diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index e2adeb949..6e3ead879 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -182,6 +182,16 @@ The utility commands detailed in the next section.
 
 ## Utility Commands
 
+Add `--verbose` to a Corepack utility command to print diagnostics on stderr,
+for example `corepack cache clean --verbose`. Cache cleaning reports its target
+directory and whether that cache exists; other commands include their package
+manager resolution and download diagnostics. Normal stdout is unchanged.
+
+To enable Corepack diagnostics when running a package manager, put the option
+before its name: `corepack --verbose pnpm install`. Arguments after the package
+manager name are passed to that manager. Setting `DEBUG=corepack` remains
+supported.
+
 ### `corepack <binary name>[@<version>] [... args]`
 
 This meta-command runs the specified package manager in the local folder. You
diff --git a/sources/commands/Base.ts b/sources/commands/Base.ts
index 9c7214c08..df55fcc52 100644
--- a/sources/commands/Base.ts
+++ b/sources/commands/Base.ts
@@ -1,11 +1,33 @@
-import {Command, UsageError}             from 'clipanion';
+import {Command, Option, UsageError}     from 'clipanion';
 
 import type {PreparedPackageManagerInfo} from '../Engine.ts';
 import * as corepackUtils                from '../corepackUtils.ts';
+import * as debugUtils                   from '../debugUtils.ts';
 import type {Context}                    from '../main.ts';
 import * as specUtils                    from '../specUtils.ts';
 
 export abstract class BaseCommand extends Command<Context> {
+  verbose = Option.Boolean(`--verbose`, false, {
+    description: `Print Corepack diagnostic information on stderr`,
+  });
+
+  async validateAndExecute() {
+    const wasEnabled = debugUtils.log.enabled;
+    if (this.verbose)
+      debugUtils.log.enabled = true;
+
+    try {
+      if (this.path.length > 0)
+        debugUtils.log(`Running ${this.path.join(` `)}`);
+
+      return await super.validateAndExecute();
+    } finally {
+      if (this.verbose) {
+        debugUtils.log.enabled = wasEnabled;
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
   async resolvePatternsToDescriptors({patterns}: {patterns: Array<string>}) {
     const resolvedSpecs = patterns.map(pattern => specUtils.parseSpec(pattern, `CLI arguments`, {enforceExactVersion: false}));
 
diff --git a/sources/commands/Cache.ts b/sources/commands/Cache.ts
index 6d67b8a59..121e33832 100644
--- a/sources/commands/Cache.ts
+++ b/sources/commands/Cache.ts
@@ -1,10 +1,13 @@
 import {Command}          from 'clipanion';
 import fs                 from 'fs';
 
+import * as debugUtils    from '../debugUtils.ts';
 import {getInstallFolder} from '../folderUtils.ts';
-import type {Context}     from '../main.ts';
+import {isNodeError}      from '../nodeUtils.ts';
 
-export class CacheCommand extends Command<Context> {
+import {BaseCommand}      from './Base.ts';
+
+export class CacheCommand extends BaseCommand {
   static paths = [
     [`cache`, `clean`],
     [`cache`, `clear`],
@@ -18,6 +21,19 @@ export class CacheCommand extends Command<Context> {
   });
 
   async execute() {
-    await fs.promises.rm(getInstallFolder(), {recursive: true, force: true});
+    const folder = getInstallFolder();
+    try {
+      await fs.promises.lstat(folder);
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (isNodeError(error) && error.code === `ENOENT`) {
+        debugUtils.log(`Package manager cache does not exist at ${folder}`);
+        return;
+      }
+      throw error;
+    }
+
+    debugUtils.log(`Removing package manager cache at ${folder}`);
+    await fs.promises.rm(folder, {recursive: true, force: true});
+    debugUtils.log(`Finished cleaning package manager cache at ${folder}`);
   }
 }
diff --git a/sources/commands/Disable.ts b/sources/commands/Disable.ts
index 8d99c5494..9045e3b37 100644
--- a/sources/commands/Disable.ts
+++ b/sources/commands/Disable.ts
@@ -4,11 +4,12 @@ import path                                                              from 'p
 import which                                                             from 'which';
 
 import * as corepackUtils                                                from '../corepackUtils.ts';
-import type {Context}                                                    from '../main.ts';
 import type {NodeError}                                                  from '../nodeUtils.ts';
 import {isSupportedPackageManager, SupportedPackageManagerSetWithoutNpm} from '../types.ts';
 
