diff --git a/src/shrpx.cc b/src/shrpx.cc
index bb3250f8..5067d01c 100644
--- a/src/shrpx.cc
+++ b/src/shrpx.cc
@@ -1559,6 +1559,7 @@ void fill_default_config(Config *config) {
   }
 
   loggingconf.syslog_facility = LOG_DAEMON;
+  loggingconf.severity = NOTICE;
 
   auto &connconf = config->conn;
   {
@@ -3201,6 +3202,7 @@ void reload_config(WorkerProcess *wp) {
   // configuration can be obtained from get_config().
 
   auto old_config = replace_config(std::move(new_config));
+  Log::set_severity_level(get_config()->logging.severity);
 
   auto pid = fork_worker_process(ipc_fd, iaddrs);
 
@@ -3208,6 +3210,7 @@ void reload_config(WorkerProcess *wp) {
     LOG(ERROR) << "Failed to process new configuration";
 
     new_config = replace_config(std::move(old_config));
+    Log::set_severity_level(get_config()->logging.severity);
     close_not_inherited_fd(new_config.get(), iaddrs);
 
     return;
diff --git a/src/shrpx_config.cc b/src/shrpx_config.cc
index e9e87a2b..a7e2f7cf 100644
--- a/src/shrpx_config.cc
+++ b/src/shrpx_config.cc
@@ -2682,13 +2682,16 @@ int parse_config(Config *config, int optid, const StringRef &opt,
 
     return 0;
   }
-  case SHRPX_OPTID_LOG_LEVEL:
-    if (Log::set_severity_level_by_name(optarg) == -1) {
+  case SHRPX_OPTID_LOG_LEVEL: {
+    auto level = Log::get_severity_level_by_name(optarg);
+    if (level == -1) {
       LOG(ERROR) << opt << ": Invalid severity level: " << optarg;
       return -1;
     }
+    config->logging.severity = level;
 
     return 0;
+  }
   case SHRPX_OPTID_DAEMON:
     config->daemon = util::strieq_l("yes", optarg);
 
diff --git a/src/shrpx_config.h b/src/shrpx_config.h
index c638191f..183a8c93 100644
--- a/src/shrpx_config.h
+++ b/src/shrpx_config.h
@@ -808,6 +808,7 @@ struct LoggingConfig {
     bool syslog;
   } error;
   int syslog_facility;
+  int severity;
 };
 
 struct RateLimitConfig {
diff --git a/src/shrpx_log.cc b/src/shrpx_log.cc
index e1177e77..58fcb5f6 100644
--- a/src/shrpx_log.cc
+++ b/src/shrpx_log.cc
@@ -116,11 +116,10 @@ int Log::severity_thres_ = NOTICE;
 
 void Log::set_severity_level(int severity) { severity_thres_ = severity; }
 
-int Log::set_severity_level_by_name(const StringRef &name) {
+int Log::get_severity_level_by_name(const StringRef &name) {
   for (size_t i = 0, max = array_size(SEVERITY_STR); i < max; ++i) {
     if (name == SEVERITY_STR[i]) {
-      severity_thres_ = i;
-      return 0;
+      return i;
     }
   }
   return -1;
diff --git a/src/shrpx_log.h b/src/shrpx_log.h
index f1e97314..7b0b914e 100644
--- a/src/shrpx_log.h
+++ b/src/shrpx_log.h
@@ -180,7 +180,9 @@ public:
     }
   }
   static void set_severity_level(int severity);
-  static int set_severity_level_by_name(const StringRef &name);
+  // Returns the severity level by |name|.  Returns -1 if |name| is
+  // unknown.
+  static int get_severity_level_by_name(const StringRef &name);
   static bool log_enabled(int severity) { return severity >= severity_thres_; }
 
   enum {