diff --git a/tools/test/examples/examples.py b/tools/test/examples/examples.py
index d3d698152d..5974633630 100644
--- a/tools/test/examples/examples.py
+++ b/tools/test/examples/examples.py
@@ -77,6 +77,12 @@ def main():
                              help=("build profile file"),
                              metavar="profile")
 
+    compile_cmd.add_argument("-v", "--verbose",
+                             action="store_true",
+                             dest="verbose",
+                             default=False,
+                             help="Verbose diagnostic output")
+
     export_cmd = subparsers.add_parser("export")
     export_cmd.set_defaults(fn=do_export),
     export_cmd.add_argument(
@@ -131,8 +137,7 @@ def do_deploy(_, config, examples):
 def do_compile(args, config, examples):
     """Do the compile step"""
     results = {}
-    results = lib.compile_repos(config, args.toolchains, args.mcu, args.profile, examples)
-    
+    results = lib.compile_repos(config, args.toolchains, args.mcu, args.profile, args.verbose, examples)
     lib.print_summary(results)
     failures = lib.get_num_failures(results)
     print("Number of failures = %d" % failures)
diff --git a/tools/test/examples/examples_lib.py b/tools/test/examples/examples_lib.py
index 89e488a8a5..145ccec36d 100644
--- a/tools/test/examples/examples_lib.py
+++ b/tools/test/examples/examples_lib.py
@@ -347,7 +347,7 @@ def export_repos(config, ides, targets, examples):
     return results
 
 
-def compile_repos(config, toolchains, targets, profile, examples):
+def compile_repos(config, toolchains, targets, profile, verbose, examples):
     """Compiles combinations of example programs, targets and compile chains.
 
        The results are returned in a [key: value] dictionary format:
@@ -391,7 +391,7 @@ def compile_repos(config, toolchains, targets, profile, examples):
                                                                 valid_choices(example['toolchains'], toolchains),
                                                                 example['features']):
                     print("Compiling %s for %s, %s" % (name, target, toolchain))
-                    build_command = ["mbed-cli", "compile", "-t", toolchain, "-m", target, "-v"]
+                    build_command = ["mbed-cli", "compile", "-t", toolchain, "-m", target] + (['-v'] if verbose else [])
 
                     if profile:
                         build_command.append("--profile")