diff --git a/src/tools/cardos-tool.c b/src/tools/cardos-tool.c
index f62042ae..aa6ba477 100644
--- a/src/tools/cardos-tool.c
+++ b/src/tools/cardos-tool.c
@@ -1132,8 +1132,11 @@ int main(int argc, char *const argv[])
 			sc_strerror(r));
 		return 1;
 	}
-	if (verbose > 0)
+
+	if (verbose > 1) {
 		ctx->debug = verbose;
+		ctx->debug_file = stderr;
+	}
 
 	if (opt_driver != NULL) {
 		err = sc_set_card_driver(ctx, opt_driver);
diff --git a/src/tools/cryptoflex-tool.c b/src/tools/cryptoflex-tool.c
index 4e0a6ddf..4e02b586 100644
--- a/src/tools/cryptoflex-tool.c
+++ b/src/tools/cryptoflex-tool.c
@@ -1045,7 +1045,10 @@ 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);
 	printf("Using card driver: %s\n", card->driver->name);
diff --git a/src/tools/opensc-explorer.c b/src/tools/opensc-explorer.c
index 727a89cd..54e8e346 100644
--- a/src/tools/opensc-explorer.c
+++ b/src/tools/opensc-explorer.c
@@ -1192,7 +1192,7 @@ static int do_debug(int argc, char **argv)
 		printf("Debug level set to %d\n", i);
 		ctx->debug = i;
 		if (i) {
-			ctx->debug_file = stdout;
+			ctx->debug_file = stderr;
 		} else {
 			ctx->debug_file = NULL;
 		}
@@ -1604,8 +1604,11 @@ int main(int argc, char * const argv[])
 		fprintf(stderr, "Failed to establish context: %s\n", sc_strerror(r));
 		return 1;
 	}
-	if (verbose > 1)
-		ctx->debug = verbose-1;
+
+	if (verbose > 1) {
+		ctx->debug = verbose;
+		ctx->debug_file = stderr;
+        }
 
 	if (opt_driver != NULL) {
 		err = sc_set_card_driver(ctx, opt_driver);
diff --git a/src/tools/opensc-tool.c b/src/tools/opensc-tool.c
index da215397..a55cab6b 100644
--- a/src/tools/opensc-tool.c
+++ b/src/tools/opensc-tool.c
@@ -726,7 +726,12 @@ 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;
+	}
+
 	if (do_get_conf_entry) {
 		if ((err = opensc_get_conf_entry (opt_conf_entry)))
 			goto end;