diff --git a/packages/gatsby/src/commands/build.ts b/packages/gatsby/src/commands/build.ts
index 2c2d156dd36a8..1e8e096412fd5 100644
--- a/packages/gatsby/src/commands/build.ts
+++ b/packages/gatsby/src/commands/build.ts
@@ -61,7 +61,10 @@ interface IBuildArgs extends IProgram {
 }
 
 module.exports = async function build(program: IBuildArgs): Promise<void> {
-  report.setVerbose(isTruthy(process.env.VERBOSE) || program.verbose)
+  if (isTruthy(process.env.VERBOSE)) {
+    program.verbose = true
+  }
+  report.setVerbose(program.verbose)
 
   if (program.profile) {
     report.warn(
diff --git a/packages/gatsby/src/commands/develop-process.ts b/packages/gatsby/src/commands/develop-process.ts
index 7935edc0c38e3..85967222d1be2 100644
--- a/packages/gatsby/src/commands/develop-process.ts
+++ b/packages/gatsby/src/commands/develop-process.ts
@@ -81,7 +81,10 @@ const openDebuggerPort = (debugInfo: IDebugInfo): void => {
 }
 
 module.exports = async (program: IDevelopArgs): Promise<void> => {
-  reporter.setVerbose(isTruthy(process.env.VERBOSE) || program.verbose)
+  if (isTruthy(process.env.VERBOSE)) {
+    program.verbose = true
+  }
+  reporter.setVerbose(program.verbose)
 
   if (program.debugInfo) {
     openDebuggerPort(program.debugInfo)