diff --git a/ffmpeg.c b/ffmpeg.c
index 2f43b76c0f..e4b3dcfd59 100644
--- a/ffmpeg.c
+++ b/ffmpeg.c
@@ -2181,7 +2181,7 @@ static void opt_me_threshold(const char *arg)
 static void opt_verbose(const char *arg)
 {
     verbose = atoi(arg);
-    av_log_set_level(atoi(arg));
+    av_log_set_level(verbose);
 }
 
 static void opt_frame_rate(const char *arg)