diff --git a/doc.lua b/doc.lua
index f7319b5..9b2226c 100644
--- a/doc.lua
+++ b/doc.lua
@@ -298,10 +298,16 @@ end
 -- Primarily intended as a debugging tool.
 function File:dump(verbose)
     for mod in self.modules:iter() do
-        print('Module:',mod.name,mod.summary,mod.description)
-        for item in mod.items:iter() do
-            item:dump(verbose)
-        end
+        mod:dump(verbose)
+    end
+end
+
+function Module:dump(verbose)
+    print '----'
+    print(self.type..':',self.name,self.summary)
+    if self.description then print(self.description) end
+    for item in self.items:iter() do
+        item:dump(verbose)
     end
 end
 
@@ -313,7 +319,7 @@ function Item:dump(verbose)
     end
     if verbose then
         print(self.type,name,self.summary)
-        print(self.description)
+        if self.description then print(self.description) end
         for p in self.params:iter() do
             print(p,self.params[p])
         end
diff --git a/ldoc.lua b/ldoc.lua
index d6b60f3..2ec0946 100644
--- a/ldoc.lua
+++ b/ldoc.lua
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ ldoc, a Lua documentation generator, vs 0.1 Beta
   -t,--title (default Reference) page title
   -f,--format (default plain) formatting - can be markdown
   -b,--package  (default '') top-level package basename (needed for module(...))
+  --dump                debug output dump
   <file> (string) source file or directory containing source
 ]]
 
@@ -429,6 +430,13 @@ if args.module then
     return
 end
 
+if args.dump then
+    for mod in module_list:iter() do
+        mod:dump(true)
+    end
+    os.exit()
+end
+
 local css, templ = 'ldoc.css','ldoc.ltp'
 
 -- the style directory for template and stylesheet can be specified