diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 78b4bf638f9e..e5ddbd9b3822 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -52,6 +52,10 @@ if (MSVC)
   add_definitions(-D_CRT_SECURE_NO_DEPRECATE -D_CRT_NONSTDC_NO_DEPRECATE)
   add_definitions(-DNOMINMAX)
 endif ()
+if (DEBUG_VERBOSE)
+  add_definitions(-DDEBUG_VERBOSE)
+endif ()
+
 #
 include(CheckCompilerMachineOption)
 include(CheckCompilerSIMDFeature)
diff --git a/debian/rules b/debian/rules
index 40ee5d1bf584..7af2fb45fe23 100755
--- a/debian/rules
+++ b/debian/rules
@@ -103,6 +103,7 @@ override_dh_auto_configure:
 			-DGDAL_USE_XERCESC=OFF \
 			-DGDAL_USE_ZSTD=ON \
 			-DGDAL_USE_KEA=ON \
+			-DDEBUG_VERBOSE=ON \
 		; \
 	done