diff --git a/orcli b/orcli
index 6495723..2440e18 100755
--- a/orcli
+++ b/orcli
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ orcli_usage() {
   fi
 
   printf "Usage:\n"
-  printf "  orcli [OPTIONS] COMMAND\n"
+  printf "  orcli COMMAND\n"
   printf "  orcli [COMMAND] --help | -h\n"
   printf "  orcli --version | -v\n"
   echo
@@ -55,12 +55,6 @@ orcli_usage() {
     printf "    Show version number\n"
     echo
 
-    # :command.usage_flags
-    # :flag.usage
-    echo "  --quiet, -q"
-    printf "    suppress log output, print errors only\n"
-    echo
-
     # :command.usage_environment_variables
     printf "Environment Variables:\n"
 
@@ -202,6 +196,11 @@ orcli_import_csv_usage() {
     printf "    set a name for the OpenRefine project\n"
     echo
 
+    # :flag.usage
+    echo "  --quiet, -q"
+    printf "    suppress log output, print errors only\n"
+    echo
+
     # :command.usage_args
     printf "Arguments:\n"
 
@@ -308,7 +307,7 @@ orcli_transform_usage() {
   fi
 
   printf "Usage:\n"
-  printf "  orcli transform PROJECT [FILE...]\n"
+  printf "  orcli transform PROJECT [FILE...] [OPTIONS]\n"
   printf "  orcli transform --help | -h\n"
   echo
 
@@ -321,6 +320,12 @@ orcli_transform_usage() {
     printf "    Show this help\n"
     echo
 
+    # :command.usage_flags
+    # :flag.usage
+    echo "  --quiet, -q"
+    printf "    suppress log output, print errors only\n"
+    echo
+
     # :command.usage_args
     printf "Arguments:\n"
 
@@ -417,6 +422,11 @@ orcli_export_tsv_usage() {
     printf "    Default: UTF-8\n"
     echo
 
+    # :flag.usage
+    echo "  --quiet, -q"
+    printf "    suppress log output, print errors only\n"
+    echo
+
     # :command.usage_args
     printf "Arguments:\n"
 
@@ -478,6 +488,11 @@ orcli_run_usage() {
     printf "    do not exit on error and keep bash shell open\n"
     echo
 
+    # :flag.usage
+    echo "  --quiet, -q"
+    printf "    suppress log output, print errors only\n"
+    echo
+
     # :command.usage_args
     printf "Arguments:\n"
 
@@ -664,7 +679,7 @@ function error() {
   exit 1
 }
 function log() {
-  if ! [[ ${args[--quiet]} ]]; then
+  if ! [[ ${args[--quiet]} || $ORCLI_QUIET ]]; then
     echo >&2 "[$(date +'%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%S')] $1"
     shift
     for msg in "$@"; do echo >&2 "  $msg"; done
@@ -739,15 +754,15 @@ send_completions() {
   echo $'      ;;'
   echo $''
   echo $'    \'import csv\'*)'
-  echo $'      while read -r; do COMPREPLY+=( "$REPLY" ); done < <( compgen -W "$(_orcli_completions_filter "--encoding --help --projectName --separator --trimStrings -h")" -- "$cur" )'
+  echo $'      while read -r; do COMPREPLY+=( "$REPLY" ); done < <( compgen -W "$(_orcli_completions_filter "--encoding --help --projectName --quiet --separator --trimStrings -h -q")" -- "$cur" )'
   echo $'      ;;'
   echo $''
   echo $'    \'export tsv\'*)'
-  echo $'      while read -r; do COMPREPLY+=( "$REPLY" ); done < <( compgen -W "$(_orcli_completions_filter "--encoding --help --output -h")" -- "$cur" )'
+  echo $'      while read -r; do COMPREPLY+=( "$REPLY" ); done < <( compgen -W "$(_orcli_completions_filter "--encoding --help --output --quiet -h -q")" -- "$cur" )'
   echo $'      ;;'
   echo $''
   echo $'    \'transform\'*)'
-  echo $'      while read -r; do COMPREPLY+=( "$REPLY" ); done < <( compgen -W "$(_orcli_completions_filter "--help -h")" -- "$cur" )'
+  echo $'      while read -r; do COMPREPLY+=( "$REPLY" ); done < <( compgen -W "$(_orcli_completions_filter "--help --quiet -h -q")" -- "$cur" )'
   echo $'      ;;'
   echo $''
   echo $'    \'import\'*)'
@@ -767,11 +782,11 @@ send_completions() {
   echo $'      ;;'
   echo $''
   echo $'    \'run\'*)'
-  echo $'      while read -r; do COMPREPLY+=( "$REPLY" ); done < <( compgen -W "$(_orcli_completions_filter "--help --interactive --memory --port -h")" -- "$cur" )'
+  echo $'      while read -r; do COMPREPLY+=( "$REPLY" ); done < <( compgen -W "$(_orcli_completions_filter "--help --interactive --memory --port --quiet -h -q")" -- "$cur" )'
   echo $'      ;;'
   echo $''
   echo $'    *)'
-  echo $'      while read -r; do COMPREPLY+=( "$REPLY" ); done < <( compgen -W "$(_orcli_completions_filter "--help --quiet --version -h -q -v completions export import info list run transform")" -- "$cur" )'
+  echo $'      while read -r; do COMPREPLY+=( "$REPLY" ); done < <( compgen -W "$(_orcli_completions_filter "--help --version -h -v completions export import info list run transform")" -- "$cur" )'
   echo $'      ;;'
   echo $''
   echo $'  esac'
@@ -1004,6 +1019,11 @@ orcli_run_command() {
       fi
   fi
 
