diff --git a/pkg/kopia/command/blob.go b/pkg/kopia/command/blob.go
index 139a1c5eaf..4e539fd305 100644
--- a/pkg/kopia/command/blob.go
+++ b/pkg/kopia/command/blob.go
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ type BlobListCommandArgs struct {
 
 // BlobList returns the kopia command for listing blobs in the repository with their sizes
 func BlobList(cmdArgs BlobListCommandArgs) []string {
-	args := commonArgs(cmdArgs.CommandArgs, false)
+	args := commonArgs(cmdArgs.CommandArgs)
 	args = args.AppendLoggable(blobSubCommand, listSubCommand)
 
 	return stringSliceCommand(args)
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ type BlobStatsCommandArgs struct {
 
 // BlobStats returns the kopia command to get the blob stats
 func BlobStats(cmdArgs BlobStatsCommandArgs) []string {
-	args := commonArgs(cmdArgs.CommandArgs, false)
+	args := commonArgs(cmdArgs.CommandArgs)
 	args = args.AppendLoggable(blobSubCommand, statsSubCommand, rawFlag)
 
 	return stringSliceCommand(args)
diff --git a/pkg/kopia/command/common.go b/pkg/kopia/command/common.go
index 7035d46e78..6e6ecd792d 100644
--- a/pkg/kopia/command/common.go
+++ b/pkg/kopia/command/common.go
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ type CommandArgs struct {
 	RepoPassword   string
 	ConfigFilePath string
 	LogDirectory   string
+	LogLevel       string
 }
 
 func bashCommand(args logsafe.Cmd) []string {
@@ -38,22 +39,27 @@ func stringSliceCommand(args logsafe.Cmd) []string {
 	return args.StringSliceCMD()
 }
 
-func commonArgs(cmdArgs *CommandArgs, requireInfoLevel bool) logsafe.Cmd {
+func commonArgs(cmdArgs *CommandArgs) logsafe.Cmd {
 	c := logsafe.NewLoggable(kopiaCommand)
-	if requireInfoLevel {
-		c = c.AppendLoggable(logLevelInfoFlag)
+
+	if cmdArgs.LogLevel != "" {
+		c = c.AppendLoggableKV(logLevelFlag, cmdArgs.LogLevel)
 	} else {
-		c = c.AppendLoggable(logLevelErrorFlag)
+		c = c.AppendLoggableKV(logLevelFlag, LogLevelError)
 	}
+
 	if cmdArgs.ConfigFilePath != "" {
 		c = c.AppendLoggableKV(configFileFlag, cmdArgs.ConfigFilePath)
 	}
+
 	if cmdArgs.LogDirectory != "" {
 		c = c.AppendLoggableKV(logDirectoryFlag, cmdArgs.LogDirectory)
 	}
+
 	if cmdArgs.RepoPassword != "" {
 		c = c.AppendRedactedKV(passwordFlag, cmdArgs.RepoPassword)
 	}
+
 	return c
 }
 
@@ -67,7 +73,7 @@ func addTags(tags []string, args logsafe.Cmd) logsafe.Cmd {
 
 // ExecKopiaArgs returns the basic Argv for executing kopia with the given config file path.
 func ExecKopiaArgs(configFilePath string) []string {
-	return commonArgs(&CommandArgs{ConfigFilePath: configFilePath}, false).StringSliceCMD()
+	return commonArgs(&CommandArgs{ConfigFilePath: configFilePath}).StringSliceCMD()
 }
 
 const (
diff --git a/pkg/kopia/command/const.go b/pkg/kopia/command/const.go
index fab9bddfa4..8290a438b0 100644
--- a/pkg/kopia/command/const.go
+++ b/pkg/kopia/command/const.go
@@ -39,8 +39,9 @@ const (
 	globalFlag                 = "--global"
 	jsonFlag                   = "--json"
 	logDirectoryFlag           = "--log-dir"
-	logLevelErrorFlag          = "--log-level=error"
-	logLevelInfoFlag           = "--log-level=info"
+	logLevelFlag               = "--log-level"
+	LogLevelError              = "error"
+	LogLevelInfo               = "info"
 	noGrpcFlag                 = "--no-grpc"
 	parallelFlag               = "--parallel"
 	passwordFlag               = "--password"
diff --git a/pkg/kopia/command/helpers.go b/pkg/kopia/command/helpers.go
index b193148848..51e32224bf 100644
--- a/pkg/kopia/command/helpers.go
+++ b/pkg/kopia/command/helpers.go
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ type GeneralCommandArgs struct {
 // contains subcommands, loggable flags, loggable key value pairs and
 // redacted key value pairs
 func GeneralCommand(cmdArgs GeneralCommandArgs) logsafe.Cmd {
-	args := commonArgs(cmdArgs.CommandArgs, false)
+	args := commonArgs(cmdArgs.CommandArgs)
 	for _, subCmd := range cmdArgs.SubCommands {
 		args = args.AppendLoggable(subCmd)
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/kopia/command/maintenance.go b/pkg/kopia/command/maintenance.go
index 9d3c72fab1..f41ba0a850 100644
--- a/pkg/kopia/command/maintenance.go
+++ b/pkg/kopia/command/maintenance.go
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ type MaintenanceInfoCommandArgs struct {
 
