diff --git a/libcontainer/nsenter/nsexec.c b/libcontainer/nsenter/nsexec.c
index c2fa8aa34..7e79ca0eb 100644
--- a/libcontainer/nsenter/nsexec.c
+++ b/libcontainer/nsenter/nsexec.c
@@ -89,14 +89,21 @@ struct nlconfig_t {
 	size_t gidmappath_len;
 };
 
-#define PANIC   "panic"
-#define FATAL   "fatal"
-#define ERROR   "error"
-#define WARNING "warning"
-#define INFO    "info"
-#define DEBUG   "debug"
+/*
+ * Log levels are the same as in logrus.
+ */
+#define PANIC   0
+#define FATAL   1
+#define ERROR   2
+#define WARNING 3
+#define INFO    4
+#define DEBUG   5
+#define TRACE   6
+
+static const char *level_str[] = { "panic", "fatal", "error", "warning", "info", "debug", "trace" };
 
 static int logfd = -1;
+static int loglevel = DEBUG;
 
 /*
  * List of netlink message types sent to us as part of bootstrapping the init.
@@ -134,13 +141,13 @@ int setns(int fd, int nstype)
 }
 #endif
 
-static void write_log(const char *level, const char *format, ...)
+static void write_log(int level, const char *format, ...)
 {
 	char *message = NULL, *stage = NULL, *json = NULL;
 	va_list args;
 	int ret;
 
-	if (logfd < 0 || level == NULL)
+	if (logfd < 0 || level > loglevel)
 		goto out;
 
 	va_start(args, format);
@@ -162,7 +169,8 @@ static void write_log(const char *level, const char *format, ...)
 		goto out;
 	}
 
-	ret = asprintf(&json, "{\"level\":\"%s\", \"msg\": \"%s[%d]: %s\"}\n", level, stage, getpid(), message);
+	ret = asprintf(&json, "{\"level\":\"%s\", \"msg\": \"%s[%d]: %s\"}\n",
+		       level_str[level], stage, getpid(), message);
 	if (ret < 0) {
 		json = NULL;
 		goto out;
@@ -400,16 +408,18 @@ static int getenv_int(const char *name)
 	if (val == endptr || *endptr != '\0')
 		bail("unable to parse %s=%s", name, val);
 	/*
-	 * Sanity check: this must be a non-negative number.
-	 */
-	if (ret < 0)
+	 * Sanity check: this must be a small non-negative number.
+	 * Practically, we pass two fds (3 and 4) and a log level,
+	 * for which the maximum is 6 (TRACE).
+	 * */
+	if (ret < 0 || ret > TRACE)
 		bail("bad value for %s=%s (%d)", name, val, ret);
 
 	return ret;
 }
 
 /*
- * Sets up logging by getting log fd from the environment,
+ * Sets up logging by getting log fd and log level from the environment,
  * if available.
  */
 static void setup_logpipe(void)
@@ -422,6 +432,11 @@ static void setup_logpipe(void)
 		return;
 	}
 	logfd = i;
+
+	i = getenv_int("_LIBCONTAINER_LOGLEVEL");
+	if (i < 0)
+		return;
+	loglevel = i;
 }
 
 /* Returns the clone(2) flag for a namespace, given the name of a namespace. */