+  # assume that quiet flag shall suppress log output generally in batch mode
+  if [[ ${args[--quiet]} ]]; then
+      export ORCLI_QUIET=1
+  fi
+
   # update OPENREFINE_URL env
   OPENREFINE_URL="http://localhost:${args[--port]}"
 
@@ -1099,14 +1119,6 @@ parse_requirements() {
     exit
     ;;
 
-  # :flag.case
-  --quiet | -q )
-
-    # :flag.case_no_arg
-    args[--quiet]=1
-    shift
-    ;;
-
   esac
 
   # :command.environment_variables_filter
@@ -1387,6 +1399,14 @@ orcli_import_csv_parse_requirements() {
       fi
       ;;
 
+    # :flag.case
+    --quiet | -q )
+
+      # :flag.case_no_arg
+      args[--quiet]=1
+      shift
+      ;;
+
     -?* )
       printf "invalid option: %s\n" "$key" >&2
       exit 1
@@ -1522,6 +1542,13 @@ orcli_transform_parse_requirements() {
   while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do
     key="$1"
     case "$key" in
+    # :flag.case
+    --quiet | -q )
+
+      # :flag.case_no_arg
+      args[--quiet]=1
+      shift
+      ;;
 
     -?* )
       printf "invalid option: %s\n" "$key" >&2
@@ -1551,7 +1578,7 @@ orcli_transform_parse_requirements() {
 
   # :command.required_args_filter
   if [[ -z ${args[project]+x} ]]; then
-    printf "missing required argument: PROJECT\nusage: orcli transform PROJECT [FILE...]\n" >&2
+    printf "missing required argument: PROJECT\nusage: orcli transform PROJECT [FILE...] [OPTIONS]\n" >&2
     exit 1
   fi
 
@@ -1671,6 +1698,14 @@ orcli_export_tsv_parse_requirements() {
       fi
       ;;
 
+    # :flag.case
+    --quiet | -q )
+
+      # :flag.case_no_arg
+      args[--quiet]=1
+      shift
+      ;;
+
     -?* )
       printf "invalid option: %s\n" "$key" >&2
       exit 1
@@ -1761,6 +1796,14 @@ orcli_run_parse_requirements() {
       shift
       ;;
 
+    # :flag.case
+    --quiet | -q )
+
+      # :flag.case_no_arg
+      args[--quiet]=1
+      shift
+      ;;
+
     -?* )
       printf "invalid option: %s\n" "$key" >&2
       exit 1
diff --git a/src/bashly.yml b/src/bashly.yml
index 4f05d8b..78ac33d 100644
--- a/src/bashly.yml
+++ b/src/bashly.yml
@@ -27,11 +27,6 @@ examples:
       orcli export tsv "duplicates"
     EOF
 
