diff --git a/packages/tao/index.ts b/packages/tao/index.ts
index 56ce4759b2074..a6c3745cc9a08 100644
--- a/packages/tao/index.ts
+++ b/packages/tao/index.ts
@@ -4,41 +4,59 @@ import './src/compat/compat';
 export async function invokeCommand(
   command: string,
   root: string,
-  commandArgs: string[]
+  commandArgs: string[] = []
 ) {
   if (command === undefined) {
     command = 'help';
   }
+
+  let verboseFlagIndex = commandArgs.indexOf('--verbose');
+  if (verboseFlagIndex < 0) {
+    verboseFlagIndex = commandArgs.indexOf('-v');
+  }
+  const isVerbose = verboseFlagIndex >= 0;
+  if (isVerbose) {
+    commandArgs.splice(verboseFlagIndex, 1);
+  }
+
   switch (command) {
     case 'new':
       return (await import('./src/commands/generate')).taoNew(
         root,
-        commandArgs
+        commandArgs,
+        isVerbose
       );
     case 'generate':
     case 'g':
       return (await import('./src/commands/generate')).generate(
         root,
-        commandArgs
+        commandArgs,
+        isVerbose
       );
     case 'run':
     case 'r':
-      return (await import('./src/commands/run')).run(root, commandArgs);
+      return (await import('./src/commands/run')).run(
+        root,
+        commandArgs,
+        isVerbose
+      );
     case 'migrate':
       return (await import('./src/commands/migrate')).migrate(
         root,
-        commandArgs
+        commandArgs,
+        isVerbose
       );
     case 'help':
     case '--help':
-      return (await import('./src/commands/help')).printHelp();
+      return (await import('./src/commands/help')).help();
     default:
       const projectName = commandArgs[0] ? commandArgs[0] : '';
       // this is to make `tao test mylib` same as `tao run mylib:test`
-      return (await import('./src/commands/run')).run(root, [
-        `${projectName}:${command}`,
-        ...commandArgs.slice(1)
-      ]);
+      return (await import('./src/commands/run')).run(
+        root,
+        [`${projectName}:${command}`, ...commandArgs.slice(1)],
+        isVerbose
+      );
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/tao/src/commands/generate.ts b/packages/tao/src/commands/generate.ts
index 3c9120e21002e..0934d5ce13ff9 100644
--- a/packages/tao/src/commands/generate.ts
+++ b/packages/tao/src/commands/generate.ts
@@ -1,10 +1,3 @@
-import {
-  coerceTypes,
-  convertAliases,
-  convertToCamelCase,
-  handleErrors,
-  Schema
-} from '../shared/params';
 import {
   experimental,
   JsonObject,
@@ -15,24 +8,30 @@ import {
   terminal,
   virtualFs
 } from '@angular-devkit/core';
+import { NodeJsSyncHost } from '@angular-devkit/core/node';
 import {
   DryRunEvent,
+  formats,
   HostTree,
-  Schematic,
-  formats
+  Schematic
 } from '@angular-devkit/schematics';
-import { NodeJsSyncHost } from '@angular-devkit/core/node';
 import {
   NodeWorkflow,
-  validateOptionsWithSchema,
-  FileSystemSchematicDescription
+  validateOptionsWithSchema
 } from '@angular-devkit/schematics/tools';
+import { execSync } from 'child_process';
+import * as fs from 'fs';
 import * as inquirer from 'inquirer';
-import { logger } from '../shared/logger';
+import { getLogger } from '../shared/logger';
+import {
+  coerceTypes,
+  convertAliases,
+  convertToCamelCase,
+  handleErrors,
+  Schema
+} from '../shared/params';
 import { commandName, printHelp } from '../shared/print-help';
-import * as fs from 'fs';
 import minimist = require('minimist');
-import { execSync } from 'child_process';
 
 interface GenerateOptions {
   collectionName: string;
@@ -290,7 +289,11 @@ function getCollection(workflow: NodeWorkflow, name: string) {
   return collection;
 }
 
-function printGenHelp(opts: GenerateOptions, schema: Schema) {
+function printGenHelp(
+  opts: GenerateOptions,
+  schema: Schema,
+  logger: logging.Logger
+) {
   printHelp(
     `${commandName} generate ${opts.collectionName}:${opts.schematicName}`,
     {
@@ -299,7 +302,8 @@ function printGenHelp(opts: GenerateOptions, schema: Schema) {
         ...schema.properties,
         dryRun: `Runs through and reports activity without writing to disk.`
       }
-    }
+    },
+    logger
   );
 }
 
@@ -346,7 +350,7 @@ async function runSchematic(
     .toPromise();
 
   if (opts.help) {
-    printGenHelp(opts, flattenedSchema as any);
+    printGenHelp(opts, flattenedSchema as any, logger);
   } else {
     const defaults =
       opts.schematicName === 'tao-new'
@@ -381,8 +385,14 @@ async function runSchematic(
   return 0;
 }
 
