diff --git a/piker/log.py b/piker/log.py
index 8cec907c..0145debf 100644
--- a/piker/log.py
+++ b/piker/log.py
@@ -67,6 +67,9 @@ def get_console_log(
     name: str|None = None,
     pkg_name: str|None = None,
     with_tractor_log: bool = False,
+    # ?TODO, support a "log-spec" style `str|dict[str, str]` which
+    # dictates both the sublogger-key and a level?
+    # -> see similar idea in `modden`'s usage.
     **tractor_log_kwargs,
 
 ) -> logging.Logger:
@@ -85,9 +88,21 @@ def get_console_log(
         pkg_name in name
     ):
         name: str = name.lstrip(f'{_proj_name}.')
-    if with_tractor_log:
+
+    tll: str|None = None
+    if (
+        with_tractor_log is not False
+    ):
+        tll = level
+
+    elif maybe_actor := tractor.current_actor(
+        err_on_no_runtime=False,
+    ):
+        tll = maybe_actor.loglevel
+
+    if tll:
         t_log = tractor.log.get_console_log(
-            level=level,
+            level=tll,
             name='tractor',  # <- XXX, force root tractor log!
             **tractor_log_kwargs,
         )