diff --git a/osxphotos/__init__.py b/osxphotos/__init__.py
index f7b8379c..99b34786 100644
--- a/osxphotos/__init__.py
+++ b/osxphotos/__init__.py
@@ -44,18 +44,26 @@ _PHOTOS_5_VERSION = "6000"
 # which major version operating systems have been tested
 _TESTED_OS_VERSIONS = ["12", "13", "14", "15"]
 
-# set _debug = True to enable debug output
-_debug = False
+# set _DEBUG = True to enable debug output
+_DEBUG = False
 
 logging.basicConfig(
     level=logging.DEBUG,
     format="%(asctime)s - %(levelname)s - %(filename)s - %(lineno)d - %(message)s",
 )
 
-if not _debug:
+if not _DEBUG:
     logging.disable(logging.DEBUG)
 
 
+def _debug(debug):
+    """ Enable or disable debug logging """
+    if debug:
+        logging.disable(logging.NOTSET)
+    else:
+        logging.disable(logging.DEBUG)
+
+
 def _get_os_version():
     # returns tuple containing OS version
     # e.g. 10.13.6 = (10, 13, 6)
@@ -194,6 +202,7 @@ class PhotosDB:
             try:
                 os.remove(f)
             except Exception as e:
+                logging.debug(f"exception {e} removing {f}")
                 pass
                 # print(f"WARNING: Unable to remove tmp file {e}")
                 # raise e
@@ -362,6 +371,8 @@ class PhotosDB:
             raise Exception
 
         self._tmp_files.extend(tmp_files)
+        logging.debug(self._tmp_files)
+
         return tmp
 
     def _open_sql_file(self, file):
@@ -654,7 +665,7 @@ class PhotosDB:
         # remove temporary files
         self._cleanup_tmp_files()
 
-        if _debug:
+        if _DEBUG:
             logging.debug("Faces:")
             logging.debug(pformat(self._dbfaces_uuid))
 
@@ -839,8 +850,9 @@ class PhotosDB:
         for row in c:
             i = i + 1
             uuid = row[0]
-            if _debug:
+            if _DEBUG:
                 logging.debug(f"i = {i:d}, uuid = '{uuid}")
+
             self._dbphotos[uuid] = {}
             self._dbphotos[uuid]["modelID"] = None
             self._dbphotos[uuid]["masterUuid"] = None
@@ -940,7 +952,7 @@ class PhotosDB:
                 else:
                     self._dbphotos[uuid]["isMissing"] = 0
 
-        if _debug:
+        if _DEBUG:
             logging.debug(pformat(self._dbphotos))
 
         # add faces and keywords to photo data
@@ -971,7 +983,7 @@ class PhotosDB:
         conn.close()
         self._cleanup_tmp_files()
 
-        if _debug:
+        if _DEBUG:
             logging.debug("Faces:")
             logging.debug(pformat(self._dbfaces_uuid))
 
diff --git a/osxphotos/cmd_line.py b/osxphotos/cmd_line.py
index 422cfa30..1d18e967 100644
--- a/osxphotos/cmd_line.py
+++ b/osxphotos/cmd_line.py
@@ -7,12 +7,13 @@ import yaml
 
 import osxphotos
 
-# TODO: add query for description, name (contains text)
 # TODO: add "--any" to search any field (e.g. keyword, description, name contains "wedding") (add case insensitive option)
 
 
 class CLI_Obj:
-    def __init__(self, db=None, json=False):
+    def __init__(self, db=None, json=False, debug=False):
+        if debug:
+            osxphotos._debug(True)
         self.photosdb = osxphotos.PhotosDB(dbfile=db)
         self.json = json
 
@@ -35,9 +36,10 @@ CTX_SETTINGS = dict(help_option_names=["-h", "--help"])
     default=False,
     help="Print output in JSON format",
 )
+@click.option("--debug", required=False, is_flag=True, default=False, hidden=True)
 @click.pass_context
-def cli(ctx, db, json):
-    ctx.obj = CLI_Obj(db=db, json=json)
+def cli(ctx, db, json, debug):
+    ctx.obj = CLI_Obj(db=db, json=json, debug=debug)
 
 
 @cli.command()
@@ -136,7 +138,9 @@ def dump(cli_obj):
     multiple=True,
     help="search for TEXT in description of photo",
 )
-@click.option("--no-description", is_flag=True, help="search for photos with no description")
+@click.option(
+    "--no-description", is_flag=True, help="search for photos with no description"
+)
 @click.option(
     "-i",
     "--ignore-case",
@@ -223,11 +227,11 @@ def query(
     elif name and no_name:
         # can't search for both name and no_name
         print(cli.commands["query"].get_help(ctx))
-        return 
+        return
     elif description and no_description:
         # can't search for both description and no_description
         print(cli.commands["query"].get_help(ctx))
-        return 
+        return
     else:
         photos = cli_obj.photosdb.photos(
             keywords=keyword, persons=person, albums=album, uuid=uuid