diff --git a/usr.sbin/freebsd-update/freebsd-update.8 b/usr.sbin/freebsd-update/freebsd-update.8
index ec9eb9519e0..0f6398bf769 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/freebsd-update/freebsd-update.8
+++ b/usr.sbin/freebsd-update/freebsd-update.8
@@ -25,9 +25,9 @@
 .\"
 .\" $FreeBSD$
 .\"
-.Dd June 14, 2017
+.Dd January 18, 2019
 .Dt FREEBSD-UPDATE 8
-.Os FreeBSD
+.Os
 .Sh NAME
 .Nm freebsd-update
 .Nd fetch and install binary updates to FreeBSD
@@ -41,15 +41,22 @@
 .Op Fl r Ar newrelease
 .Op Fl s Ar server
 .Op Fl t Ar address
+.Op Fl v Ar verbosity
+.Op Fl -debug
+.Op Fl -no-stats
 .Op Fl -not-running-from-cron
+.Op Fl -currently-running Ar release
 .Cm command ...
 .Sh DESCRIPTION
 The
 .Nm
 tool is used to fetch, install, and rollback binary
-updates to the FreeBSD base system.
+updates to the
+.Fx
+base system.
 Note that updates are only available if they are being built for the
-FreeBSD release and architecture being used; in particular, the
+.Fx
+release and architecture being used; in particular, the
 .Fx
 Security Team only builds updates for releases shipped in binary form
 by the
@@ -104,6 +111,26 @@ Mail output of
 command, if any, to
 .Ar address .
 (default: root, or as given in the configuration file.)
+.It Fl v Ar verbosity
+Change the amount of output when performing a
+.Nm Cm fetch
+or a
+.Nm Cm upgrade .
+Supported levels include: debug, nostats, stats.
+See
+.Fl -debug ,
+and
+.Fl -no-stats
+for more information. (default: stats)
+.It Fl -debug
+Alias for
+.Fl v Ar debug .
+Shows informational and warning messages from used utilities
+that are normally hidden.
+.It Fl -no-stats
+Alias for
+.Fl v Ar nostats .
+Hides progress when fetching files.
 .It Fl -not-running-from-cron
 Force
 .Nm Cm fetch
diff --git a/usr.sbin/freebsd-update/freebsd-update.conf b/usr.sbin/freebsd-update/freebsd-update.conf
index 7f091705375..649c79cec9b 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/freebsd-update/freebsd-update.conf
+++ b/usr.sbin/freebsd-update/freebsd-update.conf
@@ -74,3 +74,9 @@ MergeChanges /etc/ /boot/device.hints
 
 # When backing up a kernel also back up debug symbol files?
 # BackupKernelSymbolFiles no
+
+# How much information to output during "freebsd-update fetch"
+# or "freebsd-update upgrade". Can be either stats, debug or nostats.
+# "nostats" hides progress information that is normally shown by "stats"
+# "debug" shows informational messages and warnings that are normally hidden.
+# VerbosityLevel stat
diff --git a/usr.sbin/freebsd-update/freebsd-update.sh b/usr.sbin/freebsd-update/freebsd-update.sh
index 83770373191..215341110bb 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/freebsd-update/freebsd-update.sh
+++ b/usr.sbin/freebsd-update/freebsd-update.sh
@@ -30,10 +30,6 @@
 # $FreeBSD$
 
 #### Usage function -- called from command-line handling code.
-
-# Usage instructions.  Options not listed:
-# --debug	-- don't filter output from utilities
-# --no-stats	-- don't show progress statistics while fetching files
 usage () {
 	cat <<EOF
 usage: `basename $0` [options] command ... [path]
@@ -52,6 +48,12 @@ Options:
                   (default: update.FreeBSD.org)
   -t address   -- Mail output of cron command, if any, to address
                   (default: root)
+  -v verbosity -- Change the amout of information output during
+                  fetch or upgrade commands. Can be set to either
+                  debug, nostats, or stats
+                  (default: stat)
+  --debug      -- Don't filter output from utilities
+  --no-stats   -- Don't show progress statistics while fetching files
   --not-running-from-cron
                -- Run without a tty, for use by automated tools
   --currently-running release
@@ -668,16 +670,18 @@ fetchupgrade_check_params () {
 	PATCHDIR=${RELNUM}/${ARCH}/bp
 
 	# Disallow upgrade from a version that is not `-RELEASE`
-	if ! echo "${RELNUM}" | grep -qE -- "-RELEASE$"; then
+	case ${RELNUM} in *-RELEASE | *-BETA* | *-RC* )
 		echo -n "`basename $0`: "
 		cat  <<- EOF
-			Cannot upgrade from a version that is not a '-RELEASE' using `basename $0`. 
-			Instead, FreeBSD can be directly upgraded by source or upgraded to a 
-			RELEASE/RELENG version prior to running `basename $0`.
+			Cannot upgrade from a version that is none of '-RELEASE', '-BETA'
+			or '-RC' using `basename $0`. Instead, FreeBSD can be directly
+			upgraded by source or upgraded to a RELEASE/RELENG version
+			prior to running `basename $0`.
 		EOF
 		echo "System version: ${RELNUM}"
 		exit 1
-	fi
+		;;
+	esac
 
 	# Figure out what directory contains the running kernel
 	BOOTFILE=`sysctl -n kern.bootfile`