 // MaintenanceInfo returns the kopia command to get maintenance info
 func MaintenanceInfo(cmdArgs MaintenanceInfoCommandArgs) []string {
-	args := commonArgs(cmdArgs.CommandArgs, false)
+	args := commonArgs(cmdArgs.CommandArgs)
 	args = args.AppendLoggable(maintenanceSubCommand, infoSubCommand)
 	if cmdArgs.GetJsonOutput {
 		args = args.AppendLoggable(jsonFlag)
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ type MaintenanceSetOwnerCommandArgs struct {
 
 // MaintenanceSetOwner returns the kopia command for setting custom maintenance owner
 func MaintenanceSetOwner(cmdArgs MaintenanceSetOwnerCommandArgs) []string {
-	args := commonArgs(cmdArgs.CommandArgs, false)
+	args := commonArgs(cmdArgs.CommandArgs)
 	args = args.AppendLoggable(maintenanceSubCommand, setSubCommand)
 	args = args.AppendLoggableKV(ownerFlag, cmdArgs.CustomOwner)
 	return stringSliceCommand(args)
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ type MaintenanceRunCommandArgs struct {
 
 // MaintenanceRunCommand returns the kopia command to run manual maintenance
 func MaintenanceRunCommand(cmdArgs MaintenanceRunCommandArgs) []string {
-	args := commonArgs(cmdArgs.CommandArgs, false)
+	args := commonArgs(cmdArgs.CommandArgs)
 	args = args.AppendLoggable(maintenanceSubCommand, runSubCommand)
 
 	return stringSliceCommand(args)
diff --git a/pkg/kopia/command/maintenance_test.go b/pkg/kopia/command/maintenance_test.go
index 21b854120e..802f4103dd 100644
--- a/pkg/kopia/command/maintenance_test.go
+++ b/pkg/kopia/command/maintenance_test.go
@@ -74,6 +74,26 @@ func (kMaintenance *KopiaMaintenanceTestSuite) TestMaintenanceCommands(c *C) {
 			},
 			expectedLog: "kopia --log-level=error --config-file=path/kopia.config --log-dir=cache/log --password=encr-key maintenance run",
 		},
+		{
+			f: func() []string {
+				args := MaintenanceRunCommandArgs{
+					CommandArgs: commandArgs,
+				}
+				args.CommandArgs.LogLevel = LogLevelInfo
+				return MaintenanceRunCommand(args)
+			},
+			expectedLog: "kopia --log-level=info --config-file=path/kopia.config --log-dir=cache/log --password=encr-key maintenance run",
+		},
+		{
+			f: func() []string {
+				args := MaintenanceRunCommandArgs{
+					CommandArgs: commandArgs,
+				}
+				args.CommandArgs.LogLevel = LogLevelError
+				return MaintenanceRunCommand(args)
+			},
+			expectedLog: "kopia --log-level=error --config-file=path/kopia.config --log-dir=cache/log --password=encr-key maintenance run",
+		},
 	} {
 		cmd := strings.Join(tc.f(), " ")
 		c.Check(cmd, Equals, tc.expectedLog)
diff --git a/pkg/kopia/command/policy_set_global.go b/pkg/kopia/command/policy_set_global.go
index 05c987addd..6395b99ef2 100644
--- a/pkg/kopia/command/policy_set_global.go
+++ b/pkg/kopia/command/policy_set_global.go
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ type PolicySetGlobalCommandArgs struct {
 
