diff --git a/cmd/godplugin/main.go b/cmd/godplugin/main.go
index 9c775b7ec..b873610b8 100644
--- a/cmd/godplugin/main.go
+++ b/cmd/godplugin/main.go
@@ -21,13 +21,14 @@ import (
 )
 
 var (
-	cd, _     = os.Getwd()
-	name      = "go.d"
-	userDir   = os.Getenv("NETDATA_USER_CONFIG_DIR")
-	stockDir  = os.Getenv("NETDATA_STOCK_CONFIG_DIR")
-	varLibDir = os.Getenv("NETDATA_LIB_DIR")
-	lockDir   = os.Getenv("NETDATA_LOCK_DIR")
-	watchPath = os.Getenv("NETDATA_PLUGINS_GOD_WATCH_PATH")
+	cd, _               = os.Getwd()
+	name                = "go.d"
+	userDir             = os.Getenv("NETDATA_USER_CONFIG_DIR")
+	stockDir            = os.Getenv("NETDATA_STOCK_CONFIG_DIR")
+	varLibDir           = os.Getenv("NETDATA_LIB_DIR")
+	lockDir             = os.Getenv("NETDATA_LOCK_DIR")
+	watchPath           = os.Getenv("NETDATA_PLUGINS_GOD_WATCH_PATH")
+	envLogSeverityLevel = os.Getenv("NETDATA_LOG_SEVERITY_LEVEL")
 
 	version = "unknown"
 )
@@ -96,6 +97,10 @@ func main() {
 		return
 	}
 
+	if envLogSeverityLevel != "" {
+		logger.SetSeverityByName(envLogSeverityLevel)
+	}
+
 	if opts.Debug {
 		logger.SetSeverity(logger.DEBUG)
 	}
diff --git a/logger/severity.go b/logger/severity.go
index dcf8fd300..186515891 100644
--- a/logger/severity.go
+++ b/logger/severity.go
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 
 package logger
 
+import "strings"
+
 var globalSeverity = INFO
 
 // Severity is a logging severity level
@@ -59,6 +61,21 @@ func SetSeverity(severity Severity) {
 	globalSeverity = severity
 }
 
+func SetSeverityByName(severity string) {
+	switch strings.ToUpper(severity) {
+	case "CRIT", "CRITICAL":
+		globalSeverity = CRITICAL
+	case "ERR", "ERROR":
+		globalSeverity = ERROR
+	case "WARN", "WARNING":
+		globalSeverity = WARNING
+	case "INFO":
+		globalSeverity = INFO
+	case "DEBUG":
+		globalSeverity = DEBUG
+	}
+}
+
 func IsDebug() bool {
 	return globalSeverity == DEBUG
 }