diff --git a/src/tools/perlcheck/perlcriticrc b/src/tools/perlcheck/perlcriticrc
index 12c09a453e..5784a0f765 100644
--- a/src/tools/perlcheck/perlcriticrc
+++ b/src/tools/perlcheck/perlcriticrc
@@ -6,13 +6,77 @@
 #
 #####################################################################
 
-severity = 5
+severity = 3
 
+# ignore any other themes the use might have installed
 theme = core
 
+# print the policy name as well as the normal output
+verbose = %f: %m at line %l, column %c.  %e.  ([%p] Severity: %s)\n
+
+# Note: for policy descriptions see https://metacpan.org/release/Perl-Critic
+
+# Policy settings. Eventually policies from the "currently violated"
+# sections below should either be addressed via patches or moved to
+# this section.
+
 # allow octal constants with leading zeros
 [-ValuesAndExpressions::ProhibitLeadingZeros]
 
-# for now raise severity of this to level 5
-[Subroutines::RequireFinalReturn]
-severity = 5
+# severity 4 policies currently violated
+
+[-BuiltinFunctions::RequireBlockGrep]
+[-BuiltinFunctions::RequireBlockMap]
+[-InputOutput::ProhibitReadlineInForLoop]
+[-InputOutput::RequireBriefOpen]
+[-Modules::ProhibitAutomaticExportation]
+[-Modules::ProhibitMultiplePackages]
+[-Objects::ProhibitIndirectSyntax]
+[-Subroutines::RequireArgUnpacking]
+[-TestingAndDebugging::ProhibitNoWarnings]
+[-TestingAndDebugging::ProhibitProlongedStrictureOverride]
+[-TestingAndDebugging::RequireUseWarnings]
+[-ValuesAndExpressions::ProhibitCommaSeparatedStatements]
+[-ValuesAndExpressions::ProhibitConstantPragma]
+[-ValuesAndExpressions::ProhibitMixedBooleanOperators]
+[-Variables::RequireLocalizedPunctuationVars]
+
+# severity 3 policies currently violated
+
+[-BuiltinFunctions::ProhibitComplexMappings]
+[-BuiltinFunctions::ProhibitLvalueSubstr]
+[-BuiltinFunctions::ProhibitVoidMap]
+[-BuiltinFunctions::RequireSimpleSortBlock]
+[-ClassHierarchies::ProhibitExplicitISA]
+[-CodeLayout::ProhibitHardTabs]
+[-ControlStructures::ProhibitCascadingIfElse]
+[-ControlStructures::ProhibitDeepNests]
+[-ControlStructures::ProhibitNegativeExpressionsInUnlessAndUntilConditions]
+[-ErrorHandling::RequireCarping]
+[-ErrorHandling::RequireCheckingReturnValueOfEval]
+[-InputOutput::ProhibitBacktickOperators]
+[-InputOutput::ProhibitJoinedReadline]
+[-InputOutput::RequireCheckedOpen]
+[-Miscellanea::ProhibitUnrestrictedNoCritic]
+[-Modules::ProhibitConditionalUseStatements]
+[-Modules::ProhibitExcessMainComplexity]
+[-NamingConventions::ProhibitAmbiguousNames]
+[-RegularExpressions::ProhibitCaptureWithoutTest]
+[-RegularExpressions::ProhibitComplexRegexes]
+[-RegularExpressions::ProhibitUnusedCapture]
+[-RegularExpressions::RequireExtendedFormatting]
+[-Subroutines::ProhibitExcessComplexity]
+[-Subroutines::ProhibitManyArgs]
+[-Subroutines::ProhibitUnusedPrivateSubroutines]
+[-TestingAndDebugging::RequireTestLabels]
+[-ValuesAndExpressions::ProhibitImplicitNewlines]
+[-ValuesAndExpressions::ProhibitMismatchedOperators]
+[-ValuesAndExpressions::ProhibitQuotesAsQuotelikeOperatorDelimiters]
+[-ValuesAndExpressions::ProhibitVersionStrings]
+[-ValuesAndExpressions::RequireQuotedHeredocTerminator]
+[-Variables::ProhibitPackageVars]
+[-Variables::ProhibitReusedNames]
+[-Variables::ProhibitUnusedVariables]
+[-Variables::RequireInitializationForLocalVars]
+
+# EOF