diff --git a/lib/libvips.js b/lib/libvips.js
index cf2cc3ee7..2b0f9edfc 100644
--- a/lib/libvips.js
+++ b/lib/libvips.js
@@ -162,21 +162,23 @@ const pkgConfigPath = () => {
   }
 };
 
-const skipSearch = (status, reason) => {
-  log(`Detected ${reason}, skipping search for globally-installed libvips`);
+const skipSearch = (status, reason, quiet) => {
+  if (!quiet) {
+    log(`Detected ${reason}, skipping search for globally-installed libvips`);
+  }
   return status;
 };
 
-const useGlobalLibvips = () => {
+const useGlobalLibvips = (quiet = false) => {
   if (Boolean(process.env.SHARP_IGNORE_GLOBAL_LIBVIPS) === true) {
-    return skipSearch(false, 'SHARP_IGNORE_GLOBAL_LIBVIPS');
+    return skipSearch(false, 'SHARP_IGNORE_GLOBAL_LIBVIPS', quiet);
   }
   if (Boolean(process.env.SHARP_FORCE_GLOBAL_LIBVIPS) === true) {
-    return skipSearch(true, 'SHARP_FORCE_GLOBAL_LIBVIPS');
+    return skipSearch(true, 'SHARP_FORCE_GLOBAL_LIBVIPS', quiet);
   }
   /* istanbul ignore next */
   if (isRosetta()) {
-    return skipSearch(false, 'Rosetta');
+    return skipSearch(false, 'Rosetta', quiet);
   }
   const globalVipsVersion = globalLibvipsVersion();
   return !!globalVipsVersion && /* istanbul ignore next */
diff --git a/src/binding.gyp b/src/binding.gyp
index f1fc60910..359d58aee 100644
--- a/src/binding.gyp
+++ b/src/binding.gyp
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@
       'conditions': [
         ['OS != "win"', {
           'pkg_config_path': '<!(node -p "require(\'../lib/libvips\').pkgConfigPath()")',
-          'use_global_libvips': '<!(node -p "Boolean(require(\'../lib/libvips\').useGlobalLibvips()).toString()")'
+          'use_global_libvips': '<!(node -p "Boolean(require(\'../lib/libvips\').useGlobalLibvips(true)).toString()")'
         }, {
           'pkg_config_path': '',
           'use_global_libvips': ''