diff --git a/statusd.py b/statusd.py
index deb876b..8a5ba7f 100755
--- a/statusd.py
+++ b/statusd.py
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@ def read_config(CONFIGFILE, CONFIG):
                     key = strip_argument(key).upper()
                     value = strip_argument(value)
                     CONFIG[key] = value
-                    logging.debug('Set {} to {}'.format(key, value))
     else:
         logging.error('Failed to read {}'.format(CONFIGFILE))
         logging.error('Using default values')
@@ -189,6 +188,28 @@ def set_values(raw_data):
     return (status, timestamp)
 
 
+def read_loglevel(CONFIG):
+    '''
+    The function translates the value string from config verbosity option to
+    a valid logging option.
+    param1: dictionary
+    return: boolean or integer
+    '''
+    if CONFIG['VERBOSITY'] == 'critical':
+        loglevel = logging.CRITICAL
+    elif CONFIG['VERBOSITY'] == 'error':
+        loglevel = logging.ERROR
+    elif CONFIG['VERBOSITY'] == 'warning':
+        loglevel = logging.WARNING
+    elif CONFIG['VERBOSITY'] == 'info':
+        loglevel = logging.INFO
+    elif CONFIG['VERBOSITY'] == 'debug':
+        loglevel = logging.DEBUG
+    else: loglevel = False
+    print(loglevel)
+    return(loglevel)
+
+
 def main():
     '''
     The main function - opens a socket, create a ssl context, load certs and
@@ -197,8 +218,12 @@ def main():
     PROTOCOL_TLS: only use tls
     OP_NO_COMPRESSION: prevention against crime attack
     OP_DONT_ISERT_EMPTY_FRAGMENTS: prevention agains cbc 4 attack (cve-2011-3389)
-
     '''
+
+    loglevel = logging.WARNING
+    formatstring = '%(asctime)s: %(levelname)s: %(message)s'
+    logging.basicConfig(format=formatstring, level=loglevel)
+
     CONFIG = {
         'HOST': 'localhost',
         'PORT': 10001,
@@ -208,13 +233,15 @@ def main():
         'TIMEOUT': 3.0,
         'API': './api',
         'API_TEMPLATE': './api_template',
-        'VERBOSITY': 'info'
+        'VERBOSITY': 'warning'
         }
     CONFIG_FILE = './statusd.conf'
-
-    loglevel = logging.INFO
-    logging.basicConfig(format='%(levelname)s: %(message)s', level=loglevel)
     read_config(CONFIG_FILE, CONFIG)
+    loglevel = read_loglevel(CONFIG)
+    if loglevel != False:
+        logger = logging.getLogger()
+        logger.setLevel(loglevel)
+
     print_config(CONFIG)
 
     if certs_readable(CONFIG) == False: