diff --git a/lisp/vc/vc-dispatcher.el b/lisp/vc/vc-dispatcher.el
index 346974bdba..894ca060eb 100644
--- a/lisp/vc/vc-dispatcher.el
+++ b/lisp/vc/vc-dispatcher.el
@@ -127,8 +127,12 @@ vc-delete-logbuf-window
   :group 'vc)
 
 (defcustom vc-command-messages nil
-  "If non-nil, display run messages from back-end commands."
-  :type 'boolean
+  "If non-nil, log run messages from back-end commands.
+If `log', messages are logged to the *Messages* buffer, but not displayed.
+Other non-nil values also display run messages in the echo area."
+  :type '(choice (const :tag "No display and no log" nil)
+                 (const :tag "Display and log messages" t)
+                 (const :tag "Only log messages without displaying" log))
   :group 'vc)
 
 (defcustom vc-suppress-confirm nil
@@ -335,7 +339,9 @@ vc-do-command
 		       (apply #'start-file-process command (current-buffer)
                               command squeezed))))
 		(when vc-command-messages
-		  (let ((inhibit-message (eq (selected-window) (active-minibuffer-window))))
+		  (let ((inhibit-message
+			 (or (eq vc-command-messages 'log)
+			     (eq (selected-window) (active-minibuffer-window)))))
 		    (message "Running in background: %s" full-command)))
                 ;; Get rid of the default message insertion, in case we don't
                 ;; set a sentinel explicitly.
@@ -345,11 +351,15 @@ vc-do-command
 		(when vc-command-messages
 		  (vc-run-delayed
 		    (let ((message-truncate-lines t)
-			  (inhibit-message (eq (selected-window) (active-minibuffer-window))))
+			  (inhibit-message
+			   (or (eq vc-command-messages 'log)
+			       (eq (selected-window) (active-minibuffer-window)))))
 		      (message "Done in background: %s" full-command)))))
 	    ;; Run synchronously
 	    (when vc-command-messages
-	      (let ((inhibit-message (eq (selected-window) (active-minibuffer-window))))
+	      (let ((inhibit-message
+		     (or (eq vc-command-messages 'log)
+			 (eq (selected-window) (active-minibuffer-window)))))
 		(message "Running in foreground: %s" full-command)))
 	    (let ((buffer-undo-list t))
 	      (setq status (apply #'process-file command nil t nil squeezed)))
@@ -364,7 +374,9 @@ vc-do-command
 		     (if (integerp status) (format "status %d" status) status)
 		     full-command))
 	    (when vc-command-messages
-	      (let ((inhibit-message (eq (selected-window) (active-minibuffer-window))))
+	      (let ((inhibit-message
+		     (or (eq vc-command-messages 'log)
+			 (eq (selected-window) (active-minibuffer-window)))))
 		(message "Done (status=%d): %s" status full-command)))))
 	(vc-run-delayed
 	  (run-hook-with-args 'vc-post-command-functions