diff --git a/src/tools/netkey-tool.c b/src/tools/netkey-tool.c
index ce54edc5..b9e28765 100644
--- a/src/tools/netkey-tool.c
+++ b/src/tools/netkey-tool.c
@@ -542,7 +542,10 @@ int main(
 		fprintf(stderr,"Establish-Context failed: %s\n", sc_strerror(r));
 		exit(1);
 	}
-	ctx->debug=debug;
+	if (debug > 1) {
+		ctx->debug = debug;
+		ctx->debug_file = stderr;
+	}
 	if(ctx->debug>0)
 		printf("Context for application \"%s\" created, Debug=%d\n", ctx->app_name, ctx->debug);
 
diff --git a/src/tools/piv-tool.c b/src/tools/piv-tool.c
index 30ff62be..b692e4ca 100644
--- a/src/tools/piv-tool.c
+++ b/src/tools/piv-tool.c
@@ -518,6 +518,11 @@ int main(int argc, char * const argv[])
 		return 1;
 	}
 
+	if (verbose > 1) {
+		ctx->debug = verbose;
+		ctx->debug_file = stderr;
+	}
+
 	if (action_count <= 0)
 		goto end;
 
diff --git a/src/tools/pkcs15-crypt.c b/src/tools/pkcs15-crypt.c
index 943730a4..79164537 100644
--- a/src/tools/pkcs15-crypt.c
+++ b/src/tools/pkcs15-crypt.c
@@ -568,7 +568,10 @@ int main(int argc, char * const argv[])
 		return 1;
 	}
 
-	ctx->debug = verbose;
+	if (verbose > 1) {
+		ctx->debug = verbose;
+		ctx->debug_file = stderr;
+	}
 
 	err = util_connect_card(ctx, &card, opt_reader, opt_wait, verbose);
 	if (err)
diff --git a/src/tools/pkcs15-tool.c b/src/tools/pkcs15-tool.c
index f6050d05..17ff2590 100644
--- a/src/tools/pkcs15-tool.c
+++ b/src/tools/pkcs15-tool.c
@@ -1714,8 +1714,12 @@ int main(int argc, char * const argv[])
 		fprintf(stderr, "Failed to establish context: %s\n", sc_strerror(r));
 		return 1;
 	}
-	ctx->debug = verbose;
 
+	if (verbose > 1) {
+		ctx->debug = verbose;
+		ctx->debug_file = stderr;
+	}
+                                         
 	err = util_connect_card(ctx, &card, opt_reader, opt_wait, verbose);
 	if (err)
 		goto end;
diff --git a/src/tools/rutoken-tool.c b/src/tools/rutoken-tool.c
index 0d54c0d5..01f055f9 100644
--- a/src/tools/rutoken-tool.c
+++ b/src/tools/rutoken-tool.c
@@ -487,7 +487,10 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
 		return -1;
 	}
 
-	ctx->debug = opt_debug;
+	if (opt_debug > 1) {
+		ctx->debug = opt_debug;
+		ctx->debug_file = stderr;
+	}
 
 	if (util_connect_card(ctx, &card, opt_reader, opt_wait, opt_debug) != 0)
 		err = -1;
diff --git a/src/tools/westcos-tool.c b/src/tools/westcos-tool.c
index d158f6ea..ff5e83e4 100644
--- a/src/tools/westcos-tool.c
+++ b/src/tools/westcos-tool.c
@@ -440,8 +440,10 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 		return 1;
 	}
 
-	if (verbose > 1)
-		ctx->debug = verbose-1;
+	if (verbose > 1) {
+		ctx->debug = verbose;
+		ctx->debug_file = stderr;
+	}
 
 	if (opt_driver != NULL) 
 	{