diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 793b14d543..fa5b7a94a8 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -5,6 +5,11 @@ BUILD_DIR := $(CURDIR)/.gopath
 GOPATH ?= $(BUILD_DIR)
 export GOPATH
 
+GO_OPTIONS ?=
+ifeq ($(VERBOSE), 1)
+GO_OPTIONS += -v
+endif
+
 SRC_DIR := $(GOPATH)/src
 
 DOCKER_DIR := $(SRC_DIR)/$(DOCKER_PACKAGE)
@@ -18,7 +23,7 @@ all: $(DOCKER_BIN)
 
 $(DOCKER_BIN): $(DOCKER_DIR)
 	@mkdir -p  $(dir $@)
-	@(cd $(DOCKER_MAIN); go get; go build -o $@)
+	@(cd $(DOCKER_MAIN); go get $(GO_OPTIONS); go build $(GO_OPTIONS) -o $@)
 
 $(DOCKER_DIR):
 	@mkdir -p $(dir $@)
@@ -33,4 +38,4 @@ else ifneq ($(DOCKER_DIR), $(realpath $(DOCKER_DIR)))
 endif
 
 test: all
-	@(cd $(DOCKER_DIR); sudo -E go test)
+	@(cd $(DOCKER_DIR); sudo -E go test $(GO_OPTIONS))
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 247d763e30..3c3765fdc2 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -70,6 +70,13 @@ Building from source
    This command will install all necessary dependencies and build the
    executable that you can find in ``bin/docker``
 
+3. Should you like to see what's happening, run ``make`` with ``VERBOSE=1`` parameter:
+
+    ```bash
+
+    $ make VERBOSE=1
+    ```
+
 Installing on Ubuntu 12.04 and 12.10
 ------------------------------------