diff --git a/priv/emqx.schema b/priv/emqx.schema
index 56f393cd5..3838db31e 100644
--- a/priv/emqx.schema
+++ b/priv/emqx.schema
@@ -387,11 +387,16 @@ end}.
   {datatype, {enum, [off, file, console, both]}}
 ]}.
 
-{mapping, "log.level", "kernel.logger_level", [
+{mapping, "log.level", "kernel.logger", [
   {default, error},
   {datatype, {enum, [debug, info, notice, warning, error, critical, alert, emergency, all]}}
 ]}.
 
+{mapping, "log.primary_level", "emqx.primary_log_level", [
+   {default, error},
+   {datatype, {enum, [debug, info, notice, warning, error, critical, alert, emergency, all]}}
+]}.
+
 {mapping, "log.logger_sasl_compatible", "kernel.logger_sasl_compatible", [
   {default, true},
   {datatype, {enum, [true, false]}}
@@ -427,9 +432,13 @@ end}.
   hidden
 ]}.
 
+{translation, "emqx.primary_log_level", fun(Conf) ->
+    cuttlefish:conf_get("log.level", Conf)
+end}.
+
 {translation, "kernel.logger", fun(Conf) ->
     LogTo = cuttlefish:conf_get("log.to", Conf),
-    TopLogLevel = cuttlefish:conf_get("log.level", Conf),
+    LogLevel = cuttlefish:conf_get("log.level", Conf),
     Formatter = {emqx_logger_formatter,
                   #{template =>
                       [time," [",level,"] ",
@@ -452,7 +461,7 @@ end}.
     DefaultHandler =
         if LogTo =:= console orelse LogTo =:= both ->
                 [{handler, default, logger_std_h,
-                    #{level => TopLogLevel,
+                    #{level => LogLevel,
                       config => #{type => standard_io},
                       formatter => Formatter}}];
            true ->
@@ -463,7 +472,7 @@ end}.
     FileHandler =
         if LogTo =:= file orelse LogTo =:= both ->
               [{handler, file, logger_disk_log_h,
-                    #{level => TopLogLevel,
+                    #{level => LogLevel,
                       config => FileConf(cuttlefish:conf_get("log.file", Conf)),
                       formatter => Formatter,
                       filesync_repeat_interval => no_repeat}}];
diff --git a/src/emqx_app.erl b/src/emqx_app.erl
index 4a39e46aa..977eabc2f 100644
--- a/src/emqx_app.erl
+++ b/src/emqx_app.erl
@@ -25,6 +25,12 @@
 %%--------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 start(_Type, _Args) ->
+    %% We'd like to configure the primary logger level here, rather than set the
+    %%   kernel config `logger_level` before starting the erlang vm.
+    %% This is because the latter approach an annoying debug msg will be printed out:
+    %%   "[debug] got_unexpected_message {'EXIT',<0.1198.0>,normal}"
+    logger:set_primary_config(level, application:get_env(emqx, primary_log_level, error)),
+
     print_banner(),
     ekka:start(),
     {ok, Sup} = emqx_sup:start_link(),
diff --git a/src/emqx_logger.erl b/src/emqx_logger.erl
index 2d850561c..79979097c 100644
--- a/src/emqx_logger.erl
+++ b/src/emqx_logger.erl
@@ -25,6 +25,9 @@
 -export([add_metadata_peername/1, add_metadata_client_id/1]).
 -export([add_proc_metadata/1]).
 
+-export([get_primary_log_level/0, set_primary_log_level/1]).
+-export([get_log_handlers/0, get_log_handler/1, set_log_handler_level/2]).
+
 debug(Msg) ->
     logger:debug(Msg).
 debug(Format, Args) ->
@@ -73,4 +76,41 @@ add_proc_metadata(Meta) ->
             logger:set_process_metadata(Meta);
         OldMeta ->
             logger:set_process_metadata(maps:merge(OldMeta, Meta))
-    end.
\ No newline at end of file
+    end.
+
+get_primary_log_level() ->
+    #{level := Level} = logger:get_primary_config(),
+    Level.
+
+set_primary_log_level(Level) ->
+    logger:set_primary_config(level, Level).
+
+get_log_handlers() ->
+    lists:map(fun log_hanlder_info/1, logger:get_handler_config()).
+
+get_log_handler(HandlerId) ->
+    {ok, Conf} = logger:get_handler_config(HandlerId),
+    log_hanlder_info(Conf).
+
+set_log_handler_level(HandlerId, Level) ->
+    logger:set_handler_config(HandlerId, level, Level).
+
+%%========================
+%% Internal Functions
+%%========================
+log_hanlder_info(#{id := Id, level := Level, module := logger_std_h,
+                   config := #{type := Type}}) when Type =:= standard_io;
+                                                    Type =:= standard_error ->
+    {Id, Level, console};
+log_hanlder_info(#{id := Id, level := Level, module := logger_std_h,
+                   config := #{type := Type}}) ->
+    case Type of
+        {file, Filename} -> {Id, Level, Filename};
+        {file, Filename, _Opts} -> {Id, Level, Filename};
+        _ -> {Id, Level, unknown}
+    end;
+log_hanlder_info(#{id := Id, level := Level, module := logger_disk_log_h,
+                   config := #{file := Filename}}) ->
+    {Id, Level, Filename};
+log_hanlder_info(#{id := Id, level := Level, module := _OtherModule}) ->
+    {Id, Level, unknown}.
\ No newline at end of file