diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index 539308d3..245e1f17 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -86,6 +86,9 @@ AC_ARG_ENABLE([libevent-regress],
 AC_ARG_ENABLE([function-sections],
      AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-function-sections, make static library allow smaller binaries with --gc-sections]),
 	[], [enable_function_sections=no])
+AC_ARG_ENABLE(event-debugging,
+		AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-verbose-debug, verbose debug logging]),
+	[], [enable_verbose_debug=no])
 
 
 AC_PROG_LIBTOOL
@@ -657,6 +660,11 @@ if test x$enable_debug_mode = xno; then
         [Define if libevent should build without support for a debug mode])
 fi
 
+# check if we should enable verbose debugging 
+if test x$enable_verbose_debug = xyes; then
+	CFLAGS="$CFLAGS -DUSE_DEBUG"
+fi
+
 # check if we have and should use openssl
 AM_CONDITIONAL(OPENSSL, [test "$enable_openssl" != "no" && test "$have_openssl" = "yes"])