diff --git a/hub/management/commands/import_areas.py b/hub/management/commands/import_areas.py
index ceec5d25..78aae6dd 100644
--- a/hub/management/commands/import_areas.py
+++ b/hub/management/commands/import_areas.py
@@ -40,14 +40,20 @@ def add_arguments(self, parser):
             "-q", "--quiet", action="store_true", help="Silence progress bars."
         )
 
-    def handle(self, quiet: bool = False, *args, **options):
-        quiet = True
+        parser.add_argument(
+            "--diagnostics",
+            action="store_true",
+            help="Print out extra diagnostics - very verbose",
+        )
+
+    def handle(self, quiet: bool = False, diagnostics: bool = False, *args, **options):
         mapit_client = mapit.MapIt()
         for b_type in self.boundary_types:
             areas = mapit_client.areas_of_type(b_type["mapit_type"])
-            print(
-                f"fetched mapit areas with type {b_type['mapit_type']}, our type {b_type['code']}"
-            )
+            if diagnostics:
+                print(
+                    f"fetched mapit areas with type {b_type['mapit_type']}, our type {b_type['code']}"
+                )
             area_type, created = AreaType.objects.get_or_create(
                 code=b_type["code"],
                 area_type=b_type["area_type"],
@@ -57,10 +63,12 @@ def handle(self, quiet: bool = False, *args, **options):
                 },
             )
 
-            if not quiet:
+            if diagnostics or not quiet:
                 print(f"Importing {b_type['name']} Areas")
-            for area in tqdm(areas, disable=quiet):
-                print(f"looking at {area['name']}, mapit type {area['type']}")
+            disable = quiet or diagnostics
+            for area in tqdm(areas, disable=disable):
+                if diagnostics:
+                    print(f"looking at {area['name']}, mapit type {area['type']}")
                 try:
                     geom = mapit_client.area_geometry(area["id"])
                     geom = {
@@ -77,9 +85,10 @@ def handle(self, quiet: bool = False, *args, **options):
                     print(f"could not find mapit area for {area['name']}")
                     geom = None
 
-                print(
-                    f"creating area for {area['name']} with GSS {area['codes']['gss']}, mapit_id {area['id']}"
-                )
+                if diagnostics:
+                    print(
+                        f"creating area for {area['name']} with GSS {area['codes']['gss']}, mapit_id {area['id']}"
+                    )
                 try:
                     a, created = Area.objects.update_or_create(
                         name=area["name"],
@@ -97,6 +106,8 @@ def handle(self, quiet: bool = False, *args, **options):
 
                 a.geometry = geom
                 a.save()
-                print("--")
+                if diagnostics:
+                    print("--")
 
-            print("\n\033[31m######################\033[0m\n")
+            if diagnostics:
+                print("\n\033[31m######################\033[0m\n")