
+                                     ``--debug-level basic.``
+
         :param str keyring: Name of keyring file containing public key data, if
                             unspecified, defaults to 'pubring.gpg' in the
                             ``homedir`` directory.