diff --git a/include/services/logger.hpp b/include/services/logger.hpp
index 4bbfa8f5..d7488070 100644
--- a/include/services/logger.hpp
+++ b/include/services/logger.hpp
@@ -21,7 +21,11 @@
 #define log_warning(s) get_logger()->warning(s)
 #define log_info(s) get_logger()->info(s)
 #define log_debug(s) get_logger()->debug(s)
+#ifdef DEBUG
 #define log_trace(s) get_logger()->trace(__FILE__, __FUNCTION__, __LINE__, s)
+#else
+#define log_trace(s) if (0) {}
+#endif
 
 enum LogLevel
 {
@@ -31,7 +35,11 @@ enum LogLevel
   LEVEL_INFO    = 1 << 4,
   LEVEL_DEBUG   = 1 << 8,
   LEVEL_TRACE   = 1 << 16,
+#ifdef DEBUG
   LEVEL_ALL     = LEVEL_ERROR | LEVEL_WARNING | LEVEL_INFO | LEVEL_DEBUG | LEVEL_TRACE
+#else
+  LEVEL_ALL     = LEVEL_ERROR | LEVEL_WARNING | LEVEL_INFO | LEVEL_DEBUG
+#endif
 };
 
 class Logger
@@ -41,24 +49,27 @@ class Logger
   int level = LogLevel::LEVEL_ERROR | LogLevel::LEVEL_WARNING | LogLevel::LEVEL_INFO;
   int fd = LOGGER_FD;
 
+  void output(std::string tag, std::string msg);
+
   public:
     Logger();
 
-    // void set_level(int level);
+    void set_level(int level);
     void add_level(int level);
 
-    void fatal(const std::string& msg);
-    void error(const std::string& msg);
-    void warning(const std::string& msg);
-    void info(const std::string& msg);
-    void debug(const std::string& msg);
-    void trace(const char *file, const char *fn, int lineno, const std::string& msg);
+    void fatal(std::string msg);
+    void error(std::string msg);
+    void warning(std::string msg);
+    void info(std::string msg);
+    void debug(std::string msg);
 
     void fatal(int msg)   { fatal(std::to_string(msg)); }
     void error(int msg)   { error(std::to_string(msg)); }
     void warning(int msg) { warning(std::to_string(msg)); }
     void info(int msg)    { info(std::to_string(msg)); }
     void debug(int msg)   { debug(std::to_string(msg)); }
+
+    void trace(const char *file, const char *fn, int lineno, std::string msg);
     void trace(const char *file, const char *fn, int lineno, int msg) {
       trace(file, fn, lineno, std::to_string(msg));
     }
diff --git a/src/lemonbuddy.cpp b/src/lemonbuddy.cpp
index d921f732..c3ff82b6 100644
--- a/src/lemonbuddy.cpp
+++ b/src/lemonbuddy.cpp
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     cli::add_option("-h", "--help", "Show help options");
     cli::add_option("-c", "--config", "FILE", "Path to the configuration file");
     cli::add_option("-p", "--pipe", "FILE", "Path to the input pipe");
-    cli::add_option("-l", "--log", "LEVEL", "Set the logging verbosity", {"info","debug","trace"});
+    cli::add_option("-l", "--log", "LEVEL", "Set the logging verbosity", {"warning","info","debug","trace"});
     cli::add_option("-d", "--dump", "PARAM", "Show value of PARAM in section [bar_name]");
     cli::add_option("-x", "--print-exec", "Print the generated command line string used to start the lemonbar process");
     cli::add_option("-w", "--print-wmname", "Print the generated WM_NAME");
@@ -74,12 +74,20 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
      * Set logging verbosity
      */
     if (cli::has_option("log")) {
-      if (cli::match_option_value("log", "info"))
-        logger->add_level(LogLevel::LEVEL_INFO);
+      logger->set_level(LogLevel::LEVEL_ERROR);
+
+      if (cli::match_option_value("log", "warning"))
+        logger->set_level(LogLevel::LEVEL_WARNING);
+      else if (cli::match_option_value("log", "info"))
+        logger->add_level(LogLevel::LEVEL_WARNING | LogLevel::LEVEL_INFO);
       else if (cli::match_option_value("log", "debug"))
-        logger->add_level(LogLevel::LEVEL_INFO | LogLevel::LEVEL_DEBUG);
-      else if (cli::match_option_value("log", "trace"))
-        logger->add_level(LogLevel::LEVEL_INFO | LogLevel::LEVEL_DEBUG | LogLevel::LEVEL_TRACE);
+        logger->add_level(LogLevel::LEVEL_WARNING | LogLevel::LEVEL_INFO | LogLevel::LEVEL_DEBUG);
+      else if (cli::match_option_value("log", "trace")) {
+        logger->add_level(LogLevel::LEVEL_WARNING | LogLevel::LEVEL_INFO | LogLevel::LEVEL_DEBUG);
+#ifdef DEBUG
+        logger->add_level(LogLevel::LEVEL_TRACE);
+#endif
+      }
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/src/services/logger.cpp b/src/services/logger.cpp
index 27605507..00d2bc26 100644
--- a/src/services/logger.cpp
+++ b/src/services/logger.cpp
@@ -16,55 +16,62 @@ std::shared_ptr<Logger> &get_logger()
 
