diff --git a/src/tools/common.jam b/src/tools/common.jam
index 06d66366d..00b8d8284 100644
--- a/src/tools/common.jam
+++ b/src/tools/common.jam
@@ -17,6 +17,10 @@ import path ;
 import sequence ;
 import toolset ;
 
+if [ MATCH (--debug-configuration) : [ modules.peek : ARGV ] ]
+{
+    .debug-configuration = true ;
+}
 
 # Configurations
 #
@@ -230,8 +234,11 @@ rule get-invocation-command (
         command = [ common.find-tool $(tool) : $(additional-paths) : $(path-last) ] ;
         if ! $(command)
         {
-            ECHO "warning: toolset $(toolset) initialization: can't find tool $(tool)" ;
-            ECHO "warning: initialized from" [ errors.nearest-user-location ] ;
+            if $(.debug-configuration)
+            {
+                ECHO "warning: toolset $(toolset) initialization: can't find tool $(tool)" ;
+                ECHO "warning: initialized from" [ errors.nearest-user-location ] ;
+            }
         }        
     }
     else
@@ -239,9 +246,12 @@ rule get-invocation-command (
         command = [ common.check-tool $(user-provided-command) ] ;        
         if ! $(command)
         {
-            ECHO "warning: toolset $(toolset) initialization: " ;
-            ECHO "warning: can't find user-provided command '$(user-provided-command:J= )'" ;
-            ECHO "warning: initialized from" [ errors.nearest-user-location ] ;
+            if $(.debug-configuration)
+            {
+                ECHO "warning: toolset $(toolset) initialization: " ;
+                ECHO "warning: can't find user-provided command '$(user-provided-command:J= )'" ;
+                ECHO "warning: initialized from" [ errors.nearest-user-location ] ;
+            }
             # It's possible, in theory, that user-provided command is OK, but we're
             # not smart enough to understand that. 
             command = $(user-provided-command) ;