diff --git a/common/src/main/scala/org/apache/comet/CometConf.scala b/common/src/main/scala/org/apache/comet/CometConf.scala
index 76973c00a..06112cae8 100644
--- a/common/src/main/scala/org/apache/comet/CometConf.scala
+++ b/common/src/main/scala/org/apache/comet/CometConf.scala
@@ -276,13 +276,13 @@ object CometConf {
       .booleanConf
       .createWithDefault(false)
 
-  val COMET_EXPLAIN_ENABLED: ConfigEntry[String] =
-    conf("spark.comet.explain")
+  val COMET_EXPLAIN_FALLBACK_ENABLED: ConfigEntry[Boolean] =
+    conf("spark.comet.explainFallback.enabled")
       .doc(
-        "Set this config to VERBOSE to see logging explaining the reason(s) why a query " +
-          "stage cannot be executed natively with Comet.")
-      .stringConf
-      .createWithDefault("VERBOSE")
+        "When this setting is enabled, Comet will provide logging explaining the reason(s) " +
+          "why a query stage cannot be executed natively with Comet.")
+      .booleanConf
+      .createWithDefault(false)
 
   val COMET_BATCH_SIZE: ConfigEntry[Int] = conf("spark.comet.batchSize")
     .doc("The columnar batch size, i.e., the maximum number of rows that a batch can contain.")
diff --git a/spark/src/main/scala/org/apache/comet/CometSparkSessionExtensions.scala b/spark/src/main/scala/org/apache/comet/CometSparkSessionExtensions.scala
index 5b1375111..c43439196 100644
--- a/spark/src/main/scala/org/apache/comet/CometSparkSessionExtensions.scala
+++ b/spark/src/main/scala/org/apache/comet/CometSparkSessionExtensions.scala
@@ -734,21 +734,19 @@ class CometSparkSessionExtensions
       } else {
         var newPlan = transform(plan)
 
-        // if the plan cannot be run natively then explain why, if verbose explain is enabled
-        if (!isCometNative(newPlan)) {
-          if ("VERBOSE".equals(CometConf.COMET_EXPLAIN_ENABLED.get())) {
-            new ExtendedExplainInfo().extensionInfo(newPlan) match {
-              case reasons if reasons.isEmpty =>
-                logWarning(
-                  "Comet cannot execute this plan natively, but no reason is given. " +
-                    "This is likely a bug.")
-              case reasons if reasons.size == 1 =>
-                logWarning(s"Comet cannot execute this plan natively because ${reasons.head}")
-              case reasons =>
-                logWarning(
-                  "Comet cannot execute this plan natively because:\n\t- " +
-                    s"${reasons.mkString("\n\t- ")}")
-            }
+        // if the plan cannot be run natively then explain why (when appropriate config is enabled)
+        if (CometConf.COMET_EXPLAIN_FALLBACK_ENABLED.get() && !isCometNative(newPlan)) {
+          new ExtendedExplainInfo().extensionInfo(newPlan) match {
+            case reasons if reasons.isEmpty =>
+              logWarning(
+                "Comet cannot execute this plan natively, but no reason is given. " +
+                  "This is likely a bug.")
+            case reasons if reasons.size == 1 =>
+              logWarning(s"Comet cannot execute this plan natively because ${reasons.head}")
+            case reasons =>
+              logWarning(
+                "Comet cannot execute this plan natively because:\n\t- " +
+                  s"${reasons.mkString("\n\t- ")}")
           }
         }