diff --git a/tractor/_root.py b/tractor/_root.py
index c5b8f17..f8305ee 100644
--- a/tractor/_root.py
+++ b/tractor/_root.py
@@ -104,6 +104,8 @@ async def open_root_actor(
     )
 
 
+    loglevel = (loglevel or log._default_loglevel).upper()
+
     if debug_mode and _spawn._spawn_method == 'trio':
         _state._runtime_vars['_debug_mode'] = True
 
@@ -117,7 +119,7 @@ async def open_root_actor(
             logging.getLevelName(
                 # lul, need the upper case for the -> int map?
                 # sweet "dynamic function behaviour" stdlib...
-                loglevel.upper() if loglevel else loglevel,
+                loglevel,
             ) > logging.getLevelName('PDB')
         ):
             loglevel = 'PDB'
@@ -127,7 +129,6 @@ async def open_root_actor(
             "Debug mode is only supported for the `trio` backend!"
         )
 
-    loglevel = (loglevel or log._default_loglevel).upper()
     log.get_console_log(loglevel)
 
     # make a temporary connection to see if an arbiter exists