diff --git a/package/libcurl/Config.in b/package/libcurl/Config.in
index 026ae0154b..fc1527f0d9 100644
--- a/package/libcurl/Config.in
+++ b/package/libcurl/Config.in
@@ -13,4 +13,9 @@ config BR2_PACKAGE_CURL
 	help
 	  Install curl binary as well
 
+config BR2_PACKAGE_LIBCURL_VERBOSE
+	bool "enable verbose strings"
+	help
+	  Enable verbose text strings
+
 endif
diff --git a/package/libcurl/libcurl.mk b/package/libcurl/libcurl.mk
index ea37309d82..a9fba26627 100644
--- a/package/libcurl/libcurl.mk
+++ b/package/libcurl/libcurl.mk
@@ -19,8 +19,15 @@ LIBCURL_INSTALL_STAGING = YES
 # on non-MMU platforms. Moreover, this authentication method is
 # probably almost never used. See
 # http://curl.haxx.se/docs/manpage.html#--ntlm.
-LIBCURL_CONF_OPTS = --disable-verbose --disable-manual --disable-ntlm-wb \
+LIBCURL_CONF_OPTS = --disable-manual --disable-ntlm-wb \
 	--enable-hidden-symbols --with-random=/dev/urandom --disable-curldebug
+
+ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_LIBCURL_VERBOSE),y)
+LIBCURL_CONF_OPTS += --enable-verbose
+else
+LIBCURL_CONF_OPTS += --disable-verbose
+endif
+
 LIBCURL_CONFIG_SCRIPTS = curl-config
 
 ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_OPENSSL),y)