-export async function generate(root: string, args: string[]) {
-  return handleErrors(logger, async () => {
+export async function generate(
+  root: string,
+  args: string[],
+  isVerbose: boolean = false
+) {
+  const logger = getLogger(isVerbose);
+
+  return handleErrors(logger, isVerbose, async () => {
     const fsHost = new virtualFs.ScopedHost(
       new NodeJsSyncHost(),
       normalize(root)
@@ -412,8 +422,14 @@ async function readDefaultCollection(host: virtualFs.Host<any>) {
   return workspaceJson.cli ? workspaceJson.cli.defaultCollection : null;
 }
 
-export async function taoNew(root: string, args: string[]) {
-  return handleErrors(logger, async () => {
+export async function taoNew(
+  root: string,
+  args: string[],
+  isVerbose: boolean = false
+) {
+  const logger = getLogger(isVerbose);
+
+  return handleErrors(logger, isVerbose, async () => {
     const fsHost = new virtualFs.ScopedHost(
       new NodeJsSyncHost(),
       normalize(root)
diff --git a/packages/tao/src/commands/help.ts b/packages/tao/src/commands/help.ts
index 8a43a580ac06c..1186a2f588157 100644
--- a/packages/tao/src/commands/help.ts
+++ b/packages/tao/src/commands/help.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
-import { tags } from '@angular-devkit/core';
-import { logger } from '../shared/logger';
-import { toolDescription, commandName } from '../shared/print-help';
-import { terminal } from '@angular-devkit/core';
+import { tags, terminal } from '@angular-devkit/core';
+import { getLogger } from '../shared/logger';
+import { commandName, toolDescription } from '../shared/print-help';
+
+export function help() {
+  const logger = getLogger(true);
 
-export function printHelp() {
   logger.info(tags.stripIndent`
     ${terminal.bold(toolDescription)}
   
diff --git a/packages/tao/src/commands/migrate.ts b/packages/tao/src/commands/migrate.ts
index 868326357a3cc..8608048494155 100644
--- a/packages/tao/src/commands/migrate.ts
+++ b/packages/tao/src/commands/migrate.ts
@@ -1,20 +1,18 @@
-import { gt, lte } from 'semver';
-import { handleErrors, convertToCamelCase } from '../shared/params';
-import { logger } from '../shared/logger';
-import minimist = require('minimist');
-import { commandName } from '../shared/print-help';
-import { virtualFs, normalize, logging } from '@angular-devkit/core';
+import { logging, normalize, virtualFs } from '@angular-devkit/core';
+import * as core from '@angular-devkit/core/node';
 import { NodeJsSyncHost } from '@angular-devkit/core/node';
-import { HostTree } from '@angular-devkit/schematics';
-import { dirSync } from 'tmp';
-import { readFileSync, writeFileSync, statSync } from 'fs';
-import { NodeModulesEngineHost } from '@angular-devkit/schematics/tools';
 import { BaseWorkflow } from '@angular-devkit/schematics/src/workflow';
-import * as stripJsonComments from 'strip-json-comments';
-
-import * as path from 'path';
-import * as core from '@angular-devkit/core/node';
+import { NodeModulesEngineHost } from '@angular-devkit/schematics/tools';
 import { execSync } from 'child_process';
+import { readFileSync, writeFileSync } from 'fs';
+import * as path from 'path';
+import { gt, lte } from 'semver';
+import * as stripJsonComments from 'strip-json-comments';
+import { dirSync } from 'tmp';
+import { getLogger } from '../shared/logger';
+import { convertToCamelCase, handleErrors } from '../shared/params';
+import { commandName } from '../shared/print-help';
+import minimist = require('minimist');
 
 export type MigrationsJson = {
   version: string;
@@ -484,8 +482,14 @@ async function runMigrations(
   await p;
 }
 
-export async function migrate(root: string, args: string[]) {
-  return handleErrors(logger, async () => {
+export async function migrate(
+  root: string,
+  args: string[],
+  isVerbose: boolean = false
+) {
+  const logger = getLogger(isVerbose);
+
+  return handleErrors(logger, isVerbose, async () => {
     const opts = parseMigrationsOptions(args);
     if (opts.type === 'generateMigrations') {
       await generateMigrationsJsonAndUpdatePackageJson(logger, root, opts);
diff --git a/packages/tao/src/commands/run.ts b/packages/tao/src/commands/run.ts
index ba9d237420672..7486099a51050 100644
--- a/packages/tao/src/commands/run.ts
+++ b/packages/tao/src/commands/run.ts
@@ -1,22 +1,22 @@
-import {
-  convertToCamelCase,
-  handleErrors,
-  Schema,
-  coerceTypes
-} from '../shared/params';
+import { Architect } from '@angular-devkit/architect';
+import { WorkspaceNodeModulesArchitectHost } from '@angular-devkit/architect/node';
 import {
   experimental,
   json,
+  logging,
   normalize,
-  schema,
-  tags
+  schema
 } from '@angular-devkit/core';
 import { NodeJsSyncHost } from '@angular-devkit/core/node';
-import { WorkspaceNodeModulesArchitectHost } from '@angular-devkit/architect/node';
-import { Architect } from '@angular-devkit/architect';
-import { logger } from '../shared/logger';
+import { getLogger } from '../shared/logger';
+import {
+  coerceTypes,
+  convertToCamelCase,
+  handleErrors,
+  Schema
+} from '../shared/params';
+import { commandName, printHelp } from '../shared/print-help';
 import minimist = require('minimist');
-import { printHelp, commandName } from '../shared/print-help';
 
