diff --git a/changes-5.1.html b/changes-5.1.html
index 9bf10aca2..e9d159648 100644
--- a/changes-5.1.html
+++ b/changes-5.1.html
@@ -17,7 +17,9 @@ xb
 
 <h2>Yap-5.1.3:</h2>
 <ul>
-<li> FIXED: true_file_name/3 was totally broken (obs from Nicos Agelopoulos).</li>
+<li> NEW: verbose prolog_flag fixes silent (obs from Nicos
+Angelopoulos).</li>
+<li> FIXED: true_file_name/3 was totally broken (obs from Nicos Angelopoulos).</li>
 <li> FIXED: Environment variables should only be seen at the beginning
   of the file (obs from Samir Genaim.)</li> 
 <li> FIXED: [ ] should be processed by parser, not by scanner (obs
diff --git a/docs/yap.tex b/docs/yap.tex
index c654712ef..0fda315cb 100644
--- a/docs/yap.tex
+++ b/docs/yap.tex
@@ -7831,6 +7831,14 @@ the current @code{user_output} stream.
 By default, the @code{user_output} stream is set to a stream
 corresponding to the Unix @code{stdout} stream.
 
+@item  verbose
+@findex verbose (yap_flag/2 option)
+@*
+If @code{normal} allow printing of informational and banner messages,
+such as the ones that are printed when consulting. If @code{silent}
+disable printing these messages. It is @code{normal} by default except if
+YAP is booted with the @code{-L} flag.
+
 @item version
 @findex version (yap_flag/2 option)
 @* Read-only flag that returns an atom with the current version of
diff --git a/pl/directives.yap b/pl/directives.yap
index 461477b06..71b6690c6 100644
--- a/pl/directives.yap
+++ b/pl/directives.yap
@@ -322,6 +322,14 @@ yap_flag(informational_messages,off) :- !, set_value('$verbose',off).
 yap_flag(informational_messages,X) :-
 	'$do_error'(domain_error(flag_value,informational_messages+X),yap_flag(informational_messages,X)).
 
+yap_flag(verbose,X) :- var(X), !,
+	 get_value('$verbose',X0),
+	 (X0 == on -> X = normal ; X = silent).
+yap_flag(verbose,normal)  :- !, set_value('$verbose',on).
+yap_flag(verbose,silent) :- !, set_value('$verbose',off).
+yap_flag(verbose,X) :-
+	'$do_error'(domain_error(flag_value,verbose+X),yap_flag(verbose,X)).
+
 yap_flag(integer_rounding_function,X) :-
 	var(X), !,
 	'$access_yap_flags'(2, X1),
@@ -859,6 +867,7 @@ yap_flag(dialect,yap).
 		V = user_input ;
 		V = user_output ;
 		V = variable_names_may_end_with_quotes ;
+		V = verbose ;
 		V = verbose_auto_load ;
 		V = version ;
 		V = version_data ;