diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index eb4ea87f..f8e3a397 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -64,7 +64,8 @@ Options:
   -c, --channel <chan>       Single channel guest invite (deprecated) [$SLACK_CHANNEL]
   -i, --interval <int>       How frequently (ms) to poll Slack [$SLACK_INTERVAL or 5000]
   -P, --path                 Path to serve slackin under
-  -s, --silent               Do not print out warns or errors
+  -l, --laconic              Do not print "fetching" or "online 12, total 34 (+56ms)" messages every polling interval, but do print errors, warnings, startup info
+  -s, --silent               Do not print anything, even warnings or errors
   -c, --css <file>           Full URL to a custom CSS file to use on the main page
 ```
 
@@ -123,7 +124,7 @@ require('slackin').default({
   org: 'your-slack-subdomain', // required
   path: '/some/path/you/host/slackin/under/', // defaults to '/'
   channels: 'channel,channel,...', // for single channel mode
-  silent: false // suppresses warnings
+  silent: true // suppresses logging
 }).listen(3000);
 ```
 
diff --git a/bin/slackin b/bin/slackin
index f6b896b7..af09161e 100755
--- a/bin/slackin
+++ b/bin/slackin
@@ -10,7 +10,8 @@ args
   .option(['c', 'channels'], 'One or more comma-separated channel names to allow single-channel guests [$SLACK_CHANNELS]', process.env.SLACK_CHANNELS)
   .option(['i', 'interval'], 'How frequently (ms) to poll Slack [$SLACK_INTERVAL or 5000]', process.env.SLACK_INTERVAL || 5000)
   .option(['P', 'path'], 'Path to serve slackin under', '/')
-  .option(['s', 'silent'], 'Do not print out warns or errors')
+  .option(['l', 'laconic'], 'Do not print "fetching" or "online 12, total 34 (+56ms)" messages every polling interval, but do print errors, warnings, startup info')
+  .option(['s', 'silent'], 'Do not print anything, even warnings or errors')
   .option(['x', 'cors'], 'Enable CORS for all routes')
   .option(['C', 'coc'], 'Full URL to a CoC that needs to be agreed to')
   .option(['S', 'css'], 'Full URL to a custom CSS file to use on the main page')
diff --git a/lib/index.js b/lib/index.js
index d970b6b9..140f5509 100644
--- a/lib/index.js
+++ b/lib/index.js
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ export default function slackin ({
   path='/',
   channels,
   emails,
+  laconic = false, // jshint ignore:line
   silent = false // jshint ignore:line,
 }){
   // must haves
@@ -61,7 +62,7 @@ export default function slackin ({
   slack.setMaxListeners(Infinity)
 
   // capture stats
-  log(slack, silent)
+  log(slack, laconic, silent)
 
   // middleware for waiting for slack
   app.use((req, res, next) => {
diff --git a/lib/log.js b/lib/log.js
index 9e2fde1b..d4aa9c28 100644
--- a/lib/log.js
+++ b/lib/log.js
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 import dbg from 'debug'
 const debug = dbg('slackin')
 
-export default function log (slack, silent){
+export default function log (slack, laconic, silent){
   // keep track of elapsed time
   let last
 
-  out('fetching')
+  outPoll('fetching')
 
   // attach events
   slack.on('ready', () => out('ready'))
@@ -13,14 +13,14 @@ export default function log (slack, silent){
 
   slack.on('fetch', () => {
     last = new Date
-    out('fetching')
+    outPoll('fetching')
   })
 
   slack.on('data', online)
 
   // log online users
   function online (){
-    out('online %d, total %d %s',
+    outPoll('online %d, total %d %s',
       slack.users.active,
       slack.users.total,
       last ? `(+${new Date - last}ms)` : '')
@@ -40,11 +40,17 @@ export default function log (slack, silent){
   }
 
   function out (...args){
+    _out(args, silent)
+  }
+  function outPoll (...args){
+    _out(args, laconic)
+  }
+  function _out (args, doDebug){
     if (args) {
       args[0] = `${new Date} – ${args[0]}`
     }
 
-    if (silent) return debug(...args)
+    if (doDebug) return debug(...args)
     console.log(...args)
   }
 }
diff --git a/lib/slack.js b/lib/slack.js
index f648b6eb..cae30579 100644
--- a/lib/slack.js
+++ b/lib/slack.js
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ export default class SlackData extends EventEmitter {
     .end((err, res) => {
       let team = res.body.team
       if (!team) {
-        throw new Error('Bad Slack response. Make sure the team name and API keys are correct');
+        throw new Error('Bad Slack response. Make sure the team name and API keys are correct')
       }
       this.org.name = team.name
       if (!team.icon.image_default) {