 // PolicySetGlobal returns the kopia command for modifying the global policy
 func PolicySetGlobal(cmdArgs PolicySetGlobalCommandArgs) []string {
-	args := commonArgs(cmdArgs.CommandArgs, false)
+	args := commonArgs(cmdArgs.CommandArgs)
 	args = args.AppendLoggable(policySubCommand, setSubCommand, globalFlag)
 	for field, val := range cmdArgs.Modifications {
 		args = args.AppendLoggableKV(field, val)
diff --git a/pkg/kopia/command/repository.go b/pkg/kopia/command/repository.go
index 3cac21711b..72407d833a 100644
--- a/pkg/kopia/command/repository.go
+++ b/pkg/kopia/command/repository.go
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ type RepositoryCommandArgs struct {
 
 // RepositoryConnectCommand returns the kopia command for connecting to an existing repo
 func RepositoryConnectCommand(cmdArgs RepositoryCommandArgs) ([]string, error) {
-	args := commonArgs(cmdArgs.CommandArgs, false)
+	args := commonArgs(cmdArgs.CommandArgs)
 	args = args.AppendLoggable(repositorySubCommand, connectSubCommand, noCheckForUpdatesFlag)
 
 	args = kopiaCacheArgs(args, cmdArgs.CacheDirectory, cmdArgs.ContentCacheMB, cmdArgs.MetadataCacheMB)
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ func RepositoryConnectCommand(cmdArgs RepositoryCommandArgs) ([]string, error) {
 
 // RepositoryCreateCommand returns the kopia command for creation of a repo
 func RepositoryCreateCommand(cmdArgs RepositoryCommandArgs) ([]string, error) {
-	args := commonArgs(cmdArgs.CommandArgs, false)
+	args := commonArgs(cmdArgs.CommandArgs)
 	args = args.AppendLoggable(repositorySubCommand, createSubCommand, noCheckForUpdatesFlag)
 
 	args = kopiaCacheArgs(args, cmdArgs.CacheDirectory, cmdArgs.ContentCacheMB, cmdArgs.MetadataCacheMB)
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ func RepositoryConnectServerCommand(cmdArgs RepositoryServerCommandArgs) []strin
 		RepoPassword:   cmdArgs.UserPassword,
 		ConfigFilePath: cmdArgs.ConfigFilePath,
 		LogDirectory:   cmdArgs.LogDirectory,
-	}, false)
+	})
 	args = args.AppendLoggable(repositorySubCommand, connectSubCommand, serverSubCommand, noCheckForUpdatesFlag, noGrpcFlag)
 
 	args = kopiaCacheArgs(args, cmdArgs.CacheDirectory, cmdArgs.ContentCacheMB, cmdArgs.MetadataCacheMB)
@@ -141,7 +141,15 @@ type RepositoryStatusCommandArgs struct {
 
 // RepositoryStatusCommand returns the kopia command for checking status of the Kopia repository
 func RepositoryStatusCommand(cmdArgs RepositoryStatusCommandArgs) []string {
-	args := commonArgs(cmdArgs.CommandArgs, true)
+	// Default to info log level unless specified otherwise.
+	if cmdArgs.LogLevel == "" {
+		// Make a copy of the common command args, set the log level to info.
+		common := *cmdArgs.CommandArgs
+		common.LogLevel = LogLevelInfo
+		cmdArgs.CommandArgs = &common
+	}
+
+	args := commonArgs(cmdArgs.CommandArgs)
 	args = args.AppendLoggable(repositorySubCommand, statusSubCommand)
 	return stringSliceCommand(args)
 }
diff --git a/pkg/kopia/command/restore.go b/pkg/kopia/command/restore.go
index 5908e4e19b..f600348f40 100644
--- a/pkg/kopia/command/restore.go
+++ b/pkg/kopia/command/restore.go
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ type RestoreCommandArgs struct {
 
 // Restore returns the kopia command for restoring root of a snapshot with given root ID
 func Restore(cmdArgs RestoreCommandArgs) []string {
-	args := commonArgs(cmdArgs.CommandArgs, false)
+	args := commonArgs(cmdArgs.CommandArgs)
 	args = args.AppendLoggable(restoreSubCommand, cmdArgs.RootID, cmdArgs.TargetPath)
 	if cmdArgs.IgnorePermissionErrors {
 		args = args.AppendLoggable(ignorePermissionsError)
diff --git a/pkg/kopia/command/server.go b/pkg/kopia/command/server.go
index dcdee92993..42a0f2e431 100644
--- a/pkg/kopia/command/server.go
+++ b/pkg/kopia/command/server.go
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ type ServerStartCommandArgs struct {
 
