diff --git a/R/model.R b/R/model.R
index 7f298b11..e6cb1f95 100644
--- a/R/model.R
+++ b/R/model.R
@@ -1495,10 +1495,13 @@ optimize <- function(data = NULL,
                      tol_grad = NULL,
                      tol_rel_grad = NULL,
                      tol_param = NULL,
-                     history_size = NULL) {
+                     history_size = NULL,
+                     show_messages = TRUE,
+                     show_exceptions = TRUE) {
   procs <- CmdStanProcs$new(
     num_procs = 1,
-    show_stdout_messages = (is.null(refresh) || refresh != 0),
+    show_stderr_messages = show_exceptions,
+    show_stdout_messages = show_messages,
     threads_per_proc = assert_valid_threads(threads, self$cpp_options())
   )
   model_variables <- NULL
@@ -1624,7 +1627,9 @@ laplace <- function(data = NULL,
                     mode = NULL,
                     opt_args = NULL,
                     jacobian = TRUE, # different default than for optimize!
-                    draws = NULL) {
+                    draws = NULL,
+                    show_messages = TRUE,
+                    show_exceptions = TRUE) {
   if (cmdstan_version() < "2.32") {
     stop("This method is only available in cmdstan >= 2.32", call. = FALSE)
   }
@@ -1633,7 +1638,8 @@ laplace <- function(data = NULL,
   }
   procs <- CmdStanProcs$new(
     num_procs = 1,
-    show_stdout_messages = (is.null(refresh) || refresh != 0),
+    show_stderr_messages = show_exceptions,
+    show_stdout_messages = show_messages,
     threads_per_proc = assert_valid_threads(threads, self$cpp_options())
   )
   model_variables <- NULL
@@ -1775,10 +1781,13 @@ variational <- function(data = NULL,
                         tol_rel_obj = NULL,
                         eval_elbo = NULL,
                         output_samples = NULL,
-                        draws = NULL) {
+                        draws = NULL,
+                        show_messages = TRUE,
+                        show_exceptions = TRUE) {
   procs <- CmdStanProcs$new(
     num_procs = 1,
-    show_stdout_messages = (is.null(refresh) || refresh != 0),
+    show_stderr_messages = show_exceptions,
+    show_stdout_messages = show_messages,
     threads_per_proc = assert_valid_threads(threads, self$cpp_options())
   )
   model_variables <- NULL
@@ -1902,10 +1911,13 @@ pathfinder <- function(data = NULL,
                        num_paths = NULL,
                        max_lbfgs_iters = NULL,
                        num_elbo_draws = NULL,
-                       save_single_paths = NULL) {
+                       save_single_paths = NULL,
+                       show_messages = TRUE,
+                       show_exceptions = TRUE) {
   procs <- CmdStanProcs$new(
     num_procs = 1,
-    show_stdout_messages = (is.null(refresh) || refresh != 0),
+    show_stderr_messages = show_exceptions,
+    show_stdout_messages = show_messages,
     threads_per_proc = assert_valid_threads(num_threads, self$cpp_options())
   )
   model_variables <- NULL
diff --git a/R/run.R b/R/run.R
index 16a0c97b..9bce6c3e 100644
--- a/R/run.R
+++ b/R/run.R
@@ -844,7 +844,8 @@ CmdStanProcs <- R6::R6Class(
     report_time = function(id = NULL) {
       if (self$proc_state(id) == 7) {
         warning("Fitting finished unexpectedly! Use the $output() method for more information.\n", immediate. = TRUE, call. = FALSE)
-      } else {
+      }
+      if (private$show_stdout_messages_) {
         cat("Finished in ",
             base::format(round(self$total_time(), 1), nsmall = 1),
             "seconds.\n")
diff --git a/man-roxygen/model-common-args.R b/man-roxygen/model-common-args.R
index 7cdcbc49..baf67777 100644
--- a/man-roxygen/model-common-args.R
+++ b/man-roxygen/model-common-args.R
@@ -85,3 +85,16 @@
 #'   be compiled with `cpp_options = list(stan_opencl = TRUE)` for this
 #'   argument to have an effect.
 #'
+#' @param show_messages (logical) When `TRUE` (the default), prints all
+#'   output during the execution process, such as iteration numbers and elapsed times.
+#'   If the output is silenced then the [`$output()`][fit-method-output] method of
+#'   the resulting fit object can be used to display the silenced messages.
+#'
+#' @param show_exceptions (logical) When `TRUE` (the default), prints all
+#'   informational messages, for example rejection of the current proposal.
+#'   Disable if you wish to silence these messages, but this is not usually
+#'   recommended unless you are very confident that the model is correct up to
+#'   numerical error. If the messages are silenced then the
+#'   [`$output()`][fit-method-output] method of the resulting fit object can be
+#'   used to display the silenced messages.
+#'
diff --git a/man-roxygen/model-sample-args.R b/man-roxygen/model-sample-args.R
index 2c8c0e26..240300a8 100644
--- a/man-roxygen/model-sample-args.R
+++ b/man-roxygen/model-sample-args.R
@@ -74,17 +74,6 @@
 #'   quantities block. If the parameters block is empty then using
 #'   `fixed_param=TRUE` is mandatory. When `fixed_param=TRUE` the `chains` and
 #'   `parallel_chains` arguments will be set to `1`.
-#' @param show_messages (logical) When `TRUE` (the default), prints all
-#'   output during the sampling process, such as iteration numbers and elapsed times.
-#'   If the output is silenced then the [`$output()`][fit-method-output] method of
-#'   the resulting fit object can be used to display the silenced messages.
-#' @param show_exceptions (logical) When `TRUE` (the default), prints all
-#'   informational messages, for example rejection of the current proposal.
-#'   Disable if you wish to silence these messages, but this is not usually
-#'   recommended unless you are very confident that the model is correct up to
-#'   numerical error. If the messages are silenced then the
-#'   [`$output()`][fit-method-output] method of the resulting fit object can be
-#'   used to display the silenced messages.
 #' @param diagnostics (character vector) The diagnostics to automatically check
 #'   and warn about after sampling. Setting this to an empty string `""` or
 #'   `NULL` can be used to prevent CmdStanR from automatically reading in the
diff --git a/man/model-method-laplace.Rd b/man/model-method-laplace.Rd
index 64852f88..2601f558 100644
--- a/man/model-method-laplace.Rd
+++ b/man/model-method-laplace.Rd
@@ -19,7 +19,9 @@ laplace(
   mode = NULL,
   opt_args = NULL,
   jacobian = TRUE,
-  draws = NULL
+  draws = NULL,
+  show_messages = TRUE,
+  show_exceptions = TRUE
 )
 }
 \arguments{
@@ -138,6 +140,19 @@ optimization was originally run. If \code{mode} is \code{NULL} then the value of
 \code{jacobian} specified here is used when running optimization.}
 
