diff --git a/support/download/bzr b/support/download/bzr
index 870ce8d079..c567466531 100755
--- a/support/download/bzr
+++ b/support/download/bzr
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ set -e
 #   BZR      : the bzr command to call
 
 
-verbose=-v
+verbose=
 while getopts :q OPT; do
     case "${OPT}" in
     q)  verbose=-q;;
diff --git a/support/download/cp b/support/download/cp
index 132cad7280..6e29eef1ec 100755
--- a/support/download/cp
+++ b/support/download/cp
@@ -11,7 +11,12 @@ set -e
 # Environment:
 #   LOCALFILES: the cp command to call
 
+# 'cp' usually does not print anything on its stdout, whereas the
+# other download backends, even if not verbose, at least print some
+# progress information.
+# Make 'cp' verbose by default, so it behaves a bit like the others.
 verbose=-v
+
 while getopts :q OPT; do
     case "${OPT}" in
     q)  verbose=;;
diff --git a/support/download/git b/support/download/git
index fd5f5392dd..0e6103b648 100755
--- a/support/download/git
+++ b/support/download/git
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ set -e
 # Environment:
 #   GIT      : the git command to call
 
-verbose=-v
+verbose=
 while getopts :q OPT; do
     case "${OPT}" in
     q)  verbose=-q; exec >/dev/null;;
diff --git a/support/download/hg b/support/download/hg
index f6880fafc4..d6654a1fb6 100755
--- a/support/download/hg
+++ b/support/download/hg
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ set -e
 # Environment:
 #   HG       : the hg command to call
 
-verbose=-v
+verbose=
 while getopts :q OPT; do
     case "${OPT}" in
     q)  verbose=-q;;
diff --git a/support/download/scp b/support/download/scp
index 3d6876ffbc..1a62f30a2f 100755
--- a/support/download/scp
+++ b/support/download/scp
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ set -e
 # Environment:
 #   SCP       : the scp command to call
 
-verbose=-v
+verbose=
 while getopts :q OPT; do
     case "${OPT}" in
     q)  verbose=-q;;
diff --git a/support/download/wget b/support/download/wget
index 7eb21a4733..885bcf14ff 100755
--- a/support/download/wget
+++ b/support/download/wget
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ set -e
 # Environment:
 #   WGET     : the wget command to call
 
-verbose=-v
+verbose=
 while getopts :q OPT; do
     case "${OPT}" in
     q)  verbose=-q;;