-flags:
-  - long: --quiet
-    short: -q
-    help: suppress log output, print errors only
-
 commands:
   - name: completions
     help: |-
@@ -62,6 +57,9 @@ commands:
           - long: --projectName
             arg: projectName
             help: set a name for the OpenRefine project
+          - long: --quiet
+            short: -q
+            help: suppress log output, print errors only
         examples:
           - orcli import csv "file"
           - orcli import csv "file1" "file2"
@@ -97,6 +95,10 @@ commands:
         help: Path to one or more files or URLs containing OpenRefine's undo/redo operation history in JSON format. When FILE is -, read standard input.
         default: "-"
         repeatable: true
+    flags:  
+      - long: --quiet
+        short: -q
+        help: suppress log output, print errors only
     examples:
       - orcli transform "duplicates" "history.json"
       - cat "history.json" | orcli transform "duplicates"
@@ -121,6 +123,9 @@ commands:
             help: set character encoding
             arg: encoding
             default: "UTF-8"
+          - long: --quiet
+            short: -q
+            help: suppress log output, print errors only
         examples:
           - orcli export tsv "duplicates"
           - orcli export tsv "duplicates" --output "duplicates.tsv"
@@ -143,6 +148,9 @@ commands:
         default: "3333"
       - long: --interactive
         help: do not exit on error and keep bash shell open
+      - long: --quiet
+        short: -q
+        help: suppress log output, print errors only
     examples:
       - orcli run --interactive
       - |-
diff --git a/src/lib/logging.sh b/src/lib/logging.sh
index a2a0a1f..33ac77f 100644
--- a/src/lib/logging.sh
+++ b/src/lib/logging.sh
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ function error() {
   exit 1
 }
 function log() {
-  if ! [[ ${args[--quiet]} ]]; then
+  if ! [[ ${args[--quiet]} || $ORCLI_QUIET ]]; then
     echo >&2 "[$(date +'%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%S')] $1"
     shift
     for msg in "$@"; do echo >&2 "  $msg"; done
diff --git a/src/lib/send_completions.sh b/src/lib/send_completions.sh
index 3771a63..7877132 100644
--- a/src/lib/send_completions.sh
+++ b/src/lib/send_completions.sh
@@ -35,15 +35,15 @@ send_completions() {
   echo $'      ;;'
   echo $''
   echo $'    \'import csv\'*)'
-  echo $'      while read -r; do COMPREPLY+=( "$REPLY" ); done < <( compgen -W "$(_orcli_completions_filter "--encoding --help --projectName --separator --trimStrings -h")" -- "$cur" )'
+  echo $'      while read -r; do COMPREPLY+=( "$REPLY" ); done < <( compgen -W "$(_orcli_completions_filter "--encoding --help --projectName --quiet --separator --trimStrings -h -q")" -- "$cur" )'
   echo $'      ;;'
   echo $''
   echo $'    \'export tsv\'*)'
-  echo $'      while read -r; do COMPREPLY+=( "$REPLY" ); done < <( compgen -W "$(_orcli_completions_filter "--encoding --help --output -h")" -- "$cur" )'
+  echo $'      while read -r; do COMPREPLY+=( "$REPLY" ); done < <( compgen -W "$(_orcli_completions_filter "--encoding --help --output --quiet -h -q")" -- "$cur" )'
   echo $'      ;;'
   echo $''
   echo $'    \'transform\'*)'
-  echo $'      while read -r; do COMPREPLY+=( "$REPLY" ); done < <( compgen -W "$(_orcli_completions_filter "--help -h")" -- "$cur" )'
+  echo $'      while read -r; do COMPREPLY+=( "$REPLY" ); done < <( compgen -W "$(_orcli_completions_filter "--help --quiet -h -q")" -- "$cur" )'
   echo $'      ;;'
   echo $''
   echo $'    \'import\'*)'
@@ -63,11 +63,11 @@ send_completions() {
   echo $'      ;;'
   echo $''
   echo $'    \'run\'*)'
-  echo $'      while read -r; do COMPREPLY+=( "$REPLY" ); done < <( compgen -W "$(_orcli_completions_filter "--help --interactive --memory --port -h")" -- "$cur" )'
+  echo $'      while read -r; do COMPREPLY+=( "$REPLY" ); done < <( compgen -W "$(_orcli_completions_filter "--help --interactive --memory --port --quiet -h -q")" -- "$cur" )'
   echo $'      ;;'
   echo $''
   echo $'    *)'
-  echo $'      while read -r; do COMPREPLY+=( "$REPLY" ); done < <( compgen -W "$(_orcli_completions_filter "--help --quiet --version -h -q -v completions export import info list run transform")" -- "$cur" )'
+  echo $'      while read -r; do COMPREPLY+=( "$REPLY" ); done < <( compgen -W "$(_orcli_completions_filter "--help --version -h -v completions export import info list run transform")" -- "$cur" )'
   echo $'      ;;'
   echo $''
   echo $'  esac'
diff --git a/src/run_command.sh b/src/run_command.sh
index 41c1dd0..a008213 100644
--- a/src/run_command.sh
+++ b/src/run_command.sh
@@ -14,6 +14,11 @@ if ! [[ ${args[--interactive]} ]]; then
     fi
 fi
 
+# assume that quiet flag shall suppress log output generally in batch mode
+if [[ ${args[--quiet]} ]]; then
+    export ORCLI_QUIET=1
+fi
+
 # update OPENREFINE_URL env
 OPENREFINE_URL="http://localhost:${args[--port]}"