diff --git a/doc/man/taskrc.5.in b/doc/man/taskrc.5.in
index 38b72da09..8c48a029e 100644
--- a/doc/man/taskrc.5.in
+++ b/doc/man/taskrc.5.in
@@ -506,9 +506,10 @@ Level 1 shows hook calls. Level 2 also shows exit status and I/O.
 
 .TP
 .B debug.parser=0
-Controls the parser diagnostic level. Level 0 means no diagnostics. Level 1
-shows the parse tree. Level 2 shows expression evaluation details. Level 3
-shows parse trees from every phase of the parse.
+Controls the parser diagnostic level. Level 0 shows no diagnostics.
+Level 1 shows the final parse tree.
+Level 2 shows the parse tree from all phases of the parse.
+Level 3 shows expression evaluation details.
 
 .TP
 .B debug.tls=0
diff --git a/test/debug.t b/test/debug.t
index 8d5c2030b..0a0927758 100755
--- a/test/debug.t
+++ b/test/debug.t
@@ -53,6 +53,18 @@ class TestDebugMode(TestCase):
 
     def test_debug_parser_output(self):
         """Verify debug parser mode generates interesting output"""
+        code, out, err = self.t("list rc.debug.parser=2")
+
+        # Debug
+        self.assertIn("Config::load", err)
+        self.assertIn("Filtered 2 tasks --> 2 tasks [pending only]", err)
+        self.assertIn("Perf task", err)
+
+        # Parser
+        self.assertIn("CLI2::prepareFilter", err)
+
+    def test_debug_parser_eval_output(self):
+        """Verify debug parser + eval mode generates interesting output"""
         code, out, err = self.t("list rc.debug.parser=3")
 
         # Debug
diff --git a/test/search.t b/test/search.t
index 485eff5d0..932512601 100755
--- a/test/search.t
+++ b/test/search.t
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ class TestBug1472(TestCase):
 
     def test_startswith_regex(self):
         """Verify .startswith works with regexes"""
-        code, out, err = self.t("rc.regex:on rc.debug.parser=3 description.startswith:A ls")
+        code, out, err = self.t("rc.regex:on description.startswith:A ls")
         self.assertIn("A to Z", out)
         self.assertNotIn("Z to A", out)
 
diff --git a/test/tw-295.t b/test/tw-295.t
index c12df23dd..e24f75dc0 100755
--- a/test/tw-295.t
+++ b/test/tw-295.t
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ class TestBug295(TestCase):
         # Taskwarrior sees /\/twp\//TWO/.
         #
         # Verify using:
-        # code, out, err = self.t('rc.debug.parser=3 1 modify /\\\\/two\\\\//TWO/')
+        # code, out, err = self.t('rc.debug.parser=2 1 modify /\\\\/two\\\\//TWO/')
         # self.tap(err)
 
         self.t('1 modify /\\\\/two\\\\//TWO/')
diff --git a/test/unicode.t b/test/unicode.t
index 1f8a8804e..f5e9c09b5 100755
--- a/test/unicode.t
+++ b/test/unicode.t
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ class TestUnicode(TestCase):
         # Something in the launch code converts \\ --> \.
         # Taskwarrior sees \.
         #
-        #code, out, err = self.t("add rc.debug.parser=3 Price \\\\u20A43")
+        #code, out, err = self.t("add rc.debug.parser=2 Price \\\\u20A43")
         #self.tap(err)
 
         self.t("add Price \\\\u20A43")