diff --git a/contrib/pg_upgrade/test.sh b/contrib/pg_upgrade/test.sh
index 64de7df3be..503395311e 100644
--- a/contrib/pg_upgrade/test.sh
+++ b/contrib/pg_upgrade/test.sh
@@ -71,6 +71,9 @@ logdir=$PWD/log
 rm -rf "$logdir"
 mkdir "$logdir"
 
+# enable echo so the user can see what is being executed
+set -x
+
 $oldbindir/initdb -N
 $oldbindir/pg_ctl start -l "$logdir/postmaster1.log" -o '-F' -w
 if "$MAKE" -C "$oldsrc" installcheck; then