diff --git a/scripts/twitterstatusfetcher.php b/scripts/twitterstatusfetcher.php
index 248cf86f10..e2ba1d0031 100755
--- a/scripts/twitterstatusfetcher.php
+++ b/scripts/twitterstatusfetcher.php
@@ -25,19 +25,18 @@ define('INSTALLDIR', realpath(dirname(__FILE__) . '/..'));
 define('MAXCHILDREN', 2);
 define('POLL_INTERVAL', 60); // in seconds
 
-$shortoptions = 'i::';
-$longoptions = array('id::');
+$shortoptions = 'di::';
+$longoptions = array('id::', 'debug');
 
 $helptext = <<<END_OF_TRIM_HELP
 Batch script for retrieving Twitter messages from foreign service.
 
-  -i --id      Identity (default 'generic')
+  -i --id              Identity (default 'generic')
+  -d --debug           Debug (lots of log output)
 
 END_OF_TRIM_HELP;
 
-require_once INSTALLDIR.'/scripts/commandline.inc';
-
-require_once INSTALLDIR . '/lib/common.php';
+require_once INSTALLDIR .'/scripts/commandline.inc';
 require_once INSTALLDIR . '/lib/daemon.php';
 
 /**
@@ -89,6 +88,11 @@ class TwitterStatusFetcher extends Daemon
 
     function run()
     {
+        if (defined('SCRIPT_DEBUG')) {
+            common_debug($this->name() .
+                ': debugging log output enabled.');
+        }
+
         do {
 
             $flinks = $this->refreshFlinks();
@@ -649,7 +653,9 @@ if (have_option('i')) {
     $id = null;
 }
 
-common_debug("id set to $id");
+if (have_option('d') || have_option('debug')) {
+    define('SCRIPT_DEBUG', true);
+}
 
 $fetcher = new TwitterStatusFetcher($id);
 $fetcher->runOnce();