diff --git a/ironic/conf/ipmi.py b/ironic/conf/ipmi.py
index 466888e353..49dfda91c4 100644
--- a/ironic/conf/ipmi.py
+++ b/ironic/conf/ipmi.py
@@ -49,6 +49,12 @@ opts = [
                        'that command, the default value is True. It may be '
                        'overridden by per-node \'ipmi_disable_boot_timeout\' '
                        'option in node\'s \'driver_info\' field.')),
+    cfg.BoolOpt('debug',
+                default=False,
+                help=_('Enables all ipmi commands to be executed with an '
+                       'additional debugging output. This is a separate '
+                       'option as ipmitool can log a substantial amount '
+                       'of misleading text when in this mode.')),
 ]
 
 
diff --git a/ironic/drivers/modules/ipmitool.py b/ironic/drivers/modules/ipmitool.py
index bb37b44c85..1d285e18b3 100644
--- a/ironic/drivers/modules/ipmitool.py
+++ b/ironic/drivers/modules/ipmitool.py
@@ -445,7 +445,7 @@ def _get_ipmitool_args(driver_info, pw_file=None):
         args.append('-f')
         args.append(pw_file)
 
-    if CONF.debug:
+    if CONF.ipmi.debug:
         args.append('-v')
 
     # ensure all arguments are strings
diff --git a/ironic/tests/unit/drivers/modules/test_ipmitool.py b/ironic/tests/unit/drivers/modules/test_ipmitool.py
index 8aa3c3a2c1..efea67721e 100644
--- a/ironic/tests/unit/drivers/modules/test_ipmitool.py
+++ b/ironic/tests/unit/drivers/modules/test_ipmitool.py
@@ -454,6 +454,7 @@ class Base(db_base.DbTestCase):
                     enabled_console_interfaces=['fake', 'ipmitool-socat',
                                                 'ipmitool-shellinabox',
                                                 'no-console'])
+        self.config(debug=True, group="ipmi")
         self.node = obj_utils.create_test_node(
             self.context,
             console_interface='ipmitool-socat',
@@ -2569,7 +2570,7 @@ class IPMIToolShellinaboxTestCase(db_base.DbTestCase):
             ipmi_cmd = self.console._get_ipmi_cmd(driver_info, 'pw_file')
             expected_ipmi_cmd = ("/:%(uid)s:%(gid)s:HOME:ipmitool "
                                  "-I lanplus -H %(address)s -L ADMINISTRATOR "
-                                 "-U %(user)s -f pw_file -v" %
+                                 "-U %(user)s -f pw_file" %
                                  {'uid': os.getuid(), 'gid': os.getgid(),
                                   'address': driver_info['address'],
                                   'user': driver_info['username']})
@@ -2583,7 +2584,7 @@ class IPMIToolShellinaboxTestCase(db_base.DbTestCase):
             ipmi_cmd = self.console._get_ipmi_cmd(driver_info, 'pw_file')
             expected_ipmi_cmd = ("/:%(uid)s:%(gid)s:HOME:ipmitool "
                                  "-I lanplus -H %(address)s -L ADMINISTRATOR "
-                                 "-f pw_file -v" %
+                                 "-f pw_file" %
                                  {'uid': os.getuid(), 'gid': os.getgid(),
                                   'address': driver_info['address']})
         self.assertEqual(expected_ipmi_cmd, ipmi_cmd)
@@ -2717,7 +2718,7 @@ class IPMIToolSocatDriverTestCase(IPMIToolShellinaboxTestCase):
             ipmi_cmd = self.console._get_ipmi_cmd(driver_info, 'pw_file')
             expected_ipmi_cmd = ("ipmitool -I lanplus -H %(address)s "
                                  "-L ADMINISTRATOR -U %(user)s "
-                                 "-f pw_file -v" %
+                                 "-f pw_file" %
                                  {'address': driver_info['address'],
                                   'user': driver_info['username']})
         self.assertEqual(expected_ipmi_cmd, ipmi_cmd)
@@ -2730,7 +2731,7 @@ class IPMIToolSocatDriverTestCase(IPMIToolShellinaboxTestCase):
             ipmi_cmd = self.console._get_ipmi_cmd(driver_info, 'pw_file')
             expected_ipmi_cmd = ("ipmitool -I lanplus -H %(address)s "
                                  "-L ADMINISTRATOR "
-                                 "-f pw_file -v" %
+                                 "-f pw_file" %
                                  {'address': driver_info['address']})
         self.assertEqual(expected_ipmi_cmd, ipmi_cmd)
 
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/ipmi-debug-1c7e090c6cc71903.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/ipmi-debug-1c7e090c6cc71903.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d0feb47f40
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/ipmi-debug-1c7e090c6cc71903.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+---
+features:
+  - |
+    Adds a new ``[ipmi]debug`` option that allows users to explicitly turn
+    IPMI command debugging on, as opposed to relying upon the system debug
+    setting ``[DEFAULT]debug``. Users wishing to continue to log this output
+    should set ``[ipmi]debug`` to ``True`` in their ironic.conf.
+upgrade:
+  - Debug logging control has been moved to the ``[ipmi]debug`` configuration
+    setting as opposed to the "conductor" ``[DEFAULT]debug`` setting as
+    the existing ``ipmitool`` output can be extremely misleading for users.
+    Operators who wish to continue to log ``ipmitool`` verbose output in their
+    logs should explicitly set the ``[ipmi]debug`` command to True.