diff --git a/borgmatic/commands/arguments.py b/borgmatic/commands/arguments.py
index 92b37523..dd5cbeb6 100644
--- a/borgmatic/commands/arguments.py
+++ b/borgmatic/commands/arguments.py
@@ -138,23 +138,23 @@ def parse_arguments(*unparsed_arguments):
         '-v',
         '--verbosity',
         type=int,
-        choices=range(0, 3),
+        choices=range(-1, 3),
         default=0,
-        help='Display verbose progress to the console (from none to lots: 0, 1, or 2)',
+        help='Display verbose progress to the console (from none to lots: 0, 1, or 2) or only errors (-1)',
     )
     global_group.add_argument(
         '--syslog-verbosity',
         type=int,
-        choices=range(0, 3),
+        choices=range(-1, 3),
         default=0,
-        help='Log verbose progress to syslog (from none to lots: 0, 1, or 2). Ignored when console is interactive or --log-file is given',
+        help='Log verbose progress to syslog (from none to lots: 0, 1, or 2) or only errors (-1). Ignored when console is interactive or --log-file is given',
     )
     global_group.add_argument(
         '--log-file-verbosity',
         type=int,
-        choices=range(0, 3),
-        default=1,
-        help='Log verbose progress to log file (from none to lots: 0, 1, or 2). Only used when --log-file is given',
+        choices=range(-1, 3),
+        default=0,
+        help='Log verbose progress to log file (from none to lots: 0, 1, or 2) or only errors (-1). Only used when --log-file is given',
     )
     global_group.add_argument(
         '--log-file',
diff --git a/borgmatic/verbosity.py b/borgmatic/verbosity.py
index 300f644b..effa3aed 100644
--- a/borgmatic/verbosity.py
+++ b/borgmatic/verbosity.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import logging
 
+VERBOSITY_ERROR = -1
 VERBOSITY_WARNING = 0
 VERBOSITY_SOME = 1
 VERBOSITY_LOTS = 2
@@ -10,6 +11,7 @@ def verbosity_to_log_level(verbosity):
     Given a borgmatic verbosity value, return the corresponding Python log level.
     '''
     return {
+        VERBOSITY_ERROR: logging.ERROR,
         VERBOSITY_WARNING: logging.WARNING,
         VERBOSITY_SOME: logging.INFO,
         VERBOSITY_LOTS: logging.DEBUG,
diff --git a/tests/integration/commands/test_arguments.py b/tests/integration/commands/test_arguments.py
index 527da05f..46203d5e 100644
--- a/tests/integration/commands/test_arguments.py
+++ b/tests/integration/commands/test_arguments.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ def test_parse_arguments_with_no_arguments_uses_defaults():
     assert global_arguments.excludes_filename is None
     assert global_arguments.verbosity == 0
     assert global_arguments.syslog_verbosity == 0
+    assert global_arguments.log_file_verbosity == 0
 
 
 def test_parse_arguments_with_multiple_config_paths_parses_as_list():
@@ -26,6 +27,7 @@ def test_parse_arguments_with_multiple_config_paths_parses_as_list():
     assert global_arguments.config_paths == ['myconfig', 'otherconfig']
     assert global_arguments.verbosity == 0
     assert global_arguments.syslog_verbosity == 0
+    assert global_arguments.log_file_verbosity == 0
 
 
 def test_parse_arguments_with_verbosity_overrides_default():
@@ -39,6 +41,7 @@ def test_parse_arguments_with_verbosity_overrides_default():
     assert global_arguments.excludes_filename is None
     assert global_arguments.verbosity == 1
     assert global_arguments.syslog_verbosity == 0
+    assert global_arguments.log_file_verbosity == 0
 
 
 def test_parse_arguments_with_syslog_verbosity_overrides_default():
@@ -54,6 +57,20 @@ def test_parse_arguments_with_syslog_verbosity_overrides_default():
     assert global_arguments.syslog_verbosity == 2
 
 
+def test_parse_arguments_with_log_file_verbosity_overrides_default():
+    config_paths = ['default']
+    flexmock(module.collect).should_receive('get_default_config_paths').and_return(config_paths)
+
+    arguments = module.parse_arguments('--log-file-verbosity', '-1')
+
+    global_arguments = arguments['global']
+    assert global_arguments.config_paths == config_paths
+    assert global_arguments.excludes_filename is None
+    assert global_arguments.verbosity == 0
+    assert global_arguments.syslog_verbosity == 0
+    assert global_arguments.log_file_verbosity == -1
+
+
 def test_parse_arguments_with_list_json_overrides_default():
     arguments = module.parse_arguments('list', '--json')
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_verbosity.py b/tests/unit/test_verbosity.py
index 9069caa5..4392c871 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_verbosity.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_verbosity.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ def insert_logging_mock(log_level):
 def test_verbosity_to_log_level_maps_known_verbosity_to_log_level():
     assert module.verbosity_to_log_level(module.VERBOSITY_SOME) == logging.INFO
     assert module.verbosity_to_log_level(module.VERBOSITY_LOTS) == logging.DEBUG
+    assert module.verbosity_to_log_level(module.VERBOSITY_ERROR) == logging.ERROR
 
 
 def test_verbosity_to_log_level_maps_unknown_verbosity_to_warning_level():