diff --git a/what-patch b/what-patch
index 49ec758..73920fa 100755
--- a/what-patch
+++ b/what-patch
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #!/bin/bash
-# Copyright 2006-2007 (C) Kees Cook <kees@ubuntu.com>
+# Copyright 2006-2008 (C) Kees Cook <kees@ubuntu.com>
 # Modified by Siegfried-A. Gevatter <rainct@ubuntu.com>
 # Modified by Daniel Hahler <ubuntu@thequod.de>
 # License: GPLv2
@@ -14,8 +14,10 @@ Usage: $0 [-v]
 Run this inside the source directory of a Debian package and it will detect
 the patch system that it uses.
 
- -v: Print a list of all those files outside the debian/ directory that have
-     been modified (if any).
+ -v: Enable verbose mode:
+     - Print a list of all those files outside the debian/ directory that have
+       been modified (if any).
+     - Report additional details about patch systems, if available.
 EOM
 	exit 0
 fi
@@ -29,8 +31,13 @@ do
 	cd ..
 done
 
+VERBOSE=0
 if [ "$1" = "-v" ]
 then
+	VERBOSE=1
+fi
+
+if [ "$VERBOSE" -gt 0 ]; then
 	files=`lsdiff -z ../$(dpkg-parsechangelog | grep ^Source: | sed -e "s/^Source: //")_$(dpkg-parsechangelog | grep ^Version: | sed -e "s/^Version: //").diff.gz 2>/dev/null | grep -v 'debian/'`
 	if [ -n "$files" ]
 	then
@@ -42,13 +49,51 @@ then
 	fi
 fi
 
+# Do not change the output of existing checks by default, as there are build
+# tools that rely on the exisitng output.  If changes in reporting is needed,
+# please check the "VERBOSE" flag (see below for examples).  Feel free
+# to add new patchsystem detection and reporting.
 for filename in $(echo "debian/rules"; grep ^include debian/rules | fgrep -v '$(' | awk '{print $2}')
 do
-	fgrep patchsys.mk "$filename" | grep -q -v "^#" && { echo "cdbs (patchsys.mk)"; exit 0; }
+	fgrep patchsys.mk "$filename" | grep -q -v "^#" && {
+		if [ "$VERBOSE" -eq 0 ]; then
+			echo "cdbs"; exit 0;
+		else
+			echo "cdbs (patchsys.mk: see 'cdbs-edit-patch')"; exit 0;
+		fi
+	}
 	fgrep quilt "$filename" | grep -q -v "^#" && { echo "quilt"; exit 0; }
-	fgrep dbs-build.mk "$filename" | grep -q -v "^#" && { echo "dbs"; exit 0; }
-	fgrep dpatch "$filename" | grep -q -v "^#" && { echo "dpatch"; exit 0; }
-	fgrep '*.diff' "$filename" | grep -q -v "^#" && { echo "diff splash"; exit 0; }
+	fgrep dbs-build.mk "$filename" | grep -q -v "^#" && {
+		if [ "$VERBOSE" -eq 0 ]; then
+			echo "dbs"; exit 0;
+		else
+			echo "dbs (see 'dbs-edit-patch')"; exit 0;
+		fi
+	}
+	fgrep dpatch "$filename" | grep -q -v "^#" && {
+		if [ "$VERBOSE" -eq 0 ]; then
+			echo "dpatch"; exit 0;
+		else
+			echo "dpatch (see 'patch-edit-patch')"; exit 0;
+		fi
+	}
+	fgrep '*.diff' "$filename" | grep -q -v "^#" && {
+		if [ "$VERBOSE" -eq 0 ]; then
+			echo "diff splash"; exit 0;
+		else
+			echo "diff splash (check debian/rules)"; exit 0;
+		fi
+	}
 done
-[ -d debian/patches ] || { echo "patchless?"; exit 0; }
-echo "unknown patch system"
+[ -d debian/patches ] || {
+	if [ "$VERBOSE" -eq 0 ]; then
+		echo "patchless?"; exit 0;
+	else
+		echo "patchless? (did not find debian/patches/)"; exit 0;
+	fi
+}
+if [ "$VERBOSE" -eq 0 ]; then
+	echo "unknown patch system"
+else
+	echo "unknown patch system (see debian/patches/ and debian/rules)"
+fi