diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 69b26c1a..745358c3 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 * config.rb and extensions can add command-line commands
 * Nested layouts using `wrap_layout` helper
 * Support for placekitten.com
+* Added MM_ROOT environmental variable
 
 2.0.14
 ====
diff --git a/bin/middleman b/bin/middleman
index 15e70f55..acc6642c 100755
--- a/bin/middleman
+++ b/bin/middleman
@@ -1,64 +1,30 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env ruby
 
-libdir = File.join(File.dirname(File.dirname(__FILE__)), "lib")
+require "rubygems"
+require "pathname"
+
+libdir = File.expand_path(File.join(File.dirname(File.dirname(__FILE__)), "lib"))
 $LOAD_PATH.unshift(libdir) unless $LOAD_PATH.include?(libdir)
 
-require 'pathname'
-require 'rubygems'
+ARGV << "server" if ARGV.length < 1
 
-module Middleman
-  module ProjectLocator
-    class << self
-      def locate_middleman_root!
-        cwd = Dir.pwd
-      
-        if !in_middleman_project? && !in_middleman_project_subdirectory?
-          $stderr.puts "== Error: Could not find a Middleman project config, perhaps you are in the wrong folder?"
-          exit(1)
-        end
-      
-        if in_middleman_project?
-          did_locate_middleman_project(cwd)
-          return
-        end
-      
-        Dir.chdir("..") do
-          # Recurse in a chdir block: if the search fails we want to be sure
-          # the application is generated in the original working directory.
-          locate_middleman_root! unless cwd == Dir.pwd
-        end
-      rescue SystemCallError
-        # could not chdir, no problem just return
-      end
-
-      def in_middleman_project?
-        File.exists?('config.rb')
-      end
-
-      def in_middleman_project_subdirectory?(path = Pathname.new(Dir.pwd))
-        File.exists?(File.join(path, 'config.rb')) || !path.root? && in_middleman_project_subdirectory?(path.parent)
-      end
-    
-      def did_locate_middleman_project(path)
-        # Set up gems listed in the Gemfile.
-        ENV['BUNDLE_GEMFILE'] ||= File.expand_path('Gemfile', path)
-
-        require 'bundler/setup' if File.exists?(ENV['BUNDLE_GEMFILE'])
-
-        start_cli!
-      end
-    
-      def start_cli!
-        require 'middleman'
-        Middleman::Cli::Base.start
-      end
-    end
-  end
+def locate_middleman_root!(cwd = Pathname.new(Dir.pwd))
+  return cwd.to_s if File.exists?(File.join(cwd, 'config.rb'))
+  return false if cwd.root?
+  locate_middleman_root!(cwd.parent)
 end
 
-ARGV << "server" if ARGV.length < 1
-if %w(server s build b).include?(ARGV[0])
-  Middleman::ProjectLocator.locate_middleman_root!
-else
-  Middleman::ProjectLocator.start_cli!
+if !ENV['MM_ROOT'] && found_path = locate_middleman_root!
+  ENV['MM_ROOT'] = found_path
+end
+
+if ENV['MM_ROOT']
+  # Set up gems listed in the Gemfile.
+  ENV['BUNDLE_GEMFILE'] ||= File.expand_path('Gemfile', ENV['MM_ROOT'])
+  require 'bundler/setup' if File.exists?(ENV['BUNDLE_GEMFILE'])
+end
+
+require 'middleman'
+Dir.chdir(ENV['MM_ROOT'] || Dir.pwd) do
+  Middleman::Cli::Base.start
 end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/middleman.rb b/lib/middleman.rb
index dee9d74d..fb94a503 100755
--- a/lib/middleman.rb
+++ b/lib/middleman.rb
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 require "rbconfig"
 
 # Setup our load paths
-libdir = File.dirname(__FILE__)
+libdir = File.expand_path(File.dirname(__FILE__))
 $LOAD_PATH.unshift(libdir) unless $LOAD_PATH.include?(libdir)
 
