diff --git a/django/core/management/base.py b/django/core/management/base.py
index 6761cb69bc..0dc8d0356c 100644
--- a/django/core/management/base.py
+++ b/django/core/management/base.py
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ class BaseCommand(object):
     # Metadata about this command.
     option_list = (
         make_option('-v', '--verbosity', action='store', dest='verbosity', default='1',
-            type='choice', choices=['0', '1', '2'],
+            type='choice', choices=['0', '1', '2', '3'],
             help='Verbosity level; 0=minimal output, 1=normal output, 2=all output'),
         make_option('--settings',
             help='The Python path to a settings module, e.g. "myproject.settings.main". If this isn\'t provided, the DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE environment variable will be used.'),
diff --git a/django/core/management/commands/loaddata.py b/django/core/management/commands/loaddata.py
index caf3b11b85..8bf89c90f8 100644
--- a/django/core/management/commands/loaddata.py
+++ b/django/core/management/commands/loaddata.py
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ class Command(BaseCommand):
                     formats = []
 
             if formats:
-                if verbosity > 1:
+                if verbosity >= 2:
                     self.stdout.write("Loading '%s' fixtures...\n" % fixture_name)
             else:
                 sys.stderr.write(
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ class Command(BaseCommand):
                 fixture_dirs = app_fixtures + list(settings.FIXTURE_DIRS) + ['']
 
             for fixture_dir in fixture_dirs:
-                if verbosity > 1:
+                if verbosity >= 2:
                     self.stdout.write("Checking %s for fixtures...\n" % humanize(fixture_dir))
 
                 label_found = False
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ class Command(BaseCommand):
                         if p
                     )
 
-                    if verbosity > 1:
+                    if verbosity >= 3:
                         self.stdout.write("Trying %s for %s fixture '%s'...\n" % \
                             (humanize(fixture_dir), file_name, fixture_name))
                     full_path = os.path.join(fixture_dir, file_name)
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ class Command(BaseCommand):
                         else:
                             fixture_count += 1
                             objects_in_fixture = 0
-                            if verbosity > 0:
+                            if verbosity >= 2:
                                 self.stdout.write("Installing %s fixture '%s' from %s.\n" % \
                                     (format, fixture_name, humanize(fixture_dir)))
                             try:
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ class Command(BaseCommand):
                                 return
 
                     except Exception, e:
-                        if verbosity > 1:
+                        if verbosity >= 2:
                             self.stdout.write("No %s fixture '%s' in %s.\n" % \
                                 (format, fixture_name, humanize(fixture_dir)))
 
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ class Command(BaseCommand):
         if object_count > 0:
             sequence_sql = connection.ops.sequence_reset_sql(self.style, models)
             if sequence_sql:
-                if verbosity > 1:
+                if verbosity >= 2:
                     self.stdout.write("Resetting sequences\n")
                 for line in sequence_sql:
                     cursor.execute(line)
@@ -216,10 +216,10 @@ class Command(BaseCommand):
             transaction.leave_transaction_management(using=using)
 
         if object_count == 0:
-            if verbosity > 0:
+            if verbosity >= 1:
                 self.stdout.write("No fixtures found.\n")
         else:
-            if verbosity > 0:
+            if verbosity >= 1:
                 self.stdout.write("Installed %d object(s) from %d fixture(s)\n" % (object_count, fixture_count))
 
         # Close the DB connection. This is required as a workaround for an
diff --git a/django/core/management/commands/syncdb.py b/django/core/management/commands/syncdb.py
index d1dd49b75e..3c11a263d6 100644
--- a/django/core/management/commands/syncdb.py
+++ b/django/core/management/commands/syncdb.py
@@ -76,10 +76,12 @@ class Command(NoArgsCommand):
         )
 
         # Create the tables for each model
+        if verbosity >= 1:
+            print "Creating tables ..."
         for app_name, model_list in manifest.items():
             for model in model_list:
                 # Create the model's database table, if it doesn't already exist.
-                if verbosity >= 2:
+                if verbosity >= 3:
                     print "Processing %s.%s model" % (app_name, model._meta.object_name)
                 sql, references = connection.creation.sql_create_model(model, self.style, seen_models)
                 seen_models.add(model)
@@ -107,12 +109,14 @@ class Command(NoArgsCommand):
 
         # Install custom SQL for the app (but only if this
         # is a model we've just created)
+        if verbosity >= 1:
+            print "Installing custom SQL ..."
         for app_name, model_list in manifest.items():
             for model in model_list:
                 if model in created_models:
                     custom_sql = custom_sql_for_model(model, self.style, connection)
                     if custom_sql:
-                        if verbosity >= 1:
+                        if verbosity >= 2:
                             print "Installing custom SQL for %s.%s model" % (app_name, model._meta.object_name)
                         try:
                             for sql in custom_sql:
@@ -127,16 +131,18 @@ class Command(NoArgsCommand):
                         else:
                             transaction.commit_unless_managed(using=db)
                     else:
-                        if verbosity >= 2:
+                        if verbosity >= 3:
                             print "No custom SQL for %s.%s model" % (app_name, model._meta.object_name)
 
+        if verbosity >= 1:
+            print "Installing indexes ..."
         # Install SQL indicies for all newly created models
         for app_name, model_list in manifest.items():
             for model in model_list:
                 if model in created_models:
                     index_sql = connection.creation.sql_indexes_for_model(model, self.style)
                     if index_sql:
-                        if verbosity >= 1:
+                        if verbosity >= 2:
                             print "Installing index for %s.%s model" % (app_name, model._meta.object_name)
                         try:
                             for sql in index_sql:
diff --git a/django/db/backends/creation.py b/django/db/backends/creation.py
index be9b6fc91d..6cdf415f7a 100644
--- a/django/db/backends/creation.py
+++ b/django/db/backends/creation.py
@@ -350,7 +350,10 @@ class BaseDatabaseCreation(object):
         can_rollback = self._rollback_works()
         self.connection.settings_dict["SUPPORTS_TRANSACTIONS"] = can_rollback
 
