diff --git a/src/Makefile.global.in b/src/Makefile.global.in
index 4acf7d2f06..06e39c57e9 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.global.in
+++ b/src/Makefile.global.in
@@ -339,7 +339,8 @@ PROVE = @PROVE@
 # There are common routines in src/test/perl, and some test suites have
 # extra perl modules in their own directory.
 PG_PROVE_FLAGS = -I $(top_srcdir)/src/test/perl/ -I $(srcdir)
-PROVE_FLAGS = --verbose
+# For more info, add to your make line: PROVE_FLAGS='--verbose'
+PROVE_FLAGS =
 
 # prepend to path if already set, else just set it
 define add_to_path
diff --git a/src/test/perl/README b/src/test/perl/README
index f28e3ce469..cc6edfb383 100644
--- a/src/test/perl/README
+++ b/src/test/perl/README
@@ -20,6 +20,11 @@ src/test/ssl, or should be added to one of the suites for an existing utility.
 Note that all tests and test tools should have perltidy run on them before
 patches are submitted, using perltidy --profile=src/tools/pgindent/perltidyrc
 
+By default, to keep the noise low during runs, we do not set any flags via
+PROVE_FLAGS, but this can be done on the 'make' command line if desired, eg:
+
+make check-world PROVE_FLAGS='--verbose'
+
 Writing tests
 -------------