diff --git a/cmd/cron.go b/cmd/cron.go
index b25bfcf..2f80bf7 100644
--- a/cmd/cron.go
+++ b/cmd/cron.go
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ var cronCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	Short: "Run cron job for automated backups",
 	Long:  `Intended to be mainly triggered by an automated system like systemd or crontab. For each location checks if a cron backup is due and runs it.`,
 	Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
+		internal.CRON_LEAN, _ = cmd.Flags().GetBool("lean")
 		err := lock.Lock()
 		CheckErr(err)
 		defer lock.Unlock()
@@ -22,4 +23,5 @@ var cronCmd = &cobra.Command{
 
 func init() {
 	rootCmd.AddCommand(cronCmd)
+	cronCmd.Flags().Bool("lean", false, "only output information about actual backups")
 }
diff --git a/docs/markdown/cli/cron.md b/docs/markdown/cli/cron.md
index c14af6e..505b9a8 100644
--- a/docs/markdown/cli/cron.md
+++ b/docs/markdown/cli/cron.md
@@ -1,11 +1,13 @@
 # Cron
 
 ```bash
-autorestic cron
+autorestic cron [--lean]
 ```
 
 This command is mostly intended to be triggered by an automated system like systemd or crontab.
 
 It will run cron jobs as [specified in the cron section](/location/cron) of a specific location.
 
+The `--lean` flag will omit output like _skipping location x: not due yet_. This can be useful if you are dumping the output of the cron job to a log file and don't want to be overwhelmed by the output log.
+
 > :ToCPrevNext
diff --git a/internal/config.go b/internal/config.go
index c510da0..dbd99e0 100644
--- a/internal/config.go
+++ b/internal/config.go
@@ -12,10 +12,11 @@ import (
 	"github.com/spf13/viper"
 )
 
-const VERSION = "1.0.7"
+const VERSION = "1.0.8"
 
 var CI bool = false
 var VERBOSE bool = false
+var CRON_LEAN bool = false
 
 type Config struct {
 	Locations map[string]Location `yaml:"locations"`
@@ -29,7 +30,9 @@ func GetConfig() *Config {
 	if config == nil {
 		once.Do(func() {
 			if err := viper.ReadInConfig(); err == nil {
-				colors.Faint.Println("Using config file:", viper.ConfigFileUsed())
+				if !CRON_LEAN {
+					colors.Faint.Println("Using config file:", viper.ConfigFileUsed())
+				}
 			} else {
 				return
 			}
@@ -190,11 +193,17 @@ func GetAllOrSelected(cmd *cobra.Command, backends bool) ([]string, error) {
 }
 
 func AddFlagsToCommand(cmd *cobra.Command, backend bool) {
-	cmd.PersistentFlags().BoolP("all", "a", false, "Backup all locations")
+	var usage string
 	if backend {
-		cmd.PersistentFlags().StringSliceP("backend", "b", []string{}, "backends")
+		usage = "all backends"
 	} else {
-		cmd.PersistentFlags().StringSliceP("location", "l", []string{}, "Locations")
+		usage = "all locations"
+	}
+	cmd.PersistentFlags().BoolP("all", "a", false, usage)
+	if backend {
+		cmd.PersistentFlags().StringSliceP("backend", "b", []string{}, "select backends")
+	} else {
+		cmd.PersistentFlags().StringSliceP("location", "l", []string{}, "select locations")
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/internal/location.go b/internal/location.go
index e4a9a60..b587969 100644
--- a/internal/location.go
+++ b/internal/location.go
@@ -309,7 +309,9 @@ func (l Location) RunCron() error {
 		lock.SetCron(l.name, now.Unix())
 		l.Backup(true)
 	} else {
-		colors.Body.Printf("Skipping \"%s\", not due yet.\n", l.name)
+		if !CRON_LEAN {
+			colors.Body.Printf("Skipping \"%s\", not due yet.\n", l.name)
+		}
 	}
 	return nil
 }