diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 122a35a..471a960 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -50,10 +50,12 @@ Will clone one or more packages specified into your `DOTFILES` directory. Packag
 
 Will simply run `git fetch -p` for each of the specified package names. If there are no package names provided, will implicitly run over *all* packages.
 
-### `link`
+### `stow`
 
 Will employ GNU Stow to symlink each of the packages specified by name into your `HOME`. If no package names are provided, will implicitly link all packages.
 
+Additionally, `unstow` and `restow` commands are available with the same interface. These three commands correspond to the `-S`, `-D`, and `-R` modes Stow can be run in.
+
 ### `pull`
 
 Very similar to `fetch`. Will simply run `git pull` for each of the specified package names. If there are no package names provided, will implicitly run over *all* packages.
diff --git a/dot-config/zsh/functions/_dots b/dot-config/zsh/functions/_dots
index d5869bd..b99c944 100644
--- a/dot-config/zsh/functions/_dots
+++ b/dot-config/zsh/functions/_dots
@@ -1,35 +1,42 @@
 #compdef dots
 : ${DOTFILES:=~/dotfiles}
-local context state state_descr line
-typeset -A opt_args
-
 local repo
 local -a commands repos new_repos
 commands=(
 	bootstrap:'set up initial dotfiles on a new system'
 	clone:'download dotfiles packages over Git'
 	fetch:'retrieve updates to your packages'
-	link:'install downloaded packages into your ~'
+	stow:'stow downloaded packages into your ~'
+	unstow:'unstow installed packages (cleans up their symlinks)'
+	restow:'unstow then stow installed packages (may be useful if package layout changed)'
 	pull:'fetch and apply package updates'
 	status:'check whether your packages have changes'
 )
+
 if ! _retrieve_cache dots-repositories; then
 	repos=($(curl -s -X GET "https://git.00dani.me/api/v1/orgs/dot/repos" -H  "accept: application/json" | jq -r '.[].name'))
 	_store_cache dots-repositories repos
 fi
+for repo in $repos; [[ -d $DOTFILES/$repo ]] || new_repos+=$repo
 
-for repo in $repos; [[ -d $DOTFILES/$repo ]] || new_repos+=($repo)
-_arguments '1:cmds:->cmds' '*:: :->args'
-case $state in
-	cmds) _describe -t commands command commands ;;
-	args) case $line[1] in
+_dots_subcommands() {
+	_describe -t commands command commands
+}
+
+_dots_subcommand_parameters() {
+	case $words[1] in
 		bootstrap) _nothing ;; # no more arguments!
-		clone) 
-			if (( $#new_repos )); then 
+		clone)
+			if (( $#new_repos )); then
 				_values -w package $new_repos
 			else
 				_message 'all known packages are already installed, you can still enter a git url manually'
 			fi ;;
-		fetch|link|pull|st|status) _values -w package $DOTFILES/*(/:t) ;;
-	esac ;;
-esac
+		fetch|*stow|pull|st|status) _values -w package $DOTFILES/*(/:t) ;;
+	esac
+}
+
+_arguments \
+	'(-v --verbose)'{-v,--verbose}'[request verbose output from Git and Stow]' \
+	': :_dots_subcommands' \
+	'*:: :_dots_subcommand_parameters'
diff --git a/dot-local/bin/dots b/dot-local/bin/dots
index 996e03f..bb55417 100755
--- a/dot-local/bin/dots
+++ b/dot-local/bin/dots
@@ -15,7 +15,15 @@ supported_stow_versions=(
 	2.3.2-fixbug56727
 )
 
-bootstrap() {
+call-git() {
+	git $argv ${VERBOSE:+-v}
+}
+
+call-gnu-stow() {
+	$STOW --dotfiles -d $DOTFILES -t ~ --ignore=${^global_ignore} ${VERBOSE:+-vvv} $argv
+}
+
+do-bootstrap() {
 	echo 'Bootstrapping your dotfiles...' >&2
 	mkdir -p $DOTFILES
 	touch $DOTFILES/.stow
@@ -34,8 +42,8 @@ bootstrap() {
 		install-custom-gnu-stow || return $?
 	fi
 
-	clone dots git vim zsh || return $?
-	link
+	do-clone dots git vim zsh || return $?
+  do-stow
 }
 
 install-custom-gnu-stow() {
@@ -43,7 +51,7 @@ install-custom-gnu-stow() {
 	STOW=$DOTFILES/stow/dot-local/bin/stow
 }
 
-clone() {
+do-clone() {
 	echo "Requested packages: $argv" >&2
 	for package in $argv; do
 		clone-one $package || return $?
@@ -62,10 +70,10 @@ clone-one() {
 		return 1
 	fi
 	echo "Retrieving $package from $url now..." >&2
-	git clone $url $DOTFILES/$package
+	call-git clone $url $DOTFILES/$package
 }
 