-export class DisableCommand extends Command<Context> {
+import {BaseCommand}                                                     from './Base.ts';
+
+export class DisableCommand extends BaseCommand {
   static paths = [
     [`disable`],
   ];
diff --git a/sources/commands/Enable.ts b/sources/commands/Enable.ts
index eba073176..6748e1e1e 100644
--- a/sources/commands/Enable.ts
+++ b/sources/commands/Enable.ts
@@ -5,10 +5,11 @@ import path                                                              from 'p
 import which                                                             from 'which';
 
 import * as corepackUtils                                                from '../corepackUtils.ts';
-import type {Context}                                                    from '../main.ts';
 import {isSupportedPackageManager, SupportedPackageManagerSetWithoutNpm} from '../types.ts';
 
-export class EnableCommand extends Command<Context> {
+import {BaseCommand}                                                     from './Base.ts';
+
+export class EnableCommand extends BaseCommand {
   static paths = [
     [`enable`],
   ];
diff --git a/sources/commands/Verbose.ts b/sources/commands/Verbose.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..787f713f1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sources/commands/Verbose.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+import {Command, Option} from 'clipanion';
+
+import {runMain}         from '../main.ts';
+
+import {BaseCommand}     from './Base.ts';
+
+export class VerboseCommand extends BaseCommand {
+  static paths = [[`--verbose`]];
+
+  static usage = Command.Usage({
+    description: `Run a command with Corepack diagnostics`,
+    details: `
+      Place \`--verbose\` before a package manager name to print Corepack
+      diagnostics on stderr. Arguments after the package manager name are
+      passed to that manager.
+    `,
+    examples: [[
+      `Show Corepack diagnostics when running pnpm`,
+      `corepack --verbose pnpm install`,
+    ]],
+  });
+
+  // The flag is consumed as this command's path.
+  verbose = true;
+
+  command = Option.Proxy({name: `command`});
+
+  async execute() {
+    await runMain(this.command);
+  }
+}
diff --git a/sources/commands/deprecated/Hydrate.ts b/sources/commands/deprecated/Hydrate.ts
index 200e282fb..5ffa63f05 100644
--- a/sources/commands/deprecated/Hydrate.ts
+++ b/sources/commands/deprecated/Hydrate.ts
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
-import {Command, Option, UsageError} from 'clipanion';
-import {mkdir}                       from 'fs/promises';
-import path                          from 'path';
+import {Option, UsageError}        from 'clipanion';
+import {mkdir}                     from 'fs/promises';
+import path                        from 'path';
 
-import * as folderUtils              from '../../folderUtils.ts';
-import type {Context}                from '../../main.ts';
-import {isSupportedPackageManager}   from '../../types.ts';
+import * as folderUtils            from '../../folderUtils.ts';
+import {isSupportedPackageManager} from '../../types.ts';
+import {BaseCommand}               from '../Base.ts';
 
-export class HydrateCommand extends Command<Context> {
+export class HydrateCommand extends BaseCommand {
   static paths = [
     [`hydrate`],
   ];
diff --git a/sources/commands/deprecated/Prepare.ts b/sources/commands/deprecated/Prepare.ts
index 02f2864b4..7091db9e7 100644
--- a/sources/commands/deprecated/Prepare.ts
+++ b/sources/commands/deprecated/Prepare.ts
@@ -1,13 +1,13 @@
-import {Command, Option, UsageError} from 'clipanion';
-import {mkdir}                       from 'fs/promises';
-import path                          from 'path';
+import {Option, UsageError} from 'clipanion';
+import {mkdir}              from 'fs/promises';
+import path                 from 'path';
 
-import * as folderUtils              from '../../folderUtils.ts';
-import type {Context}                from '../../main.ts';
-import * as specUtils                from '../../specUtils.ts';
-import type {Descriptor}             from '../../types.ts';
+import * as folderUtils     from '../../folderUtils.ts';
+import * as specUtils       from '../../specUtils.ts';
+import type {Descriptor}    from '../../types.ts';
+import {BaseCommand}        from '../Base.ts';
 