 \item{draws}{(positive integer) The number of draws to take.}
+
+\item{show_messages}{(logical) When \code{TRUE} (the default), prints all
+output during the execution process, such as iteration numbers and elapsed times.
+If the output is silenced then the \code{\link[=fit-method-output]{$output()}} method of
+the resulting fit object can be used to display the silenced messages.}
+
+\item{show_exceptions}{(logical) When \code{TRUE} (the default), prints all
+informational messages, for example rejection of the current proposal.
+Disable if you wish to silence these messages, but this is not usually
+recommended unless you are very confident that the model is correct up to
+numerical error. If the messages are silenced then the
+\code{\link[=fit-method-output]{$output()}} method of the resulting fit object can be
+used to display the silenced messages.}
 }
 \value{
 A \code{\link{CmdStanLaplace}} object.
diff --git a/man/model-method-optimize.Rd b/man/model-method-optimize.Rd
index 88d40279..9513db9f 100644
--- a/man/model-method-optimize.Rd
+++ b/man/model-method-optimize.Rd
@@ -25,7 +25,9 @@ optimize(
   tol_grad = NULL,
   tol_rel_grad = NULL,
   tol_param = NULL,
-  history_size = NULL
+  history_size = NULL,
+  show_messages = TRUE,
+  show_exceptions = TRUE
 )
 }
 \arguments{
@@ -158,6 +160,19 @@ argument should typically be set to \code{TRUE}.}
 
 \item{history_size}{(positive integer) The size of the history used when
 approximating the Hessian. Only available for L-BFGS.}
+
+\item{show_messages}{(logical) When \code{TRUE} (the default), prints all
+output during the execution process, such as iteration numbers and elapsed times.
+If the output is silenced then the \code{\link[=fit-method-output]{$output()}} method of
+the resulting fit object can be used to display the silenced messages.}
+
+\item{show_exceptions}{(logical) When \code{TRUE} (the default), prints all
+informational messages, for example rejection of the current proposal.
+Disable if you wish to silence these messages, but this is not usually
+recommended unless you are very confident that the model is correct up to
+numerical error. If the messages are silenced then the
+\code{\link[=fit-method-output]{$output()}} method of the resulting fit object can be
+used to display the silenced messages.}
 }
 \value{
 A \code{\link{CmdStanMLE}} object.
diff --git a/man/model-method-pathfinder.Rd b/man/model-method-pathfinder.Rd
index 1642ec59..aacf1fbc 100644
--- a/man/model-method-pathfinder.Rd
+++ b/man/model-method-pathfinder.Rd
@@ -28,7 +28,9 @@ pathfinder(
   num_paths = NULL,
   max_lbfgs_iters = NULL,
   num_elbo_draws = NULL,
-  save_single_paths = NULL
+  save_single_paths = NULL,
+  show_messages = TRUE,
+  show_exceptions = TRUE
 )
 }
 \arguments{
@@ -164,6 +166,19 @@ calculating the ELBO of the approximation at each iteration of LBFGS.}
 
