diff --git a/src/pmevent/doargs.c b/src/pmevent/doargs.c
index 330266e..27bb66a 100644
--- a/src/pmevent/doargs.c
+++ b/src/pmevent/doargs.c
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 
 #include "pmevent.h"
 
-static char *options = "a:D:gh:K:LO:p:S:s:T:t:zZ:?";
+static char *options = "a:D:gh:K:LO:p:qS:s:T:t:zZ:?";
 static char usage[] =
     "Usage: %s [options] metricname ...\n\n"
     "Options:\n"
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ static char usage[] =
     "  -L            metrics source is a local context\n"
     "  -O offset     initial offset into the reporting time window\n"
     "  -p port       port number for connection to existing time control\n"
+    "  -q            quieten the diagnostic output\n"
     "  -S starttime  start of the reporting time window\n"
     "  -s samples    terminate after this many samples\n"
     "  -T endtime    end of the reporting time window\n"
@@ -141,6 +142,10 @@ doargs(int argc, char **argv)
 	    }
 	    break;
 
+	case 'q':
+	    quiet++;
+	    break;
+
 	case 's':		/* sample count */
 	    d = (int)strtol(optarg, &endnum, 10);
 	    if (Tflag) {
diff --git a/src/pmevent/pmevent.c b/src/pmevent/pmevent.c
index 5f4d3c7..c3d6276 100644
--- a/src/pmevent/pmevent.c
+++ b/src/pmevent/pmevent.c
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ static pmTime		*pmtime;
 char		*host;				/* original host */
 char		*archive = NULL;		/* archive source */
 int		ahtype = -1;			/* archive or host or local context */
+int		quiet;				/* quieten diagnostic output */
 struct timeval	now;				/* current reporting time */
 struct timeval	first;				/* start reporting time */
 struct timeval	last = {INT_MAX, 999999};	/* end reporting time */
@@ -166,20 +167,22 @@ lookup(pmInDom indom, int inst)
 static void myeventdump(pmValueSet *, int);
 
 static void
-mydump(pmDesc *dp, pmValueSet *vsp)
+mydump(const char *name, pmDesc *dp, pmValueSet *vsp)
 {
     int		j;
     char	*p;
 
     if (vsp->numval == 0) {
-	printf(": No value(s) available!\n");
+	if (quiet == 0)
+	    printf("%s: No value(s) available!\n", name);
 	return;
     }
     else if (vsp->numval < 0) {
-	printf(": Error: %s\n", pmErrStr(vsp->numval));
+	printf("%s: Error: %s\n", name, pmErrStr(vsp->numval));
 	return;
     }
 
+    printf("    %s", name);
     for (j = 0; j < vsp->numval; j++) {
 	pmValue	*vp = &vsp->vlist[j];
 	if (dp->indom != PM_INDOM_NULL) {
@@ -335,8 +338,7 @@ myeventdump(pmValueSet *vsp, int idx)
 			    xvsp->vlist[0].value.lval);
 		continue;
 	    }
-	    printf("    %s", hp->name);
-	    mydump(&hp->desc, xvsp);
+	    mydump(hp->name, &hp->desc, xvsp);
 	}
     }
     if (nrecords >= 0)
@@ -429,11 +431,12 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 			__pmPrintStamp(stdout, &rp->timestamp);
 			printf("  ");
 		    }
-		    if (rp->vset[j]->numval == 0)
-			printf("%s: No values available\n", mp->name);
-		    else if (rp->vset[j]->numval < 0)
+		    if (rp->vset[j]->numval == 0) {
+			if (quiet == 0)
+			    printf("%s: No values available\n", mp->name);
+		    } else if (rp->vset[j]->numval < 0) {
 			printf("%s: Error: %s\n", mp->name, pmErrStr(rp->vset[j]->numval));
-		    else {
+		    } else {
 			int	i;
 			for (i = 0; i < rp->vset[j]->numval; i++) {
 			    if (rp->vset[j]->vlist[i].inst == PM_IN_NULL)
diff --git a/src/pmevent/pmevent.h b/src/pmevent/pmevent.h
index 16fd365..1bb4677 100644
--- a/src/pmevent/pmevent.h
+++ b/src/pmevent/pmevent.h
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ void doargs(int, char **);
 extern char		*host;
 extern char		*archive;
 extern int		ahtype;
+extern int		quiet;
 extern struct timeval	now;
 extern struct timeval	first;
 extern struct timeval	last;