-link() {
+do-stow() {
 	local -a packages
 	packages=($argv)
 	if (( $#packages == 0 )); then
@@ -74,14 +82,48 @@ link() {
 			echo "No installed packages! Do you want to clone some first?" >&2
 			return 1
 		fi
-		echo "Linking all packages ($packages) into $HOME now..." >&2
+		echo "Stowing all packages ($packages) into $HOME now..." >&2
 	else
-		echo "Linking $packages into $HOME now..." >&2
+		echo "Stowing $packages into $HOME now..." >&2
 	fi
 
 	for nofold in $DOTFILES/${^packages}/.stow-no-folding(N); process-stow-no-folding $nofold
+	call-gnu-stow -S $packages
+}
 
-	$STOW --dotfiles -d $DOTFILES -t ~ --ignore=${^global_ignore} $packages
+do-unstow() {
+	local -a packages
+	packages=($argv)
+	if (( $#packages == 0 )); then
+		packages=( $DOTFILES/*(N:t) )
+		if (( $#packages == 0 )); then
+			echo "No installed packages! There's nothing to unstow!" >&2
+			return 1
+		fi
+		echo "Unstowing all packages ($packages) from $HOME now..." >&2
+	else
+		echo "Unstowing $packages from $HOME now..." >&2
+	fi
+
+	call-gnu-stow -D $packages
+}
+
+do-restow() {
+	local -a packages
+	packages=($argv)
+	if (( $#packages == 0 )); then
+		packages=( $DOTFILES/*(N:t) )
+		if (( $#packages == 0 )); then
+			echo "No installed packages! Do you want to clone some first?" >&2
+			return 1
+		fi
+		echo "Restowing all packages ($packages) into $HOME now..." >&2
+	else
+		echo "Restowing $packages into $HOME now..." >&2
+	fi
+
+	for nofold in $DOTFILES/${^packages}/.stow-no-folding(N); process-stow-no-folding $nofold
+	call-gnu-stow -R $packages
 }
 
 process-stow-no-folding() {
@@ -94,28 +136,28 @@ process-stow-no-folding() {
 	done
 }
 
-fetch() {
+do-fetch() {
 	local -a packages
 	packages=($argv)
 	(( $#packages == 0 )) && packages=( $DOTFILES/*(N:t) )
 	for p in $packages; do
 		cd $DOTFILES/$p
-		git fetch -p || return $?
+		call-git fetch -p || return $?
 	done
 }
 
-pull() {
+do-pull() {
 	local -a packages
 	packages=($argv)
 	(( $#packages == 0 )) && packages=( $DOTFILES/*(N:t) )
 	for p in $packages; do
 		cd $DOTFILES/$p
-		git pull || return $?
+		call-git pull || return $?
 	done
 }
 
 
-status() {
+do-status() {
 	local -a packages
 	packages=($argv)
 	(( $#packages == 0 )) && packages=( $DOTFILES/*(N:t) )
@@ -126,7 +168,7 @@ status() {
 		printf %${length}s'  ' $p
 
 		# Check if the package is actually a repo. It might not be if it's brand-new.
-		git_status="$(git status --porcelain --ignore-submodules -unormal 2>/dev/null)"
+		git_status="$(call-git status --porcelain --ignore-submodules -unormal 2>/dev/null)"
 		if (( $? != 0 )); then
 			printf '%9s' '' # space across to the last column
 			print -P %F{247}not a git repository%f
@@ -159,6 +201,12 @@ status() {
 main() {
 	: ${DOTFILES:=~/dotfiles} ${STOW:=stow} ${DOTS_SOURCE_PREFIX:=https://git.00dani.me/dot}
 
+	local opt_index=$argv[(I)(-v|--verbose)]
+	if (( opt_index != 0 )); then
+		VERBOSE=yes
+		argv[opt_index]=()
+	fi
+
 	comm=$1
 	if (( $# == 0 )); then
 		if [[ -d $DOTFILES ]]; then
@@ -169,12 +217,14 @@ main() {
 	fi
 
 	case $comm in
-		bootstrap) bootstrap ;;
-		clone) clone ${argv[2,-1]} ;;
-		fetch) fetch ${argv[2,-1]} ;;
-		link) link ${argv[2,-1]} ;;
-		pull) pull ${argv[2,-1]} ;;
-		st|status) status ${argv[2,-1]} ;;
+		bootstrap) do-bootstrap ;;
+		clone) do-clone ${argv[2,-1]} ;;
+		fetch) do-fetch ${argv[2,-1]} ;;
+		stow) do-stow ${argv[2,-1]} ;;
+		unstow) do-unstow ${argv[2,-1]} ;;
+		restow) do-restow ${argv[2,-1]} ;;
+		pull) do-pull ${argv[2,-1]} ;;
+		st|status) do-status ${argv[2,-1]} ;;
 		*) echo "Unknown subcommand $comm" >&2; return 2 ;;
 	esac
 }