diff --git a/mopidy/core.py b/mopidy/core.py
index bf794655..08c5e0d7 100644
--- a/mopidy/core.py
+++ b/mopidy/core.py
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ def parse_options():
         action='store_const', const=0, dest='verbosity_level',
         help='less output (warning level)')
     parser.add_option('-v', '--verbose',
-        action='store_const', const=2, dest='verbosity_level',
+        action='count', default=1, dest='verbosity_level',
         help='more output (debug level)')
     parser.add_option('--save-debug-log',
         action='store_true', dest='save_debug_log',
diff --git a/mopidy/utils/log.py b/mopidy/utils/log.py
index 03b85b48..0e5dfc29 100644
--- a/mopidy/utils/log.py
+++ b/mopidy/utils/log.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ def setup_console_logging(verbosity_level):
     if verbosity_level == 0:
         log_level = logging.WARNING
         log_format = settings.CONSOLE_LOG_FORMAT
-    elif verbosity_level == 2:
+    elif verbosity_level >= 2:
         log_level = logging.DEBUG
         log_format = settings.DEBUG_LOG_FORMAT
     else:
@@ -33,6 +33,9 @@ def setup_console_logging(verbosity_level):
     root = logging.getLogger('')
     root.addHandler(handler)
 
+    if verbosity_level < 3:
+        logging.getLogger('pykka').setLevel(logging.INFO)
+
 def setup_debug_logging_to_file():
     formatter = logging.Formatter(settings.DEBUG_LOG_FORMAT)
     handler = logging.handlers.RotatingFileHandler(