diff -up ./src/conf_eval.c.verbose ./src/conf_eval.c
--- ./src/conf_eval.c.verbose	2023-04-01 18:25:38.000000000 +0200
+++ ./src/conf_eval.c	2024-05-15 00:08:41.040033220 +0200
@@ -187,6 +187,7 @@ static void set_database_attr_option(DB_
 static void eval_config_statement(config_option_statement statement, int linenumber, char *filename, char* linebuf) {
     char *str;
     bool b;
+    long num;
     DB_ATTR_TYPE attr;
     switch (statement.option) {
         ATTRIBUTE_CONFIG_OPTION_CASE(REPORT_IGNORE_ADDED_ATTRS_OPTION, report_ignore_added_attrs)
@@ -298,8 +299,20 @@ static void eval_config_statement(config
             LOG_CONFIG_FORMAT_LINE(LOG_LEVEL_CONFIG, "set 'config_version' option to '%s'", str)
             break;
         case VERBOSE_OPTION:
-            log_msg(LOG_LEVEL_ERROR, "%s:%d: 'verbose' option is no longer supported, use 'log_level' and 'report_level' options instead (see man aide.conf for details) (line: '%s')", conf_filename, conf_linenumber, conf_linebuf);
-            exit(INVALID_CONFIGURELINE_ERROR);
+            log_msg(LOG_LEVEL_CONFIG, "%s:%d: 'verbose' option is deprecated, use 'log_level' and 'report_level' options instead (see man aide.conf for details) (line: '%s')", conf_filename, conf_linenumber, conf_linebuf);
+            str = eval_string_expression(statement.e, linenumber, filename, linebuf);
+            num = strtol(str, NULL, 10);
+
+            if (num < 0 || num > 255) {
+                LOG_CONFIG_FORMAT_LINE(LOG_LEVEL_ERROR, "invalid verbose level: '%s'", str);
+                exit(INVALID_CONFIGURELINE_ERROR);
+            }
+
+            if (num >= 10) {
+                set_log_level(LOG_LEVEL_DEBUG);
+            }
+
+            free(str);
             break;
         case LIMIT_CMDLINE_OPTION:
             /* command-line options are ignored here */