diff --git a/src/lib/logging.ts b/src/lib/logging.ts
index 0d9b57d..3b22fb2 100644
--- a/src/lib/logging.ts
+++ b/src/lib/logging.ts
@@ -1,12 +1,18 @@
 import pino from 'pino';
 
+/**
+ * workaround to provide IntelliSense hints https://stackoverflow.com/a/61048124
+ */
+export type LoggingLevel = pino.LevelWithSilent | (string & {});
+
 interface InitLoggerOptions {
     appName: string;
     devMode: boolean;
     destination?: pino.DestinationStream;
+    level?: LoggingLevel;
 }
 
-export function initLogger({appName, devMode, destination}: InitLoggerOptions) {
+export function initLogger({appName, devMode, destination, level = 'debug'}: InitLoggerOptions) {
     const transportConfig = devMode
         ? {
               target: 'pino-pretty',
@@ -18,10 +24,10 @@ export function initLogger({appName, devMode, destination}: InitLoggerOptions) {
           }
         : undefined;
 
-    const options = {
+    const options: pino.LoggerOptions = {
         name: appName,
         safe: true,
-        leve: 'debug',
+        level,
         serializers: {
             error: pino.stdSerializers.err,
         },
diff --git a/src/nodekit.ts b/src/nodekit.ts
index fceced0..5267b06 100644
--- a/src/nodekit.ts
+++ b/src/nodekit.ts
@@ -61,12 +61,14 @@ export class NodeKit {
             appInstallation,
             appEnv,
             appDevMode,
+            appLoggingLevel: process.env.APP_LOGGING_LEVEL || fileConfig.appLoggingLevel,
         });
 
         this.logger = initLogger({
             appName: this.config.appName as string,
             devMode: appDevMode,
             destination: this.config.appLoggingDestination,
+            level: this.config.appLoggingLevel,
         });
 
         const redactSensitiveQueryParams = prepareSensitiveQueryParamsRedacter(
diff --git a/src/types.ts b/src/types.ts
index 86b2af4..f5dfa88 100644
--- a/src/types.ts
+++ b/src/types.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-import {pino} from 'pino';
+import type {pino} from 'pino';
+import type {LoggingLevel} from './lib/logging';
 
 export interface AppConfig {
     appName?: string;
@@ -20,6 +21,7 @@ export interface AppConfig {
     appSensitiveQueryParams?: string[];
 
     appLoggingDestination?: pino.DestinationStream;
+    appLoggingLevel?: LoggingLevel;
 
     appTracingEnabled?: boolean;
     appTracingServiceName?: string;