-export class PrepareCommand extends Command<Context> {
+export class PrepareCommand extends BaseCommand {
   static paths = [
     [`prepare`],
   ];
diff --git a/sources/main.ts b/sources/main.ts
index e623af1f5..03beecfc3 100644
--- a/sources/main.ts
+++ b/sources/main.ts
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import {InstallLocalCommand}          from './commands/InstallLocal.ts';
 import {PackCommand}                  from './commands/Pack.ts';
 import {UpCommand}                    from './commands/Up.ts';
 import {UseCommand}                   from './commands/Use.ts';
+import {VerboseCommand}               from './commands/Verbose.ts';
 import {HydrateCommand}               from './commands/deprecated/Hydrate.ts';
 import {PrepareCommand}               from './commands/deprecated/Prepare.ts';
 
@@ -70,6 +71,7 @@ export async function runMain(argv: Array<string>) {
     cli.register(PackCommand);
     cli.register(UpCommand);
     cli.register(UseCommand);
+    cli.register(VerboseCommand);
 
     // Deprecated commands
     cli.register(HydrateCommand);
diff --git a/tests/Use.test.ts b/tests/Use.test.ts
index 6dd37939e..61753e391 100644
--- a/tests/Use.test.ts
+++ b/tests/Use.test.ts
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ describe(`UseCommand`, () => {
         await expect(runCli(cwd, [`use`, `yarn@1.22.4`])).resolves.toMatchObject({
           exitCode: 1,
           stderr: ``,
-          stdout: `Installing yarn@1.22.4 in the project...\nUsage Error: The requested version of yarn@1.22.4+sha512.a1833b862fe52169bd6c2a033045a07df5bc6a23595c259e675fed1b2d035ab37abe6ce309720abb6636d68f03615054b6292dc0a70da31c8697fda228b50d18 does not match the devEngines specification (yarn@2.x)\n\n$ corepack use <pattern>\n`,
+          stdout: `Installing yarn@1.22.4 in the project...\nUsage Error: The requested version of yarn@1.22.4+sha512.a1833b862fe52169bd6c2a033045a07df5bc6a23595c259e675fed1b2d035ab37abe6ce309720abb6636d68f03615054b6292dc0a70da31c8697fda228b50d18 does not match the devEngines specification (yarn@2.x)\n\n$ corepack use [--verbose] <pattern>\n`,
         });
 