 export interface RunOptions {
   project: string;
@@ -70,12 +70,22 @@ function parseRunOpts(
   return res;
 }
 
-function printRunHelp(opts: RunOptions, schema: Schema) {
-  printHelp(`${commandName} run ${opts.project}:${opts.target}`, schema);
+function printRunHelp(
+  opts: RunOptions,
+  schema: Schema,
+  logger: logging.Logger
+) {
+  printHelp(
+    `${commandName} run ${opts.project}:${opts.target}`,
+    schema,
+    logger
+  );
 }
 
-export async function run(root: string, args: string[]) {
-  return handleErrors(logger, async () => {
+export async function run(root: string, args: string[], isVerbose: boolean) {
+  const logger = getLogger(isVerbose);
+
+  return handleErrors(logger, isVerbose, async () => {
     const fsHost = new NodeJsSyncHost();
     const workspace = await new experimental.workspace.Workspace(
       normalize(root) as any,
@@ -102,7 +112,7 @@ export async function run(root: string, args: string[]) {
       .flatten(builderDesc.optionSchema! as json.JsonObject)
       .toPromise();
     if (opts.help) {
-      printRunHelp(opts, flattenedSchema as any);
+      printRunHelp(opts, flattenedSchema as any, logger);
       return 0;
     } else {
       const runOptions = coerceTypes(opts.runOptions, flattenedSchema as any);
diff --git a/packages/tao/src/shared/logger.ts b/packages/tao/src/shared/logger.ts
index 09d4c19d45ae9..00ee1d959142d 100644
--- a/packages/tao/src/shared/logger.ts
+++ b/packages/tao/src/shared/logger.ts
@@ -1,13 +1,14 @@
+import { logging, terminal } from '@angular-devkit/core';
 import { createConsoleLogger } from '@angular-devkit/core/node';
-import { terminal } from '@angular-devkit/core';
 
-export const logger = createConsoleLogger(
-  false,
-  process.stdout,
-  process.stderr,
-  {
-    warn: s => terminal.bold(terminal.yellow(s)),
-    error: s => terminal.bold(terminal.red(s)),
-    fatal: s => terminal.bold(terminal.red(s))
+let logger: logging.Logger;
+export const getLogger = (isVerbose: boolean = false) => {
+  if (!logger) {
+    logger = createConsoleLogger(isVerbose, process.stdout, process.stderr, {
+      warn: s => terminal.bold(terminal.yellow(s)),
+      error: s => terminal.bold(terminal.red(s)),
+      fatal: s => terminal.bold(terminal.red(s))
+    });
   }
-);
+  return logger;
+};
diff --git a/packages/tao/src/shared/params.ts b/packages/tao/src/shared/params.ts
index 14bacb5c4ac05..5a6ba06568557 100644
--- a/packages/tao/src/shared/params.ts
+++ b/packages/tao/src/shared/params.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,11 @@ export type Schema = {
   description: string;
 };
 
-export async function handleErrors(logger: logging.Logger, fn: Function) {
+export async function handleErrors(
+  logger: logging.Logger,
+  isVerbose: boolean,
+  fn: Function
+) {
   try {
     return await fn();
   } catch (err) {
@@ -16,6 +20,9 @@ export async function handleErrors(logger: logging.Logger, fn: Function) {
     } else {
       logger.fatal(err.message);
     }
+    if (isVerbose && err.stack) {
+      logger.info(err.stack);
+    }
     return 1;
   }
 }
diff --git a/packages/tao/src/shared/print-help.ts b/packages/tao/src/shared/print-help.ts
index 8223904ce967a..b9a3f17e375b4 100644
--- a/packages/tao/src/shared/print-help.ts
+++ b/packages/tao/src/shared/print-help.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
+import { logging, tags, terminal } from '@angular-devkit/core';
 import { Schema } from './params';
-import { logger } from './logger';
-import { tags } from '@angular-devkit/core';
-import { terminal } from '@angular-devkit/core';
 
-export function printHelp(header: string, schema: Schema) {
+export function printHelp(
+  header: string,
+  schema: Schema,
+  logger: logging.Logger
+) {
   const allPositional = Object.keys(schema.properties).filter(key => {
     const p = schema.properties[key];
     return p['$default'] && p['$default']['$source'] === 'argv';