 # Top-level Middleman object
@@ -230,7 +230,7 @@ module Middleman
         'webrick' # Maybe Kirk?
       else
         require "thin"
-        ::Thin::Logging.silent = !options[:is_logging]
+        ::Thin::Logging.silent = !options[:logging]
         'thin'
       end
 
diff --git a/lib/middleman/base.rb b/lib/middleman/base.rb
index 6e362583..4eaf2f3a 100644
--- a/lib/middleman/base.rb
+++ b/lib/middleman/base.rb
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ class Middleman::Base
   
   # Root project directory (overwritten in middleman build/server)
   # @return [String]
-  set :root,        Dir.pwd
+  set :root,        ENV['MM_ROOT'] || Dir.pwd
   
   # Name of the source directory
   # @return [String]
@@ -324,6 +324,8 @@ class Middleman::Base
     @req = Rack::Request.new(env)
     @res = Rack::Response.new
 
+    puts "== Request: #{env["PATH_INFO"]}" if logging?
+
     if env["PATH_INFO"] == "/__middleman__" && env["REQUEST_METHOD"] == "POST"
       if req.params.has_key?("change")
         file_did_change(req.params["change"])
@@ -402,6 +404,7 @@ class Middleman::Base
     end
     
     # End the request
+    puts "== Finishing Request: #{self.current_path}" if logging?
     halt res.finish
   end
 
diff --git a/lib/middleman/cli/build.rb b/lib/middleman/cli/build.rb
index 6a09fa7b..07ab4aa2 100644
--- a/lib/middleman/cli/build.rb
+++ b/lib/middleman/cli/build.rb
@@ -25,6 +25,11 @@ module Middleman::Cli
       :default => nil, 
       :desc    => 'Build a subset of the project'
     def build
+      if !ENV["MM_ROOT"]
+        $stderr.puts "== Error: Could not find a Middleman project config, perhaps you are in the wrong folder?"
+        exit(1)
+      end
+      
       if options.has_key?("relative") && options["relative"]
         self.class.shared_instance.activate :relative_assets
       end
diff --git a/lib/middleman/cli/server.rb b/lib/middleman/cli/server.rb
index b9befb45..d727763f 100644
--- a/lib/middleman/cli/server.rb
+++ b/lib/middleman/cli/server.rb
@@ -19,16 +19,21 @@ module Middleman::Cli
       :aliases => "-p", 
       :default => "4567", 
       :desc    => "The port Middleman will listen on"
-    method_option "debug", 
+    method_option "verbose", 
       :type    => :boolean, 
       :default => false,
       :desc    => 'Print debug messages'
     def server
+      if !ENV["MM_ROOT"]
+        $stderr.puts "== Error: Could not find a Middleman project config, perhaps you are in the wrong folder?"
+        exit(1)
+      end
+
       params = {
         :port        => options["port"],
         :host        => options["host"],
         :environment => options["environment"],
-        :debug       => options["debug"]
+        :debug       => options["verbose"]
       }
       
       puts "== The Middleman is loading"
diff --git a/lib/middleman/sitemap/template.rb b/lib/middleman/sitemap/template.rb
index e845d742..d1ab18c7 100644
--- a/lib/middleman/sitemap/template.rb
+++ b/lib/middleman/sitemap/template.rb
@@ -57,6 +57,8 @@ module Middleman::Sitemap
     end
 
     def render(opts={}, locs={}, &block)
+      puts "== Render Start: #{source_file}" if app.logging?
+      
       md   = metadata.dup
       opts = options.deep_merge(md[:options]).deep_merge(opts)
       locs = locals.deep_merge(md[:locals]).deep_merge(locs)
@@ -71,7 +73,10 @@ module Middleman::Sitemap
       end
       
       app.instance_eval(&block) if block_given?
-      app.render_template(source_file, locs, opts)
+      result = app.render_template(source_file, locs, opts)
+      
+      puts "== Render End: #{source_file}" if app.logging?
+      result
     end
   end
 end
\ No newline at end of file