diff --git a/atoi.py b/atoi.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e53ec92
--- /dev/null
+++ b/atoi.py
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+
+def atoi(v):
+    try:
+        return int(v or 0)
+    except ValueError:
+        return 0
diff --git a/helpers.py b/helpers.py
index d72a944..be968dd 100644
--- a/helpers.py
+++ b/helpers.py
@@ -2,13 +2,6 @@ import sys, os, errno
 import vars
 
 
-def atoi(v):
-    try:
-        return int(v or 0)
-    except ValueError:
-        return 0
-
-
 def unlink(f):
     """Delete a file at path 'f' if it currently exists.
 
@@ -68,7 +61,10 @@ else:
 
 
 def debug(s):
-    if vars.DEBUG:
+    if vars.DEBUG >= 1:
+        _log('redo: %s%s' % (vars.DEPTH, s))
+def debug2(s):
+    if vars.DEBUG >= 2:
         _log('redo: %s%s' % (vars.DEPTH, s))
 
 
diff --git a/jwack.py b/jwack.py
index a23a1bf..a9c45d7 100644
--- a/jwack.py
+++ b/jwack.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 # beware the jobberwack
 #
 import sys, os, errno, select, fcntl
+import atoi
 
 _toplevel = 0
 _mytokens = 1
@@ -14,13 +15,6 @@ def _debug(s):
         sys.stderr.write('jwack#%d: %s' % (os.getpid(),s))
     
 
-def _atoi(v):
-    try:
-        return int(v or 0)
-    except ValueError:
-        return 0
-
-
 def _release(n):
     global _mytokens
     _debug('release(%d)\n' % n)
@@ -60,8 +54,8 @@ def setup(maxjobs):
         s = flags[ofs+len(FIND):]
         (arg,junk) = s.split(' ', 1)
         (a,b) = arg.split(',', 1)
-        a = _atoi(a)
-        b = _atoi(b)
+        a = atoi.atoi(a)
+        b = atoi.atoi(b)
         if a <= 0 or b <= 0:
             raise ValueError('invalid --jobserver-fds: %r' % arg)
         try:
diff --git a/redo.py b/redo.py
index 2b50198..b37b9ad 100755
--- a/redo.py
+++ b/redo.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/usr/bin/python
 import sys, os, subprocess, glob, time, random
-import options, jwack
+import options, jwack, atoi
 
 optspec = """
 redo [targets...]
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ o = options.Options('redo', optspec)
 targets = extra or ['all']
 
 if opt.debug:
-    os.environ['REDO_DEBUG'] = '1'
+    os.environ['REDO_DEBUG'] = str(opt.debug or 0)
 if opt.verbose:
     os.environ['REDO_VERBOSE'] = '1'
 if opt.shuffle:
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ def _possible_do_files(t):
 
 def find_do_file(t):
     for dofile,basename,ext in _possible_do_files(t):
+        debug2('%s: %s ?\n' % (t, dofile))
         if os.path.exists(dofile):
             add_dep(t, 'm', dofile)
             return dofile,basename,ext
@@ -214,7 +215,7 @@ if not vars.DEPTH:
     os.environ['PATH'] = ':'.join(dirnames) + ':' + os.environ['PATH']
 
 try:
-    j = atoi(opt.jobs or 1)
+    j = atoi.atoi(opt.jobs or 1)
     if j < 1 or j > 1000:
         err('invalid --jobs value: %r\n' % opt.jobs)
     jwack.setup(j)
diff --git a/vars.py b/vars.py
index 22aada3..ae24865 100644
--- a/vars.py
+++ b/vars.py
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 import os
+import atoi
 
 TARGET = os.environ.get('REDO_TARGET', '')
 DEPTH = os.environ.get('REDO_DEPTH', '')
-DEBUG = os.environ.get('REDO_DEBUG', '') and 1 or 0
+DEBUG = atoi.atoi(os.environ.get('REDO_DEBUG', ''))
 VERBOSE = os.environ.get('REDO_VERBOSE', '') and 1 or 0
 SHUFFLE = os.environ.get('REDO_SHUFFLE', '') and 1 or 0
 STARTDIR = os.environ.get('REDO_STARTDIR', '')