diff --git a/borg/archiver.py b/borg/archiver.py
index fe9813d2f..39ecaaa24 100644
--- a/borg/archiver.py
+++ b/borg/archiver.py
@@ -664,12 +664,12 @@ class Archiver:
 
     def build_parser(self, args=None, prog=None):
         common_parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(add_help=False, prog=prog)
-        common_parser.add_argument('-v', '--verbose', dest='log_level',
+        common_parser.add_argument('-v', '--verbose', '--info', dest='log_level',
                                    action='store_const', const='info', default='warning',
-                                   help='verbose output, same as --log-level=info')
-        common_parser.add_argument('--log-level', dest='log_level', default='warning', metavar='LEVEL',
-                                   choices=('debug', 'info', 'warning', 'error', 'critical'),
-                                   help='set the log level to LEVEL, default: %(default)s)')
+                                   help='enable informative (verbose) output, work on log level INFO')
+        common_parser.add_argument('--debug', dest='log_level',
+                                   action='store_const', const='debug', default='warning',
+                                   help='enable debug output, work on log level DEBUG')
         common_parser.add_argument('--lock-wait', dest='lock_wait', type=int, metavar='N', default=1,
                                    help='wait for the lock, but max. N seconds (default: %(default)d).')
         common_parser.add_argument('--show-rc', dest='show_rc', action='store_true', default=False,
diff --git a/borg/testsuite/archiver.py b/borg/testsuite/archiver.py
index 8e24671b9..0698befc5 100644
--- a/borg/testsuite/archiver.py
+++ b/borg/testsuite/archiver.py
@@ -950,13 +950,13 @@ class ArchiverCheckTestCase(ArchiverTestCaseBase):
         return archive, repository
 
     def test_check_usage(self):
-        output = self.cmd('check', '--log-level=info', self.repository_location, exit_code=0)
+        output = self.cmd('check', '-v', self.repository_location, exit_code=0)
         self.assert_in('Starting repository check', output)
         self.assert_in('Starting archive consistency check', output)
-        output = self.cmd('check', '--log-level=info', '--repository-only', self.repository_location, exit_code=0)
+        output = self.cmd('check', '-v', '--repository-only', self.repository_location, exit_code=0)
         self.assert_in('Starting repository check', output)
         self.assert_not_in('Starting archive consistency check', output)
-        output = self.cmd('check', '--log-level=info', '--archives-only', self.repository_location, exit_code=0)
+        output = self.cmd('check', '-v', '--archives-only', self.repository_location, exit_code=0)
         self.assert_not_in('Starting repository check', output)
         self.assert_in('Starting archive consistency check', output)
 
diff --git a/docs/changes.rst b/docs/changes.rst
index d87dba7dd..712e89989 100644
--- a/docs/changes.rst
+++ b/docs/changes.rst
@@ -25,7 +25,9 @@ New features:
 - implement borg break-lock command, fixes #157
 - include system info below traceback, fixes #324
 - use ISO-8601 date and time format, fixes #375
-- add --log-level to set the level of the builtin logging configuration, fixes #426
+- add --debug and --info (same as --verbose) to set the log level of the
+  builtin logging configuration (which otherwise defaults to warning),
+  fixes #426
 - configure logging via env var BORG_LOGGING_CONF
 - add a --no-progress flag to forcibly disable progress info
 
diff --git a/docs/usage.rst b/docs/usage.rst
index 9367791c4..1d31d6e5f 100644
--- a/docs/usage.rst
+++ b/docs/usage.rst
@@ -14,12 +14,20 @@ General
 Type of log output
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
-You can set the log level of the builtin logging configuration using the
---log-level option.
+The log level of the builtin logging configuration defaults to WARNING.
+This is because we want |project_name| to be mostly silent and only output
+warnings (plus errors and critical messages).
 
-Supported levels: ``debug``, ``info``, ``warning``, ``error``, ``critical``.
+Use --verbose or --info to set INFO (you will get informative output then
+additionally to warnings, errors, critical messages).
+Use --debug to set DEBUG to get output made for debugging.
 
-All log messages created with at least the given level will be output.
+All log messages created with at least the set level will be output.
+
+Log levels: DEBUG < INFO < WARNING < ERROR < CRITICAL
+
+While you can set misc. log levels, do not expect that every command will
+give different output on different log levels - it's just a possibility.
 
 Return codes
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~