diff --git a/tools/Makefile.host b/tools/Makefile.host
index f67e1822ae8..65ac92e6f71 100644
--- a/tools/Makefile.host
+++ b/tools/Makefile.host
@@ -38,6 +38,19 @@ TOPDIR ?= $(CURDIR)/..
 -include $(TOPDIR)/Make.defs
 include ${TOPDIR}/tools/Config.mk
 
+# Control build verbosity
+#
+#  V=1,2: Enable echo of commands
+#  V=2:   Enable bug/verbose options in tools and scripts
+
+ifeq ($(V),1)
+export Q :=
+else ifeq ($(V),2)
+export Q :=
+else
+export Q := @
+endif
+
 # Check the endian-ness of the target
 
 # Define HOSTCC on the make command line if it differs from these defaults
diff --git a/tools/mkconfigvars.sh b/tools/mkconfigvars.sh
index c22176a655e..b9721980158 100755
--- a/tools/mkconfigvars.sh
+++ b/tools/mkconfigvars.sh
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ else
   if [ -x ${KCONFIG2HTML2} ]; then
     KCONFIG2HTML=${KCONFIG2HTML2}
   else
-    make -C ${KCONFIG2MAKEDIR} -f ${KCONFIG2MAKEFILE} ${KCONFIG2HTML_TARGET} || \
+    make -C ${KCONFIG2MAKEDIR} -f ${KCONFIG2MAKEFILE} ${KCONFIG2HTML_TARGET} 1>/dev/null || \
       { echo "ERROR: make ${KCONFIG2HTML1} failed" ; exit 1 ; }
   fi
 fi
diff --git a/tools/refresh.sh b/tools/refresh.sh
index 0e7e4ea4e6e..cbeecfcf871 100755
--- a/tools/refresh.sh
+++ b/tools/refresh.sh
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ else
   if [ -x ${CMPCONFIG2} ]; then
     CMPCONFIG=${CMPCONFIG2}
   else
-    make -C ${CMPCONFIGMAKEDIR} -f ${CMPCONFIGMAKEFILE} ${CMPCONFIG_TARGET} || \
+    make -C ${CMPCONFIGMAKEDIR} -f ${CMPCONFIGMAKEFILE} ${CMPCONFIG_TARGET} 1>/dev/null || \
       { echo "ERROR: make ${CMPCONFIG1} failed" ; exit 1 ; }
   fi
 fi