diff --git a/hgext/purge.py b/hgext/purge.py
--- a/hgext/purge.py
+++ b/hgext/purge.py
@@ -101,10 +101,12 @@ def purge(ui, repo, *dirs, **opts):
     status = repo.status(match=match, ignored=opts['all'], unknown=True)
 
     for f in sorted(status[4] + status[5]):
-        ui.note(_('removing file %s\n') % f)
+        if act:
+            ui.note(_('removing file %s\n') % f)
         remove(removefile, f)
 
     for f in sorted(directories, reverse=True):
         if match(f) and not os.listdir(repo.wjoin(f)):
-            ui.note(_('removing directory %s\n') % f)
+            if act:
+                ui.note(_('removing directory %s\n') % f)
             remove(os.rmdir, f)
diff --git a/tests/test-purge.t b/tests/test-purge.t
--- a/tests/test-purge.t
+++ b/tests/test-purge.t
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ setup
 delete an empty directory
 
   $ mkdir empty_dir
-  $ hg purge -p
+  $ hg purge -p -v
   empty_dir
   $ hg purge -v
   removing directory empty_dir