diff --git a/config.def.h b/config.def.h
index 895284f..9365505 100644
--- a/config.def.h
+++ b/config.def.h
@@ -17,6 +17,9 @@ static const float fullscreen_bg[]         = {0.1, 0.1, 0.1, 1.0}; /* You can al
 #define TAGCOUNT (9)
 static const int tagcount = TAGCOUNT;
 
+/* logging */
+static int log_level = WLR_ERROR;
+
 static const Rule rules[] = {
 	/* app_id     title       tags mask     isfloating   monitor */
 	/* examples:
diff --git a/dwl.1 b/dwl.1
index 6f164e6..ce1acf9 100644
--- a/dwl.1
+++ b/dwl.1
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 .Sh SYNOPSIS
 .Nm
 .Op Fl v
+.Op Fl d
 .Op Fl s Ar startup command
 .Sh DESCRIPTION
 .Nm
@@ -22,6 +23,12 @@ option,
 writes its name and version to standard error and exits unsuccessfully.
 .Pp
 When given the
+.Fl d
+option,
+.Nm
+enables full wlroots logging, including debug information.
+.Pp
+When given the
 .Fl s
 option,
 .Nm
diff --git a/dwl.c b/dwl.c
index 33b370c..7fe1559 100644
--- a/dwl.c
+++ b/dwl.c
@@ -2139,6 +2139,8 @@ setup(void)
 	for (i = 0; i < LENGTH(sig); i++)
 		sigaction(sig[i], &sa, NULL);
 
+	wlr_log_init(log_level, NULL);
+
 	/* The Wayland display is managed by libwayland. It handles accepting
 	 * clients from the Unix socket, manging Wayland globals, and so on. */
 	dpy = wl_display_create();
@@ -2797,9 +2799,11 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	char *startup_cmd = NULL;
 	int c;
 
-	while ((c = getopt(argc, argv, "s:hv")) != -1) {
+	while ((c = getopt(argc, argv, "s:hdv")) != -1) {
 		if (c == 's')
 			startup_cmd = optarg;
+		else if (c == 'd')
+			log_level = WLR_DEBUG;
 		else if (c == 'v')
 			die("dwl " VERSION);
 		else
@@ -2817,5 +2821,5 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	return EXIT_SUCCESS;
 
 usage:
-	die("Usage: %s [-v] [-s startup command]", argv[0]);
+	die("Usage: %s [-v] [-d] [-s startup command]", argv[0]);
 }