diff --git a/examples/second.cc b/examples/second.cc
index 7bfbea698..2bc3ceb67 100644
--- a/examples/second.cc
+++ b/examples/second.cc
@@ -36,16 +36,23 @@ NS_LOG_COMPONENT_DEFINE ("SecondScriptExample");
 int 
 main (int argc, char *argv[])
 {
-  LogComponentEnable("UdpEchoClientApplication", LOG_LEVEL_INFO);
-  LogComponentEnable("UdpEchoServerApplication", LOG_LEVEL_INFO);
+  bool verbose = true;
 
   RandomVariable::UseGlobalSeed (1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8);
 
   uint32_t nCsma = 3;
   CommandLine cmd;
   cmd.AddValue ("nCsma", "Number of \"extra\" CSMA nodes/devices", nCsma);
+  cmd.AddValue ("verbose", "Tell echo applications to log if true", verbose);
+
   cmd.Parse (argc,argv);
 
+  if (verbose)
+    {
+      LogComponentEnable("UdpEchoClientApplication", LOG_LEVEL_INFO);
+      LogComponentEnable("UdpEchoServerApplication", LOG_LEVEL_INFO);
+    }
+
   NodeContainer p2pNodes;
   p2pNodes.Create (2);
 
diff --git a/examples/third.cc b/examples/third.cc
index dbf652f29..7f7a98249 100644
--- a/examples/third.cc
+++ b/examples/third.cc
@@ -40,8 +40,8 @@ NS_LOG_COMPONENT_DEFINE ("ThirdScriptExample");
 int 
 main (int argc, char *argv[])
 {
-  LogComponentEnable("UdpEchoClientApplication", LOG_LEVEL_INFO);
-  LogComponentEnable("UdpEchoServerApplication", LOG_LEVEL_INFO);
+
+  bool verbose = true;
 
   RandomVariable::UseGlobalSeed (1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8);
 
@@ -50,8 +50,16 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
   CommandLine cmd;
   cmd.AddValue ("nCsma", "Number of \"extra\" CSMA nodes/devices", nCsma);
   cmd.AddValue ("nWifi", "Number of wifi STA devices", nWifi);
+  cmd.AddValue ("verbose", "Tell echo applications to log if true", verbose);
+
   cmd.Parse (argc,argv);
 
+  if (verbose)
+    {
+      LogComponentEnable("UdpEchoClientApplication", LOG_LEVEL_INFO);
+      LogComponentEnable("UdpEchoServerApplication", LOG_LEVEL_INFO);
+    }
+
   NodeContainer p2pNodes;
   p2pNodes.Create (2);
 
diff --git a/regression/tests/test-second.py b/regression/tests/test-second.py
index 4c77bc125..9009f007c 100644
--- a/regression/tests/test-second.py
+++ b/regression/tests/test-second.py
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 #! /usr/bin/env python
 
-"""Generic trace-comparison-type regression test."""
+"""Compare that Second generates correct traces."""
+
+arguments = ["--verbose=0"]
 
diff --git a/regression/tests/test-third.py b/regression/tests/test-third.py
index 4c77bc125..73a96ee74 100644
--- a/regression/tests/test-third.py
+++ b/regression/tests/test-third.py
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 #! /usr/bin/env python
 
-"""Generic trace-comparison-type regression test."""
+"""Compare that Third generates correct traces."""
+
+arguments = ["--verbose=0"]