 \item{save_single_paths}{(logical) Whether to save the results of single
 pathfinder runs in multi-pathfinder.}
+
+\item{show_messages}{(logical) When \code{TRUE} (the default), prints all
+output during the execution process, such as iteration numbers and elapsed times.
+If the output is silenced then the \code{\link[=fit-method-output]{$output()}} method of
+the resulting fit object can be used to display the silenced messages.}
+
+\item{show_exceptions}{(logical) When \code{TRUE} (the default), prints all
+informational messages, for example rejection of the current proposal.
+Disable if you wish to silence these messages, but this is not usually
+recommended unless you are very confident that the model is correct up to
+numerical error. If the messages are silenced then the
+\code{\link[=fit-method-output]{$output()}} method of the resulting fit object can be
+used to display the silenced messages.}
 }
 \value{
 A \code{\link{CmdStanPathfinder}} object.
diff --git a/man/model-method-sample.Rd b/man/model-method-sample.Rd
index c3f2c1e6..ce21c60c 100644
--- a/man/model-method-sample.Rd
+++ b/man/model-method-sample.Rd
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ quantities block. If the parameters block is empty then using
 \code{parallel_chains} arguments will be set to \code{1}.}
 
 \item{show_messages}{(logical) When \code{TRUE} (the default), prints all
-output during the sampling process, such as iteration numbers and elapsed times.
+output during the execution process, such as iteration numbers and elapsed times.
 If the output is silenced then the \code{\link[=fit-method-output]{$output()}} method of
 the resulting fit object can be used to display the silenced messages.}
 
diff --git a/man/model-method-sample_mpi.Rd b/man/model-method-sample_mpi.Rd
index 8d961e62..8b0c3ddb 100644
--- a/man/model-method-sample_mpi.Rd
+++ b/man/model-method-sample_mpi.Rd
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ Increasing this value will result in larger output CSV files and thus an
 increased usage of disk space.}
 
 \item{show_messages}{(logical) When \code{TRUE} (the default), prints all
-output during the sampling process, such as iteration numbers and elapsed times.
+output during the execution process, such as iteration numbers and elapsed times.
 If the output is silenced then the \code{\link[=fit-method-output]{$output()}} method of
 the resulting fit object can be used to display the silenced messages.}
 
diff --git a/man/model-method-variational.Rd b/man/model-method-variational.Rd
index e7d9fa1e..6b894b74 100644
--- a/man/model-method-variational.Rd
+++ b/man/model-method-variational.Rd
@@ -26,7 +26,9 @@ variational(
   tol_rel_obj = NULL,
   eval_elbo = NULL,
   output_samples = NULL,
-  draws = NULL
+  draws = NULL,
+  show_messages = TRUE,
+  show_exceptions = TRUE
 )
 }
 \arguments{
@@ -157,6 +159,19 @@ of the objective.}
 
 \item{draws}{(positive integer) Number of approximate posterior
 samples to draw and save.}
+
+\item{show_messages}{(logical) When \code{TRUE} (the default), prints all
+output during the execution process, such as iteration numbers and elapsed times.
+If the output is silenced then the \code{\link[=fit-method-output]{$output()}} method of
+the resulting fit object can be used to display the silenced messages.}
+
+\item{show_exceptions}{(logical) When \code{TRUE} (the default), prints all
+informational messages, for example rejection of the current proposal.
+Disable if you wish to silence these messages, but this is not usually
+recommended unless you are very confident that the model is correct up to
+numerical error. If the messages are silenced then the
+\code{\link[=fit-method-output]{$output()}} method of the resulting fit object can be
+used to display the silenced messages.}
 }
 \value{
 A \code{\link{CmdStanVB}} object.
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-fit-shared.R b/tests/testthat/test-fit-shared.R
index 85c69eb4..691db31c 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-fit-shared.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-fit-shared.R
@@ -288,7 +288,7 @@ test_that("CmdStanArgs erorrs if idx is out of proc_ids range", {
   )
 })
 
-test_that("no output with refresh = 0", {
+test_that("no output with show_messages = FALSE", {
   mod <- testing_model("logistic")
   data_list <- testing_data("logistic")
   output <- utils::capture.output(tmp <- mod$variational(data = data_list, seed = 123))
@@ -298,12 +298,12 @@ test_that("no output with refresh = 0", {
   output <- utils::capture.output(tmp <- mod$sample(data = data_list, chains = 1, seed = 123))
   expect_gt(length(output), 1)
 
-  output <- utils::capture.output(tmp <- mod$variational(data = data_list, refresh = 0, seed = 123))
-  expect_equal(length(output), 1)
-  output <- utils::capture.output(tmp <- mod$optimize(data = data_list, refresh = 0, seed = 123))
-  expect_equal(length(output), 1)
-  output <- utils::capture.output(tmp <- mod$sample(data = data_list, refresh = 0, chains = 1, seed = 123))
-  expect_equal(length(output), 3)
+  output <- utils::capture.output(tmp <- mod$variational(data = data_list, show_messages = FALSE, seed = 123))
+  expect_equal(length(output), 0)
+  output <- utils::capture.output(tmp <- mod$optimize(data = data_list, show_messages = FALSE, seed = 123))
+  expect_equal(length(output), 0)
+  output <- utils::capture.output(tmp <- mod$sample(data = data_list, show_messages = FALSE, chains = 1, seed = 123))
+  expect_equal(length(output), 0)
 })
 
 test_that("sig_figs works with all methods", {