         // Should accept setting to a compatible version:
diff --git a/tests/Verbose.test.ts b/tests/Verbose.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d16dc8c5b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/Verbose.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,134 @@
+import {npath, ppath, xfs}                from '@yarnpkg/fslib';
+import type {PortablePath}                from '@yarnpkg/fslib';
+import {beforeEach, describe, expect, it} from 'vitest';
+
+import {runCli}                           from './_runCli.ts';
+
+beforeEach(async () => {
+  const home = await xfs.mktempPromise();
+  process.env.COREPACK_HOME = npath.fromPortablePath(home);
+  process.env.COREPACK_DEFAULT_TO_LATEST = `0`;
+  process.env.COREPACK_ENABLE_NETWORK = `0`;
+  return () => xfs.removePromise(home, {recursive: true});
+});
+
+async function cachePackageManager(cwd: PortablePath) {
+  await xfs.writeJsonPromise(ppath.join(cwd, `package.json`), {packageManager: `pnpm@1.0.0`});
+  const folder = ppath.join(npath.toPortablePath(process.env.COREPACK_HOME!), `v1`, `pnpm`, `1.0.0`);
+  await xfs.mkdirpPromise(folder);
+  await xfs.writeJsonPromise(ppath.join(folder, `.corepack`), {
+    locator: {name: `pnpm`, reference: `1.0.0`},
+    bin: {pnpm: `pnpm.js`},
+    hash: `sha512.abc`,
+  });
+  await xfs.writeFilePromise(ppath.join(folder, `pnpm.js`), `console.log(JSON.stringify(process.argv.slice(2))); if (process.argv.includes('--fail')) process.exitCode = 23;\n`);
+}
+
+describe(`verbose diagnostics`, () => {
+  it(`keeps the global command help available`, async () => {
+    await xfs.mktempPromise(async cwd => {
+      const result = await runCli(cwd, [`--help`]);
+      expect(result.exitCode).toBe(0);
+      expect(result.stdout).toContain(`corepack cache clean`);
+      expect(result.stdout).toContain(`corepack use`);
+      expect(result.stderr).toBe(``);
+    });
+  });
+
+  it(`supports the version command`, async () => {
+    await xfs.mktempPromise(async cwd => {
+      const plain = await runCli(cwd, [`--version`]);
+      const verbose = await runCli(cwd, [`--verbose`, `--version`]);
+      expect(verbose.exitCode).toBe(0);
+      expect(verbose.stdout).toBe(plain.stdout);
+    });
+  });
+
+  it.each([
+    {command: [`cache`, `clean`], verbose: false},
+    {command: [`cache`, `clear`, `--no-verbose`], verbose: false},
+    {command: [`cache`, `clean`, `--verbose`], verbose: true},
+    {command: [`--verbose`, `cache`, `clear`], verbose: true},
+  ])(`cleans the cache with $command`, async ({command, verbose}) => {
+    await xfs.mktempPromise(async cwd => {
+      const folder = ppath.join(npath.toPortablePath(process.env.COREPACK_HOME!), `v1`);
+      await xfs.mkdirpPromise(folder);
+      await xfs.writeFilePromise(ppath.join(folder, `cached-file`), `cached`);
+
+      const result = await runCli(cwd, command);
+      expect(result.exitCode).toBe(0);
+      expect(result.stdout).toBe(``);
+      if (verbose) {
+        expect(result.stderr).toContain(`Removing package manager cache at ${npath.fromPortablePath(folder)}`);
+        expect(result.stderr).toContain(`Finished cleaning package manager cache`);
+      } else {
+        expect(result.stderr).toBe(``);
+      }
+      await expect(xfs.existsPromise(folder)).resolves.toBe(false);
+    });
+  });
+
+  it(`reports when the cache is already absent`, async () => {
+    await xfs.mktempPromise(async cwd => {
+      await expect(runCli(cwd, [`cache`, `clean`, `--verbose`])).resolves.toMatchObject({
+        exitCode: 0,
+        stdout: ``,
+        stderr: expect.stringContaining(`Package manager cache does not exist at`),
+      });
+    });
+  });
+
+  it(`preserves DEBUG-based diagnostics`, async () => {
+    process.env.DEBUG = `corepack`;
+    await xfs.mktempPromise(async cwd => {
+      await expect(runCli(cwd, [`cache`, `clean`])).resolves.toMatchObject({
+        exitCode: 0,
+        stdout: ``,
+        stderr: expect.stringContaining(`Package manager cache does not exist at`),
+      });
+    });
+  });
+
+  it.each([true, false])(`forwards package manager arguments (Corepack verbose: %s)`, async verbose => {
+    await xfs.mktempPromise(async cwd => {
+      await cachePackageManager(cwd);
+      const args = [`--verbose`, `--filter`, `@scope/example`, `install`];
+      const result = await runCli(cwd, [...(verbose ? [`--verbose`] : []), `pnpm`, ...args]);
+      expect(result.exitCode).toBe(0);
+      expect(result.stdout).toBe(`${JSON.stringify(args)}\n`);
+      if (verbose) {
+        expect(result.stderr).toContain(`corepack`);
+        expect(result.stderr).toContain(`Reusing pnpm@1.0.0`);
+      } else {
+        expect(result.stderr).toBe(``);
+      }
+    });
+  });
+
+  it(`preserves a package manager's exit code`, async () => {
+    await xfs.mktempPromise(async cwd => {
+      await cachePackageManager(cwd);
+      await expect(runCli(cwd, [`--verbose`, `pnpm`, `--fail`])).resolves.toMatchObject({exitCode: 23});
+    });
+  });
+
+  it(`preserves utility command failures`, async () => {
+    await xfs.mktempPromise(async cwd => {
+      await expect(runCli(cwd, [`--verbose`, `not-a-command`])).resolves.toMatchObject({exitCode: 1});
+    });
+  });
+
+  it(`keeps --json output unchanged`, async () => {
+    await xfs.mktempPromise(async cwd => {
+      await cachePackageManager(cwd);
+      const args = [`pack`, `pnpm@1.0.0`, `--json`];
+      const plain = await runCli(cwd, args);
+      const verbose = await runCli(cwd, [...args, `--verbose`]);
+      expect(plain.exitCode).toBe(0);
+      expect(verbose.exitCode).toBe(0);
+      expect(verbose.stdout).toBe(plain.stdout);
+      expect(verbose.stderr).toContain(`Reusing pnpm@1.0.0`);
+      await expect(xfs.existsPromise(ppath.join(cwd, `corepack.tgz`))).resolves.toBe(true);
+    });
+  });
+});