diff --git a/llarp/router/router.cpp b/llarp/router/router.cpp
index 6f5478959..56b725058 100644
--- a/llarp/router/router.cpp
+++ b/llarp/router/router.cpp
@@ -1042,6 +1042,7 @@ namespace llarp
 #if defined(WITH_SYSTEMD)
     ::sd_notify(0, "READY=1");
 #endif
+    LogContext::Instance().DropToRuntimeLevel();
     return _running;
   }
 
@@ -1091,6 +1092,7 @@ namespace llarp
       return;
 
     _stopping.store(true);
+    LogContext::Instance().RevertRuntimeLevel();
     LogInfo("stopping router");
     hiddenServiceContext().StopAll();
     _exitContext.Stop();
diff --git a/llarp/util/logging/logger.cpp b/llarp/util/logging/logger.cpp
index 9e99a4781..31f06d625 100644
--- a/llarp/util/logging/logger.cpp
+++ b/llarp/util/logging/logger.cpp
@@ -36,6 +36,18 @@ namespace llarp
     return ctx;
   }
 
+  void
+  LogContext::DropToRuntimeLevel()
+  {
+    curLevel = runtimeLevel;
+  }
+
+  void
+  LogContext::RevertRuntimeLevel()
+  {
+    curLevel = startupLevel;
+  }
+
   log_timestamp::log_timestamp() : log_timestamp("%c %Z")
   {
   }
@@ -50,7 +62,7 @@ namespace llarp
   void
   SetLogLevel(LogLevel lvl)
   {
-    LogContext::Instance().minLevel = lvl;
+    LogContext::Instance().curLevel = lvl;
   }
 }  // namespace llarp
 
diff --git a/llarp/util/logging/logger.hpp b/llarp/util/logging/logger.hpp
index 206c8a000..9a020aad0 100644
--- a/llarp/util/logging/logger.hpp
+++ b/llarp/util/logging/logger.hpp
@@ -83,7 +83,9 @@ namespace llarp
   struct LogContext
   {
     LogContext();
-    LogLevel minLevel = eLogInfo;
+    LogLevel curLevel     = eLogInfo;
+    LogLevel startupLevel = eLogInfo;
+    LogLevel runtimeLevel = eLogWarn;
     ILogStream_ptr logStream;
     std::string nodeName = "lokinet";
 
@@ -91,6 +93,12 @@ namespace llarp
 
     static LogContext&
     Instance();
+
+    void
+    DropToRuntimeLevel();
+
+    void
+    RevertRuntimeLevel();
   };
 
   void
@@ -102,7 +110,7 @@ namespace llarp
   _Log(LogLevel lvl, const char* fname, int lineno, TArgs&&... args) noexcept
   {
     auto& log = LogContext::Instance();
-    if(log.minLevel > lvl)
+    if(log.curLevel > lvl)
       return;
 
     std::stringstream ss;