diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 0dab2ee..9e10a9f 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -33,6 +33,9 @@
   increased to 4095.  That limit includes the subprocess started by
   the $(shell) function.
 
+* A new option --no-silent has been added, that cancels the effect of the
+  -s/--silent/--quiet flag.
+
 
 Version 4.2.1 (10 Jun 2016)
 
diff --git a/doc/make.texi b/doc/make.texi
index ddf3330..a1aa5d3 100644
--- a/doc/make.texi
+++ b/doc/make.texi
@@ -2945,10 +2945,9 @@
 not print the recipe used to remake those particular files before
 executing them.  The recipe for @code{.SILENT} is ignored.
 
-If mentioned as a target with no prerequisites, @code{.SILENT} says not
-to print any recipes before executing them.  This usage of
-@samp{.SILENT} is supported only for historical compatibility.  We
-recommend you use the more selective ways to silence specific recipes.
+If mentioned as a target with no prerequisites, @code{.SILENT} says
+not to print any recipes before executing them.  You may also use more
+selective ways to silence specific recipe command lines.
 @xref{Echoing, ,Recipe Echoing}.  If you want to silence all recipes
 for a particular run of @code{make}, use the @samp{-s} or
 @w{@samp{--silent}} option (@pxref{Options Summary}).
@@ -3788,8 +3787,7 @@
 flag to @code{make} prevents all echoing, as if all recipes
 started with @samp{@@}.  A rule in the makefile for the special target
 @code{.SILENT} without prerequisites has the same effect
-(@pxref{Special Targets, ,Special Built-in Target Names}).
-@code{.SILENT} is essentially obsolete since @samp{@@} is more flexible.@refill
+(@pxref{Special Targets, ,Special Built-in Target Names}).@refill
 
 @node Execution, Parallel, Echoing, Recipes
 @section Recipe Execution
diff --git a/main.c b/main.c
index fa65446..a17b70e 100644
--- a/main.c
+++ b/main.c
@@ -165,6 +165,7 @@
 /* Nonzero means do not print commands to be executed (-s).  */
 
 int silent_flag;
+static const int default_silent_flag = 0;
 
 /* Nonzero means just touch the files
    that would appear to need remaking (-t)  */
@@ -220,7 +221,7 @@
 /* Nonzero means keep going even if remaking some file fails (-k).  */
 
 int keep_going_flag;
-int default_keep_going_flag = 0;
+static const int default_keep_going_flag = 0;
 
 /* Nonzero means check symlink mtimes.  */
 
@@ -389,6 +390,8 @@
     N_("\
   -s, --silent, --quiet       Don't echo recipes.\n"),
     N_("\
+  --no-silent                 Echo recipes (disable --silent mode).\n"),
+    N_("\
   -S, --no-keep-going, --stop\n\
                               Turns off -k.\n"),
     N_("\
@@ -434,7 +437,7 @@
     { 'r', flag, &no_builtin_rules_flag, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, "no-builtin-rules" },
     { 'R', flag, &no_builtin_variables_flag, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0,
       "no-builtin-variables" },
-    { 's', flag, &silent_flag, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, "silent" },
+    { 's', flag, &silent_flag, 1, 1, 0, 0, &default_silent_flag, "silent" },
     { 'S', flag_off, &keep_going_flag, 1, 1, 0, 0, &default_keep_going_flag,
       "no-keep-going" },
     { 't', flag, &touch_flag, 1, 1, 1, 0, 0, "touch" },
@@ -464,7 +467,8 @@
       "warn-undefined-variables" },
     { CHAR_MAX+6, strlist, &eval_strings, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, "eval" },
     { CHAR_MAX+7, string, &sync_mutex, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, "sync-mutex" },
-    { CHAR_MAX+8, string, &jobserver_auth, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, "jobserver-fds" },
+    { CHAR_MAX+8, flag_off, &silent_flag, 1, 1, 0, 0, &default_silent_flag, "no-silent" },
+    { CHAR_MAX+9, string, &jobserver_auth, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, "jobserver-fds" },
     { 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0 }
   };
 
diff --git a/make.1 b/make.1
index d4bd284..5396650 100644
--- a/make.1
+++ b/make.1
@@ -270,19 +270,13 @@
 \fB\-s\fR, \fB\-\-silent\fR, \fB\-\-quiet\fR
 Silent operation; do not print the commands as they are executed.
 .TP 0.5i
+.B \-\-no\-silent
+Cancel the effect of the \fB\-s\fR option.
+.TP 0.5i
 \fB\-S\fR, \fB\-\-no\-keep\-going\fR, \fB\-\-stop\fR
 Cancel the effect of the
 .B \-k
 option.
-This is never necessary except in a recursive
-.B make
-where
-.B \-k
-might be inherited from the top-level
-.B make
-via MAKEFLAGS or if you set
-.B \-k
-in MAKEFLAGS in your environment.
 .TP 0.5i
 \fB\-t\fR, \fB\-\-touch\fR
 Touch files (mark them up to date without really changing them)
diff --git a/tests/scripts/options/dash-s b/tests/scripts/options/dash-s
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..76bffe6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/scripts/options/dash-s
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+#                                                                    -*-perl-*-
+
+$description = "Test the -s (silent) and --no-silent options.\n";
+
+run_make_test(q!
+all: one two
+one: ; @echo MAKEFLAGS=$$MAKEFLAGS
+two: ; echo two
+!,
+              '', "MAKEFLAGS=\necho two\ntwo");
+
+run_make_test(undef, '-s', "MAKEFLAGS=s\ntwo");
+run_make_test(undef, '--silent', "MAKEFLAGS=s\ntwo");
+run_make_test(undef, '--quiet', "MAKEFLAGS=s\ntwo");
+
+run_make_test(undef, '--no-silent', "MAKEFLAGS=\necho two\ntwo");
+
+run_make_test(undef, '-s --no-silent', "MAKEFLAGS=\necho two\ntwo");
+run_make_test(undef, '--silent --no-silent', "MAKEFLAGS=\necho two\ntwo");
+run_make_test(undef, '--quiet --no-silent', "MAKEFLAGS=\necho two\ntwo");
+
+run_make_test(undef, '--no-silent -s', "MAKEFLAGS=s\ntwo");
+run_make_test(undef, '--no-silent --silent', "MAKEFLAGS=s\ntwo");
+run_make_test(undef, '--no-silent --quiet', "MAKEFLAGS=s\ntwo");
+
+1;