 // ServerStart returns the kopia command for starting the Kopia API Server
 func ServerStart(cmdArgs ServerStartCommandArgs) []string {
-	args := commonArgs(&CommandArgs{ConfigFilePath: cmdArgs.ConfigFilePath, LogDirectory: cmdArgs.LogDirectory}, false)
+	args := commonArgs(&CommandArgs{ConfigFilePath: cmdArgs.ConfigFilePath, LogDirectory: cmdArgs.LogDirectory})
 
 	if cmdArgs.AutoGenerateCert {
 		args = args.AppendLoggable(serverSubCommand, startSubCommand, tlsGenerateCertFlag)
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ type ServerRefreshCommandArgs struct {
 // ServerRefresh returns the kopia command for refreshing the Kopia API Server
 // This helps allow new users to be able to connect to the Server instead of waiting for auto-refresh
 func ServerRefresh(cmdArgs ServerRefreshCommandArgs) []string {
-	args := commonArgs(cmdArgs.CommandArgs, false)
+	args := commonArgs(cmdArgs.CommandArgs)
 	args = args.AppendLoggable(serverSubCommand, refreshSubCommand)
 	args = args.AppendRedactedKV(serverCertFingerprint, cmdArgs.Fingerprint)
 	args = args.AppendLoggableKV(addressFlag, cmdArgs.ServerAddress)
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ type ServerStatusCommandArgs struct {
 
 // ServerStatus returns the kopia command for checking status of the Kopia API Server
 func ServerStatus(cmdArgs ServerStatusCommandArgs) []string {
-	args := commonArgs(&CommandArgs{ConfigFilePath: cmdArgs.ConfigFilePath, LogDirectory: cmdArgs.LogDirectory}, false)
+	args := commonArgs(&CommandArgs{ConfigFilePath: cmdArgs.ConfigFilePath, LogDirectory: cmdArgs.LogDirectory})
 	args = args.AppendLoggable(serverSubCommand, statusSubCommand)
 	args = args.AppendLoggableKV(addressFlag, cmdArgs.ServerAddress)
 	args = args.AppendRedactedKV(serverCertFingerprint, cmdArgs.Fingerprint)
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ type ServerListUserCommmandArgs struct {
 
 // ServerListUser returns the kopia command to list users from the Kopia API Server
 func ServerListUser(cmdArgs ServerListUserCommmandArgs) []string {
-	args := commonArgs(cmdArgs.CommandArgs, false)
+	args := commonArgs(cmdArgs.CommandArgs)
 	args = args.AppendLoggable(serverSubCommand, userSubCommand, listSubCommand, jsonFlag)
 
 	return stringSliceCommand(args)
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ type ServerSetUserCommandArgs struct {
 
 // ServerSetUser returns the kopia command setting password for existing user for the Kopia API Server
 func ServerSetUser(cmdArgs ServerSetUserCommandArgs) []string {
-	args := commonArgs(cmdArgs.CommandArgs, false)
+	args := commonArgs(cmdArgs.CommandArgs)
 	args = args.AppendLoggable(serverSubCommand, userSubCommand, setSubCommand, cmdArgs.NewUsername)
 	args = args.AppendRedactedKV(userPasswordFlag, cmdArgs.UserPassword)
 
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ type ServerAddUserCommandArgs struct {
 
 // ServerAddUser returns the kopia command adding a new user to the Kopia API Server
 func ServerAddUser(cmdArgs ServerAddUserCommandArgs) []string {
-	args := commonArgs(cmdArgs.CommandArgs, false)
+	args := commonArgs(cmdArgs.CommandArgs)
 	args = args.AppendLoggable(serverSubCommand, userSubCommand, addSubCommand, cmdArgs.NewUsername)
 	args = args.AppendRedactedKV(userPasswordFlag, cmdArgs.UserPassword)
 
diff --git a/pkg/kopia/command/snapshot.go b/pkg/kopia/command/snapshot.go
index ccbcc7f3f6..53a0f85d8b 100644
--- a/pkg/kopia/command/snapshot.go
+++ b/pkg/kopia/command/snapshot.go
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ import (
 )
 
 const (
-	requireLogLevelInfo        = true
 	manifestTypeSnapshotFilter = "type:snapshot"
 )
 
