diff --git a/alakazam.py b/alakazam.py
index f441d7c..2c185dc 100755
--- a/alakazam.py
+++ b/alakazam.py
@@ -1449,6 +1449,11 @@ def cli(loglevel: str, group_path: str, exclude:Tuple[str]) -> None:
     global SETTINGS_PATH
     global GROUP_PATH
     global ABRA_DIR
+    if loglevel:
+        numeric_level = getattr(logging, loglevel.upper(), None)
+        if not isinstance(numeric_level, int):
+            raise ValueError('Invalid log level: %s' % loglevel)
+        logging.basicConfig(level=numeric_level, force=True)
     SETTINGS_PATH = get_settings_path()
     preflight_configs([Path(SETTINGS_PATH).expanduser()])
     SETTINGS = read_config(SETTINGS_PATH)
@@ -1474,11 +1479,6 @@ def cli(loglevel: str, group_path: str, exclude:Tuple[str]) -> None:
     INSTANCE_CONFIGS = merge_connection_configs(instance_configs)
     all_configs = get_merged_instance_configs(_root_path, all_group_configs, exclude_paths, config_sets)
     ALL_CONFIGS = merge_connection_configs(all_configs)
-    if loglevel:
-        numeric_level = getattr(logging, loglevel.upper(), None)
-        if not isinstance(numeric_level, int):
-            raise ValueError('Invalid log level: %s' % loglevel)
-        logging.basicConfig(level=numeric_level)
     fetch_recipes(INSTANCE_CONFIGS)
 
         
diff --git a/tests/test_preflight.py b/tests/test_preflight.py
index 752c3b3..9b2a387 100644
--- a/tests/test_preflight.py
+++ b/tests/test_preflight.py
@@ -169,3 +169,44 @@ class TestPreflightInCli:
         result = CliRunner().invoke(alakazam.cli, [str(config_root / "group"), "ls"])
         assert result.exit_code != 0
         assert "alakazam.yml" in result.output
+
+
+class TestLogLevel:
+    """-l has to win over the handler that an early logging.warning() installs by itself."""
+
+    @pytest.fixture
+    def probe(self, config_root, monkeypatch):
+        import logging
+        monkeypatch.setattr(alakazam, "abra", lambda *a, **k: "")
+        monkeypatch.setattr(alakazam, "fetch_recipes", lambda *a, **k: None)
+        monkeypatch.setattr(alakazam, "get_settings_path", lambda: str(config_root / "alakazam.yml"))
+        monkeypatch.setattr(alakazam, "get_abra_dir", lambda: config_root / ".abra")
+        (config_root / "alakazam.yml").write_text(f"root: {config_root}\n")
+        # a missing config-sets.yml makes read_config warn before cli() is through
+        (config_root / "config-sets.yml").unlink()
+        levels = []
+
+        @alakazam.cli.command()
+        def probe():
+            levels.append(logging.getLogger().getEffectiveLevel())
+
+        monkeypatch.setattr(alakazam, "GROUP_PATH", None)
+        return levels
+
+    def run(self, config_root, level):
+        return CliRunner().invoke(alakazam.cli, ["-l", level, str(config_root / "group"), "probe"])
+
+    def test_debug_reaches_the_root_logger(self, config_root, probe):
+        import logging
+        result = self.run(config_root, "DEBUG")
+        assert result.exit_code == 0, result.output
+        assert probe == [logging.DEBUG]
+
+    def test_info_reaches_the_root_logger(self, config_root, probe):
+        import logging
+        self.run(config_root, "INFO")
+        assert probe == [logging.INFO]
+
+    def test_an_invalid_level_is_rejected(self, config_root, probe):
+        result = self.run(config_root, "LOUD")
+        assert result.exit_code != 0