diff --git a/utils/archive.sh b/utils/archive.sh
index 4bc6a8ea..20da85b4 100755
--- a/utils/archive.sh
+++ b/utils/archive.sh
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@ options:
   -a          keep 'auto.sh' scripts for missions that have one
   -t          keep 'test.sh' scripts for missions that have one
   -z          keep tgz archive
+
+  -v          show the list of mission directories as they are being processed
 EOH
 }
 
@@ -52,8 +54,9 @@ GENERATE_MO=1
 # KEEP_PO=1     # this is set to 1 if we generate .mo files. Setting it to 1 here
 # (or before generating .mo files) will keep the .po files
 LANGUAGES=""
+VERBOSE=
 
-while getopts ":hp:N:atPzL:E" opt
+while getopts ":hp:N:atPzL:Ev" opt
 do
   case $opt in
     h)
@@ -86,6 +89,9 @@ do
       KEEP_PO=0
       GENERATE_MO=0
       ;;
+    v)
+      VERBOSE=1
+      ;;
     *)
       echo "invalid option: '-$OPTARG'" >&2
       exit 1
@@ -115,7 +121,13 @@ cp -RPp "$GSH_ROOT/start.sh" "$GSH_ROOT/bin" "$GSH_ROOT/utils" "$GSH_ROOT/lib" "
 
 # copy missions
 mkdir "$TMP_DIR/$NAME/missions"
-echo "copy missions"
+if [ -z "$VERBOSE" ]
+then
+  printf "copying missions: "
+else
+  echo "copying missions"
+fi
+
 if ! make_index "$@" > "$TMP_DIR/$NAME/missions/index.txt"
 then
   echo "Error: archive.sh, couldn't make index.txt"
@@ -123,23 +135,45 @@ then
   exit 1
 fi
 
+NB_MISSIONS=0
+NB_DUMMY=0
 cat "$TMP_DIR/$NAME/missions/index.txt" | while read MISSION_DIR
 do
+  DUMMY=
   case $MISSION_DIR in
     "" | "#"* )
       continue
       ;;
     "!"*)
       MISSION_DIR=$(echo "$MISSION_DIR" | cut -c2-)
+      NB_DUMMY=$((NB_DUMMY + 1))
+      DUMMY=1
       ;;
   esac
-  echo "  -> copy $MISSION_DIR"
+  NB_MISSIONS=$((NB_MISSIONS + 1))
+  if [ -z "$VERBOSE" ]
+  then
+    if [ -z "$DUMMY" ]
+    then
+      printf "."
+    else
+      printf "!"
+    fi
+  else
+    if [ -z "$DUMMY" ]
+    then
+      echo "  - $MISSION_DIR"
+    else
+      echo "  ! $MISSION_DIR (dummy)"
+    fi
+  fi
   mkdir -p "$TMP_DIR/$NAME/missions/$MISSION_DIR"
   ARCHIVE_MISSION_DIR=$TMP_DIR/$NAME/missions/$MISSION_DIR
   # NOTE: macOS' cp doesn't have '--archive', and '-a' is not POSIX.
   # use POSIX options to make sure it is portable
   cp -RPp "$GSH_MISSIONS/$MISSION_DIR"/* "$ARCHIVE_MISSION_DIR"
 done
+[ -n "$VERBOSE" ] || echo
 
 # define new GSH_ROOT
 export GSH_ROOT="$TMP_DIR/$NAME"
@@ -200,8 +234,8 @@ then
             PO_LANG=$(basename "$PO_FILE" .po)
             mkdir -p "$GSH_ROOT/locale/$PO_LANG/LC_MESSAGES"
             msgfmt -o "$GSH_ROOT/locale/$PO_LANG/LC_MESSAGES/$DOMAIN.mo" "$PO_FILE"
-            printf "."
           done
+          printf "."
         fi
       fi
     done < "$GSH_ROOT/missions/index.txt"
@@ -220,7 +254,7 @@ echo "removing unnecessary files"
   find . -name "Makefile" | xargs rm -f
   find . -name "template.pot" | xargs rm -f
   [ "$KEEP_PO" -eq 0 ] && find . -name "*.po" | xargs rm -f
-  [ "$KEEP_TEST" -ne 1 ] && echo "remove tests" && find ./missions -name "test.sh" | xargs rm -f
+  [ "$KEEP_TEST" -ne 1 ] && find ./missions -name "test.sh" | xargs rm -f
   [ "$KEEP_AUTO" -ne 1 ] && find ./missions -name auto.sh | xargs rm -f
 
   # rm -f "$GSH_ROOT/bin/boxes-data.awk" "$GSH_ROOT/utils/archive.sh"