diff --git a/Documentation/kernel-parameters.txt b/Documentation/kernel-parameters.txt
index e0f346d201e..c9115c1b672 100644
--- a/Documentation/kernel-parameters.txt
+++ b/Documentation/kernel-parameters.txt
@@ -220,14 +220,17 @@ and is between 256 and 4096 characters. It is defined in the file
 			Bits in debug_level correspond to a level in
 			ACPI_DEBUG_PRINT statements, e.g.,
 			    ACPI_DEBUG_PRINT((ACPI_DB_INFO, ...
-			See Documentation/acpi/debug.txt for more information
-			about debug layers and levels.
+			The debug_level mask defaults to "info".  See
+			Documentation/acpi/debug.txt for more information about
+			debug layers and levels.
 
+			Enable processor driver info messages:
+			    acpi.debug_layer=0x20000000
+			Enable PCI/PCI interrupt routing info messages:
+			    acpi.debug_layer=0x400000
 			Enable AML "Debug" output, i.e., stores to the Debug
 			object while interpreting AML:
 			    acpi.debug_layer=0xffffffff acpi.debug_level=0x2
-			Enable PCI/PCI interrupt routing info messages:
-			    acpi.debug_layer=0x400000 acpi.debug_level=0x4
 			Enable all messages related to ACPI hardware:
 			    acpi.debug_layer=0x2 acpi.debug_level=0xffffffff
 
diff --git a/drivers/acpi/bus.c b/drivers/acpi/bus.c
index 7edf6d913c1..765fd1c56cd 100644
--- a/drivers/acpi/bus.c
+++ b/drivers/acpi/bus.c
@@ -688,14 +688,6 @@ void __init acpi_early_init(void)
 	if (acpi_disabled)
 		return;
 
-	/*
-	 * ACPI CA initializes acpi_dbg_level to non-zero, which means
-	 * we get debug output merely by turning on CONFIG_ACPI_DEBUG.
-	 * Turn it off so we don't get output unless the user specifies
-	 * acpi.debug_level.
-	 */
-	acpi_dbg_level = 0;
-
 	printk(KERN_INFO PREFIX "Core revision %08x\n", ACPI_CA_VERSION);
 
 	/* enable workarounds, unless strict ACPI spec. compliance */
diff --git a/drivers/acpi/utilities/utglobal.c b/drivers/acpi/utilities/utglobal.c
index 670551b95e5..17ed5ac840f 100644
--- a/drivers/acpi/utilities/utglobal.c
+++ b/drivers/acpi/utilities/utglobal.c
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ u32 acpi_dbg_level = ACPI_DEBUG_DEFAULT;
 
 /* Debug switch - layer (component) mask */
 
-u32 acpi_dbg_layer = ACPI_COMPONENT_DEFAULT | ACPI_ALL_DRIVERS;
+u32 acpi_dbg_layer = 0;
 u32 acpi_gbl_nesting_level = 0;
 
 /* Debugger globals */
diff --git a/include/acpi/acoutput.h b/include/acpi/acoutput.h
index 09d33c7740f..db8852d8bcf 100644
--- a/include/acpi/acoutput.h
+++ b/include/acpi/acoutput.h
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@
 
 /* Defaults for debug_level, debug and normal */
 
-#define ACPI_DEBUG_DEFAULT          (ACPI_LV_INIT | ACPI_LV_DEBUG_OBJECT)
+#define ACPI_DEBUG_DEFAULT          (ACPI_LV_INFO)
 #define ACPI_NORMAL_DEFAULT         (ACPI_LV_INIT | ACPI_LV_DEBUG_OBJECT)
 #define ACPI_DEBUG_ALL              (ACPI_LV_AML_DISASSEMBLE | ACPI_LV_ALL_EXCEPTIONS | ACPI_LV_ALL)