diff --git a/ctdb/tests/src/ctdb_test_stubs.c b/ctdb/tests/src/ctdb_test_stubs.c
index 0c458cbcfb5..ff42780f979 100644
--- a/ctdb/tests/src/ctdb_test_stubs.c
+++ b/ctdb/tests/src/ctdb_test_stubs.c
@@ -355,6 +355,13 @@ static bool current_node_is_connected (struct ctdb_context *ctdb)
 struct ctdb_context *ctdb_cmdline_client_stub(struct tevent_context *ev,
 					      struct timeval req_timeout)
 {
+	const char *t = getenv("CTDB_DEBUGLEVEL");
+	if (t != NULL) {
+		DEBUGLEVEL= atoi(t);
+	} else {
+		DEBUGLEVEL = 0;
+	}
+
 	return ctdb_global;
 }
 
diff --git a/ctdb/tests/tool/scripts/local.sh b/ctdb/tests/tool/scripts/local.sh
index 8d7d56c0c62..a6df54b1b05 100644
--- a/ctdb/tests/tool/scripts/local.sh
+++ b/ctdb/tests/tool/scripts/local.sh
@@ -55,6 +55,9 @@ setup_nodes ()
 
 simple_test ()
 {
+    : ${CTDB_DEBUGLEVEL:=3}
+    export CTDB_DEBUGLEVEL
+
     _out=$($VALGRIND $test_prog "$@" 2>&1)
 
     result_check