-        call_command('syncdb', verbosity=verbosity, interactive=False, database=self.connection.alias)
+        # Report syncdb messages at one level lower than that requested.
+        # This ensures we don't get flooded with messages during testing
+        # (unless you really ask to be flooded)
+        call_command('syncdb', verbosity=max(verbosity - 1, 0), interactive=False, database=self.connection.alias)
 
         if settings.CACHE_BACKEND.startswith('db://'):
             from django.core.cache import parse_backend_uri, cache
@@ -390,10 +393,8 @@ class BaseDatabaseCreation(object):
             if autoclobber or confirm == 'yes':
                 try:
                     if verbosity >= 1:
-                        print "Destroying old test database..."
+                        print "Destroying old test database '%s'..." % self.connection.alias
                     cursor.execute("DROP DATABASE %s" % qn(test_database_name))
-                    if verbosity >= 1:
-                        print "Creating test database..."
                     cursor.execute("CREATE DATABASE %s %s" % (qn(test_database_name), suffix))
                 except Exception, e:
                     sys.stderr.write("Got an error recreating the test database: %s\n" % e)
diff --git a/django/db/backends/oracle/creation.py b/django/db/backends/oracle/creation.py
index e6e242b9f7..8167640aac 100644
--- a/django/db/backends/oracle/creation.py
+++ b/django/db/backends/oracle/creation.py
@@ -61,8 +61,6 @@ class DatabaseCreation(BaseDatabaseCreation):
 
         cursor = self.connection.cursor()
         if self._test_database_create():
-            if verbosity >= 1:
-                print 'Creating test database...'
             try:
                 self._execute_test_db_creation(cursor, parameters, verbosity)
             except Exception, e:
@@ -72,10 +70,8 @@ class DatabaseCreation(BaseDatabaseCreation):
                 if autoclobber or confirm == 'yes':
                     try:
                         if verbosity >= 1:
-                            print "Destroying old test database..."
+                            print "Destroying old test database '%s'..." % self.connection.alias
                         self._execute_test_db_destruction(cursor, parameters, verbosity)
-                        if verbosity >= 1:
-                            print "Creating test database..."
                         self._execute_test_db_creation(cursor, parameters, verbosity)
                     except Exception, e:
                         sys.stderr.write("Got an error recreating the test database: %s\n" % e)
diff --git a/django/db/backends/sqlite3/creation.py b/django/db/backends/sqlite3/creation.py
index 03897078a2..a65db1160b 100644
--- a/django/db/backends/sqlite3/creation.py
+++ b/django/db/backends/sqlite3/creation.py
@@ -43,14 +43,12 @@ class DatabaseCreation(BaseDatabaseCreation):
         if test_database_name and test_database_name != ":memory:":
             # Erase the old test database
             if verbosity >= 1:
-                print "Destroying old test database..."
+                print "Destroying old test database '%s'..." % self.connection.alias
             if os.access(test_database_name, os.F_OK):
                 if not autoclobber:
                     confirm = raw_input("Type 'yes' if you would like to try deleting the test database '%s', or 'no' to cancel: " % test_database_name)
                 if autoclobber or confirm == 'yes':
                   try:
-                      if verbosity >= 1:
-                          print "Destroying old test database..."
                       os.remove(test_database_name)
                   except Exception, e:
                       sys.stderr.write("Got an error deleting the old test database: %s\n" % e)
@@ -58,8 +56,6 @@ class DatabaseCreation(BaseDatabaseCreation):
                 else:
                     print "Tests cancelled."
                     sys.exit(1)
-            if verbosity >= 1:
-                print "Creating test database..."
         else:
             test_database_name = ":memory:"
         return test_database_name
diff --git a/docs/ref/django-admin.txt b/docs/ref/django-admin.txt
index e3ccda22a5..83aa97240c 100644
--- a/docs/ref/django-admin.txt
+++ b/docs/ref/django-admin.txt
@@ -962,6 +962,7 @@ that ``django-admin.py`` should print to the console.
     * ``0`` means no output.
     * ``1`` means normal output (default).
     * ``2`` means verbose output.
+    * ``3`` means *very* verbose output.
 
 Common options
 ==============
diff --git a/tests/runtests.py b/tests/runtests.py
index 5585f75d5a..4d7c55bae0 100755
--- a/tests/runtests.py
+++ b/tests/runtests.py
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ def django_tests(verbosity, interactive, failfast, test_labels):
             # no models were named (i.e., run all), import
             # this model and add it to the list to test.
             if not test_labels or model_name in set([label.split('.')[0] for label in test_labels]):
-                if verbosity >= 1:
+                if verbosity >= 2:
                     print "Importing model %s" % model_name
                 mod = load_app(model_label)
                 if mod:
@@ -187,8 +187,8 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
     from optparse import OptionParser
     usage = "%prog [options] [model model model ...]"
     parser = OptionParser(usage=usage)
-    parser.add_option('-v','--verbosity', action='store', dest='verbosity', default='0',
-        type='choice', choices=['0', '1', '2'],
+    parser.add_option('-v','--verbosity', action='store', dest='verbosity', default='1',
+        type='choice', choices=['0', '1', '2', '3'],
         help='Verbosity level; 0=minimal output, 1=normal output, 2=all output')
     parser.add_option('--noinput', action='store_false', dest='interactive', default=True,
         help='Tells Django to NOT prompt the user for input of any kind.')