diff --git a/hooks/busybox/extract00.sh b/hooks/busybox/extract00.sh
index 6f5c4b8..7d9b6ec 100755
--- a/hooks/busybox/extract00.sh
+++ b/hooks/busybox/extract00.sh
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 set -eu
 
-if [ "$MMDEBSTRAP_VERBOSITY" -ge 3 ]; then
+if [ "${MMDEBSTRAP_VERBOSITY:-1}" -ge 3 ]; then
 	set -x
 fi
 
diff --git a/hooks/busybox/setup00.sh b/hooks/busybox/setup00.sh
index 3f9b931..fc65e12 100755
--- a/hooks/busybox/setup00.sh
+++ b/hooks/busybox/setup00.sh
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 set -eu
 
-if [ "$MMDEBSTRAP_VERBOSITY" -ge 3 ]; then
+if [ "${MMDEBSTRAP_VERBOSITY:-1}" -ge 3 ]; then
 	set -x
 fi
 
diff --git a/hooks/eatmydata/customize.sh b/hooks/eatmydata/customize.sh
index bf887da..01c55ed 100755
--- a/hooks/eatmydata/customize.sh
+++ b/hooks/eatmydata/customize.sh
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 set -eu
 
-if [ "$MMDEBSTRAP_VERBOSITY" -ge 3 ]; then
+if [ "${MMDEBSTRAP_VERBOSITY:-1}" -ge 3 ]; then
 	set -x
 fi
 
diff --git a/hooks/eatmydata/extract.sh b/hooks/eatmydata/extract.sh
index 3dd8d5f..88eb811 100755
--- a/hooks/eatmydata/extract.sh
+++ b/hooks/eatmydata/extract.sh
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 set -eu
 
-if [ "$MMDEBSTRAP_VERBOSITY" -ge 3 ]; then
+if [ "${MMDEBSTRAP_VERBOSITY:-1}" -ge 3 ]; then
 	set -x
 fi
 
diff --git a/hooks/file-mirror-automount/customize00.sh b/hooks/file-mirror-automount/customize00.sh
index f0432ef..8dd020c 100755
--- a/hooks/file-mirror-automount/customize00.sh
+++ b/hooks/file-mirror-automount/customize00.sh
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 set -eu
 
-if [ "$MMDEBSTRAP_VERBOSITY" -ge 3 ]; then
+if [ "${MMDEBSTRAP_VERBOSITY:-1}" -ge 3 ]; then
 	set -x
 fi
 
diff --git a/hooks/file-mirror-automount/setup00.sh b/hooks/file-mirror-automount/setup00.sh
index 9ad35d2..ab22475 100755
--- a/hooks/file-mirror-automount/setup00.sh
+++ b/hooks/file-mirror-automount/setup00.sh
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 set -eu
 
-if [ "$MMDEBSTRAP_VERBOSITY" -ge 3 ]; then
+if [ "${MMDEBSTRAP_VERBOSITY:-1}" -ge 3 ]; then
 	set -x
 fi
 
diff --git a/hooks/merged-usr/essential00.sh b/hooks/merged-usr/essential00.sh
index ec3c2d0..2acbdba 100755
--- a/hooks/merged-usr/essential00.sh
+++ b/hooks/merged-usr/essential00.sh
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 set -eu
 
-if [ "$MMDEBSTRAP_VERBOSITY" -ge 3 ]; then
+if [ "${MMDEBSTRAP_VERBOSITY:-1}" -ge 3 ]; then
         set -x
 fi
 
diff --git a/hooks/merged-usr/setup00.sh b/hooks/merged-usr/setup00.sh
index 7088d9c..af1eba3 100755
--- a/hooks/merged-usr/setup00.sh
+++ b/hooks/merged-usr/setup00.sh
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@
 
 set -eu
 
-if [ "$MMDEBSTRAP_VERBOSITY" -ge 3 ]; then
+if [ "${MMDEBSTRAP_VERBOSITY:-1}" -ge 3 ]; then
 	set -x
 fi
 
diff --git a/hooks/no-merged-usr/essential00.sh b/hooks/no-merged-usr/essential00.sh
index 6673a85..fac6928 100755
--- a/hooks/no-merged-usr/essential00.sh
+++ b/hooks/no-merged-usr/essential00.sh
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 set -eu
 
-if [ "$MMDEBSTRAP_VERBOSITY" -ge 3 ]; then
+if [ "${MMDEBSTRAP_VERBOSITY:-1}" -ge 3 ]; then
         set -x
 fi
 
diff --git a/hooks/no-merged-usr/setup00.sh b/hooks/no-merged-usr/setup00.sh
index f5945ed..396f677 100755
--- a/hooks/no-merged-usr/setup00.sh
+++ b/hooks/no-merged-usr/setup00.sh
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 
 set -eu
 
-if [ "$MMDEBSTRAP_VERBOSITY" -ge 3 ]; then
+if [ "${MMDEBSTRAP_VERBOSITY:-1}" -ge 3 ]; then
         set -x
 fi