 Logger::Logger()
 {
-  if (isatty(LOGGER_FD)) {
+  if (isatty(LOGGER_FD))
     dup2(LOGGER_FD, this->fd);
-  }
 }
 
-// void Logger::set_level(int mask)
-// {
-//   this->level = mask;
-// }
+void Logger::set_level(int mask) {
+  this->level = mask;
+}
 
-void Logger::add_level(int mask)
-{
+void Logger::add_level(int mask) {
   this->level |= mask;
 }
 
-void Logger::fatal(const std::string& msg)
+void Logger::output(std::string tag, std::string msg) {
+  dprintf(this->fd, "%s%s\n", tag.c_str(), msg.c_str());
+}
+
+void Logger::fatal(std::string msg)
 {
-  dprintf(this->fd, "%s%s\n", LOGGER_TAG_FATAL, msg.c_str());
+  this->output(LOGGER_TAG_FATAL, msg);
   std::exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
 }
 
-void Logger::error(const std::string& msg)
+void Logger::error(std::string msg)
 {
   if (this->level & LogLevel::LEVEL_ERROR)
-    dprintf(this->fd, "%s%s\n", LOGGER_TAG_ERR, msg.c_str());
+    this->output(LOGGER_TAG_ERR, msg);
 }
 
-void Logger::warning(const std::string& msg)
+void Logger::warning(std::string msg)
 {
   if (this->level & LogLevel::LEVEL_WARNING)
-    dprintf(this->fd, "%s%s\n", LOGGER_TAG_WARN, msg.c_str());
+    this->output(LOGGER_TAG_WARN, msg);
 }
 
-void Logger::info(const std::string& msg)
+void Logger::info(std::string msg)
 {
   if (this->level & LogLevel::LEVEL_INFO)
-    dprintf(this->fd, "%s%s\n", LOGGER_TAG_INFO, msg.c_str());
+    this->output(LOGGER_TAG_INFO, msg);
 }
 
-void Logger::debug(const std::string& msg)
+void Logger::debug(std::string msg)
 {
   if (this->level & LogLevel::LEVEL_DEBUG)
-    dprintf(this->fd, "%s%s\n", LOGGER_TAG_DEBUG, msg.c_str());
+    this->output(LOGGER_TAG_DEBUG, msg);
 }
 
-void Logger::trace(const char *file, const char *fn, int lineno, const std::string& msg)
+void Logger::trace(const char *file, const char *fn, int lineno, std::string msg)
 {
-  if (this->level & LogLevel::LEVEL_TRACE && !msg.empty())
-    dprintf(this->fd, "%s%s (%s:%d) -> %s\n", LOGGER_TAG_TRACE, &file[0], fn, lineno, msg.c_str());
-  else if (msg.empty())
-    dprintf(this->fd, "%s%s (%s:%d)\n", LOGGER_TAG_TRACE, &file[0], fn, lineno);
+#ifdef DEBUG
+  if (!(this->level & LogLevel::LEVEL_TRACE))
+    return;
+  char trace_msg[1024];
+  if (!msg.empty())
+    sprintf(trace_msg, "%s (%s:%d) -> %s", &file[0], fn, lineno, msg.c_str());
+  else
+    sprintf(trace_msg, "%s (%s:%d)", &file[0], fn, lineno);
+  this->output(LOGGER_TAG_TRACE, trace_msg);
+#endif
 }