diff --git a/include/linux/torture.h b/include/linux/torture.h
index 66272862070b..a55e80817dae 100644
--- a/include/linux/torture.h
+++ b/include/linux/torture.h
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ void stutter_wait(const char *title);
 int torture_stutter_init(int s);
 
 /* Initialization and cleanup. */
-bool torture_init_begin(char *ttype, bool v);
+bool torture_init_begin(char *ttype, int v);
 void torture_init_end(void);
 bool torture_cleanup_begin(void);
 void torture_cleanup_end(void);
diff --git a/kernel/locking/locktorture.c b/kernel/locking/locktorture.c
index 8402b3349dca..4a2e13870a9b 100644
--- a/kernel/locking/locktorture.c
+++ b/kernel/locking/locktorture.c
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ torture_param(int, shutdown_secs, 0, "Shutdown time (j), <= zero to disable.");
 torture_param(int, stat_interval, 60,
 	     "Number of seconds between stats printk()s");
 torture_param(int, stutter, 5, "Number of jiffies to run/halt test, 0=disable");
-torture_param(bool, verbose, true,
+torture_param(int, verbose, 1,
 	     "Enable verbose debugging printk()s");
 
 static char *torture_type = "spin_lock";
diff --git a/kernel/rcu/rcuperf.c b/kernel/rcu/rcuperf.c
index e232846516b3..fb8094848906 100644
--- a/kernel/rcu/rcuperf.c
+++ b/kernel/rcu/rcuperf.c
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ torture_param(int, nreaders, -1, "Number of RCU reader threads");
 torture_param(int, nwriters, -1, "Number of RCU updater threads");
 torture_param(bool, shutdown, !IS_ENABLED(MODULE),
 	      "Shutdown at end of performance tests.");
-torture_param(bool, verbose, true, "Enable verbose debugging printk()s");
+torture_param(int, verbose, 1, "Enable verbose debugging printk()s");
 torture_param(int, writer_holdoff, 0, "Holdoff (us) between GPs, zero to disable");
 
 static char *perf_type = "rcu";
diff --git a/kernel/rcu/rcutorture.c b/kernel/rcu/rcutorture.c
index 42fcb7f05fac..a5540bd831c4 100644
--- a/kernel/rcu/rcutorture.c
+++ b/kernel/rcu/rcutorture.c
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ torture_param(int, test_boost_interval, 7,
 	     "Interval between boost tests, seconds.");
 torture_param(bool, test_no_idle_hz, true,
 	     "Test support for tickless idle CPUs");
-torture_param(bool, verbose, true,
+torture_param(int, verbose, 1,
 	     "Enable verbose debugging printk()s");
 
 static char *torture_type = "rcu";
diff --git a/kernel/torture.c b/kernel/torture.c
index 3de1efbecd6a..840fd33c1cda 100644
--- a/kernel/torture.c
+++ b/kernel/torture.c
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ MODULE_LICENSE("GPL");
 MODULE_AUTHOR("Paul E. McKenney <paulmck@us.ibm.com>");
 
 static char *torture_type;
-static bool verbose;
+static int verbose;
 
 /* Mediate rmmod and system shutdown.  Concurrent rmmod & shutdown illegal! */
 #define FULLSTOP_DONTSTOP 0	/* Normal operation. */
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ bool torture_offline(int cpu, long *n_offl_attempts, long *n_offl_successes,
 	if (!cpu_online(cpu) || !cpu_is_hotpluggable(cpu))
 		return false;
 
-	if (verbose)
+	if (verbose > 1)
 		pr_alert("%s" TORTURE_FLAG
 			 "torture_onoff task: offlining %d\n",
 			 torture_type, cpu);
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ bool torture_offline(int cpu, long *n_offl_attempts, long *n_offl_successes,
 				 "torture_onoff task: offline %d failed: errno %d\n",
 				 torture_type, cpu, ret);
 	} else {
-		if (verbose)
+		if (verbose > 1)
 			pr_alert("%s" TORTURE_FLAG
 				 "torture_onoff task: offlined %d\n",
 				 torture_type, cpu);
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ bool torture_online(int cpu, long *n_onl_attempts, long *n_onl_successes,
 	if (cpu_online(cpu) || !cpu_is_hotpluggable(cpu))
 		return false;
 
-	if (verbose)
+	if (verbose > 1)
 		pr_alert("%s" TORTURE_FLAG
 			 "torture_onoff task: onlining %d\n",
 			 torture_type, cpu);
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ bool torture_online(int cpu, long *n_onl_attempts, long *n_onl_successes,
 				 "torture_onoff task: online %d failed: errno %d\n",
 				 torture_type, cpu, ret);
 	} else {
-		if (verbose)
+		if (verbose > 1)
 			pr_alert("%s" TORTURE_FLAG
 				 "torture_onoff task: onlined %d\n",
 				 torture_type, cpu);
@@ -647,7 +647,7 @@ static void torture_stutter_cleanup(void)
  * The runnable parameter points to a flag that controls whether or not
  * the test is currently runnable.  If there is no such flag, pass in NULL.
  */
-bool torture_init_begin(char *ttype, bool v)
+bool torture_init_begin(char *ttype, int v)
 {
 	mutex_lock(&fullstop_mutex);
 	if (torture_type != NULL) {