diff --git a/photoapp/daemon.py b/photoapp/daemon.py
index 6360164..0d08392 100644
--- a/photoapp/daemon.py
+++ b/photoapp/daemon.py
@@ -620,10 +620,18 @@ class SearchView(object):
         )
 
 
-def setup_webapp(database_url, library_url, cache_url, thumb_service_url, debug=False, max_upload=1024**3):
+def setup_webapp(
+    database_url,
+    library_url,
+    cache_url,
+    thumb_service_url,
+    debug=False,
+    db_debug=False,
+    max_upload=1024**3
+):
 
     # Get database connection
-    engine = get_db_engine(database_url)
+    engine = get_db_engine(database_url, debug=db_debug)
 
     # Setup database in web framework
     cherrypy.tools.db = SATool()
@@ -687,6 +695,7 @@ def main():
     parser.add_argument('-s', '--database', help="sqlalchemy database connection uri",
                         default=os.environ.get("DATABASE_URL")),
     parser.add_argument('--debug', action="store_true", help="enable development options")
+    parser.add_argument('--db-debug', action="store_true", help="print sql statements")
 
     tunables = parser.add_argument_group(title="tunables")
     tunables.add_argument('--max-upload', help="maximum file upload size accepted in bytes",
@@ -715,6 +724,7 @@ def main():
         args.cache,
         args.thumb_service,
         debug=args.debug,
+        db_debug=args.db_debug,
         max_upload=args.max_upload
     )