diff --git a/CHANGELOG b/CHANGELOG
index 2e719a54d..4f158d2fa 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG
+++ b/CHANGELOG
@@ -2,6 +2,13 @@
 
 [NOT YET RELEASED]
 
+o The -v and -d options are now handled in the same way. The three
+  forms are equivalent:
+    -v -v -v    -vvv    -v3
+    -d -d -d    -ddd    -d3
+  Formerly, the -ddd and -v3 forms didn't work. Mak Kolybabi submitted
+  a patch.
+
 o Nping, the packet generation program by Luis MartinGarcia, is now
   included in the Nmap distribution.
 
diff --git a/docs/refguide.xml b/docs/refguide.xml
index 255e7a8a6..6767ac65a 100644
--- a/docs/refguide.xml
+++ b/docs/refguide.xml
@@ -3602,6 +3602,9 @@ format is available
           <indexterm><primary><option>-v</option></primary></indexterm>
           <indexterm><primary>verbosity</primary></indexterm>
         </term>
+        <term>
+          <option>-v<replaceable>level</replaceable></option> (Set verbosity level)
+        </term>
         <listitem>
 
           <para>Increases the verbosity level, causing Nmap to
@@ -3609,7 +3612,8 @@ format is available
           ports are shown as they are found and completion time
           estimates are provided when Nmap thinks a scan will take
           more than a few minutes. Use it twice or more for even greater
-          verbosity.
+          verbosity: <option>-vv</option>, or give a verbosity level
+          directly, for example <option>-v3</option>.
           <indexterm><primary><option>-v</option></primary><secondary>giving more than once</secondary></indexterm>
           </para>
 
@@ -3629,10 +3633,13 @@ format is available
 
       <varlistentry>
         <term>
-          <option>-d [level]</option> (Increase or set debugging level)
+          <option>-d</option> (Increase debugging level)
         <indexterm><primary><option>-d</option></primary></indexterm>
         <indexterm><primary>debugging</primary></indexterm>
         </term>
+        <term>
+          <option>-d<replaceable>level</replaceable></option> (Set debugging level)
+        </term>
         <listitem>
 
 
@@ -3641,9 +3648,8 @@ debugging is available to flood you with much more!  As with the
 verbosity option (<option>-v</option>), debugging is enabled with a
 command-line flag (<option>-d</option>) and the debug level can be
 increased by specifying it
-multiple times.<indexterm><primary><option>-d</option></primary><secondary>giving more than once</secondary></indexterm>
-Alternatively, you can set
-a debug level by giving an argument to <option>-d</option>.  For
+multiple times,<indexterm><primary><option>-d</option></primary><secondary>giving more than once</secondary></indexterm>
+as in <option>-dd</option>, or by setting a level directly.  For
 example, <option>-d9</option> sets level nine.  That is the highest
 effective level and will produce thousands of lines unless you run a
 very simple scan with very few ports and targets.</para>
diff --git a/nmap.cc b/nmap.cc
index cb061925b..21d593086 100644
--- a/nmap.cc
+++ b/nmap.cc
@@ -287,8 +287,8 @@ printf("%s %s ( %s )\n"
        "  -oN/-oX/-oS/-oG <file>: Output scan in normal, XML, s|<rIpt kIddi3,\n"
        "     and Grepable format, respectively, to the given filename.\n"
        "  -oA <basename>: Output in the three major formats at once\n"
-       "  -v: Increase verbosity level (use twice or more for greater effect)\n"
-       "  -d[level]: Set or increase debugging level (Up to 9 is meaningful)\n"
+       "  -v: Increase verbosity level (use -vv or more for greater effect)\n"
+       "  -d: Increase debugging level (use -dd or more for greater effect)\n"
        "  --reason: Display the reason a port is in a particular state\n"
        "  --open: Only show open (or possibly open) ports\n"
        "  --packet-trace: Show all packets sent and received\n"
@@ -740,7 +740,7 @@ int nmap_main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
 
   /* OK, lets parse these args! */
   optind = 1; /* so it can be called multiple times */
-  while((arg = getopt_long_only(argc,fakeargv,"6Ab:D:d::e:Ffg:hIi:M:m:nO::o:P:p:qRrS:s:T:Vv", long_options, &option_index)) != EOF) {
+  while((arg = getopt_long_only(argc,fakeargv,"6Ab:D:d::e:Ffg:hIi:M:m:nO::o:P:p:qRrS:s:T:Vv::", long_options, &option_index)) != EOF) {
     switch(arg) {
     case 0:
 #ifndef NOLUA
@@ -1057,10 +1057,18 @@ int nmap_main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
       } while(q);
       break;
     case 'd':
-      if (optarg)
+      if (optarg && isdigit(optarg[0])) {
         o.debugging = o.verbose = atoi(optarg);
-      else {
-        o.debugging++; o.verbose++;
+      } else {
+        const char *p;
+        o.debugging++;
+        o.verbose++;
+        for (p = optarg != NULL ? optarg : ""; *p == 'd'; p++) {
+          o.debugging++;
+          o.verbose++;
+        }
+        if (*p != '\0')
+          fatal("Invalid argument to -d: \"%s\".", optarg);
       }
       o.reason = true;
       break;
@@ -1304,7 +1312,16 @@ int nmap_main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
       exit(0);
       break;
     case 'v':
-      o.verbose++;
+      if (optarg && isdigit(optarg[0])) {
+        o.verbose = atoi(optarg);
+      } else {
+        const char *p;
+        o.verbose++;
+        for (p = optarg != NULL ? optarg : ""; *p == 'v'; p++)
+          o.verbose++;
+        if (*p != '\0')
+          fatal("Invalid argument to -v: \"%s\".", optarg);
+      }
       break;
     }
   }