@@ -36,8 +35,16 @@ type SnapshotCreateCommandArgs struct {
 
 // SnapshotCreate returns the kopia command for creation of a snapshot
 func SnapshotCreate(cmdArgs SnapshotCreateCommandArgs) []string {
+	// Default to info log level unless specified otherwise.
+	if cmdArgs.LogLevel == "" {
+		// Make a copy of the common command args, set the log level to info.
+		common := *cmdArgs.CommandArgs
+		common.LogLevel = LogLevelInfo
+		cmdArgs.CommandArgs = &common
+	}
+
 	parallelismStr := strconv.Itoa(cmdArgs.Parallelism)
-	args := commonArgs(cmdArgs.CommandArgs, requireLogLevelInfo)
+	args := commonArgs(cmdArgs.CommandArgs)
 	args = args.AppendLoggable(snapshotSubCommand, createSubCommand, cmdArgs.PathToBackup, jsonFlag)
 	args = args.AppendLoggableKV(parallelFlag, parallelismStr)
 	args = addTags(cmdArgs.Tags, args)
@@ -63,7 +70,7 @@ type SnapshotRestoreCommandArgs struct {
 
 // SnapshotRestore returns kopia command restoring snapshots with given snap ID
 func SnapshotRestore(cmdArgs SnapshotRestoreCommandArgs) []string {
-	args := commonArgs(cmdArgs.CommandArgs, false)
+	args := commonArgs(cmdArgs.CommandArgs)
 	args = args.AppendLoggable(snapshotSubCommand, restoreSubCommand, cmdArgs.SnapID, cmdArgs.TargetPath)
 	if cmdArgs.IgnorePermissionErrors {
 		args = args.AppendLoggable(ignorePermissionsError)
@@ -84,7 +91,7 @@ type SnapshotDeleteCommandArgs struct {
 
 // SnapshotDelete returns the kopia command for deleting a snapshot with given snapshot ID
 func SnapshotDelete(cmdArgs SnapshotDeleteCommandArgs) []string {
-	args := commonArgs(cmdArgs.CommandArgs, false)
+	args := commonArgs(cmdArgs.CommandArgs)
 	args = args.AppendLoggable(snapshotSubCommand, deleteSubCommand, cmdArgs.SnapID, unsafeIgnoreSourceFlag)
 
 	return stringSliceCommand(args)
@@ -98,7 +105,7 @@ type SnapshotExpireCommandArgs struct {
 
 // SnapshotExpire returns the kopia command for removing snapshots with given root ID
 func SnapshotExpire(cmdArgs SnapshotExpireCommandArgs) []string {
-	args := commonArgs(cmdArgs.CommandArgs, false)
+	args := commonArgs(cmdArgs.CommandArgs)
 	args = args.AppendLoggable(snapshotSubCommand, expireSubCommand, cmdArgs.RootID)
 	if cmdArgs.MustDelete {
 		args = args.AppendLoggable(deleteFlag)
@@ -113,7 +120,7 @@ type SnapListAllCommandArgs struct {
 
 // SnapListAll returns the kopia command for listing all snapshots in the repository with their sizes
 func SnapListAll(cmdArgs SnapListAllCommandArgs) []string {
-	args := commonArgs(cmdArgs.CommandArgs, false)
+	args := commonArgs(cmdArgs.CommandArgs)
 	args = args.AppendLoggable(
 		snapshotSubCommand,
 		listSubCommand,
@@ -132,7 +139,7 @@ type SnapListAllWithSnapIDsCommandArgs struct {
 
 // SnapListAllWithSnapIDs returns the kopia command for listing all snapshots in the repository with snapshotIDs
 func SnapListAllWithSnapIDs(cmdArgs SnapListAllWithSnapIDsCommandArgs) []string {
-	args := commonArgs(cmdArgs.CommandArgs, false)
+	args := commonArgs(cmdArgs.CommandArgs)
 	args = args.AppendLoggable(manifestSubCommand, listSubCommand, jsonFlag)
 	args = args.AppendLoggableKV(filterFlag, manifestTypeSnapshotFilter)
 
@@ -145,7 +152,7 @@ type SnapListByTagsCommandArgs struct {
 }
 
 func SnapListByTags(cmdArgs SnapListByTagsCommandArgs) []string {
-	args := commonArgs(cmdArgs.CommandArgs, false)
+	args := commonArgs(cmdArgs.CommandArgs)
 	args = args.AppendLoggable(
 		snapshotSubCommand,
 		listSubCommand,