diff --git a/config/config.exs b/config/config.exs
index 8deb32d771..42ca7fa18f 100644
--- a/config/config.exs
+++ b/config/config.exs
@@ -10,7 +10,9 @@ import Config
 config :lightning,
   ecto_repos: [Lightning.Repo]
 
-config :lightning, Lightning.Repo, types: Lightning.PostgrexTypes
+config :lightning, Lightning.Repo,
+  types: Lightning.PostgrexTypes,
+  log: :debug
 
 config :hammer,
   backend:
diff --git a/config/runtime.exs b/config/runtime.exs
index 3a993139d4..f39fe9e418 100644
--- a/config/runtime.exs
+++ b/config/runtime.exs
@@ -236,7 +236,16 @@ config :lightning, LightningWeb.Endpoint,
   ]
 
 if log_level = System.get_env("LOG_LEVEL") do
-  config :logger, level: log_level |> String.to_atom()
+  allowed_log_levels =
+    ~w[emergency alert critical error warning warn notice info debug]
+
+  if log_level in allowed_log_levels do
+    config :logger, level: log_level |> String.to_atom()
+  else
+    raise """
+    Invalid LOG_LEVEL, must be on of #{allowed_log_levels |> Enum.join(", ")}
+    """
+  end
 end
 
 if config_env() == :prod do