diff --git a/src/lxc/start.c b/src/lxc/start.c
index fd7ba46d19..eedbae50cd 100644
--- a/src/lxc/start.c
+++ b/src/lxc/start.c
@@ -628,6 +628,9 @@ int lxc_init(const char *name, struct lxc_handler *handler)
 
 	if (setenv("LXC_CGNS_AWARE", "1", 1))
 		SYSERROR("Failed to set environment variable LXC_CGNS_AWARE=1.");
+
+	if (setenv("LXC_LOG_LEVEL", lxc_log_priority_to_string(handler->conf->loglevel), 1))
+		SYSERROR("Failed to set environment variable LXC_CGNS_AWARE=1.");
 	/* End of environment variable setup for hooks. */
 
 	TRACE("set environment variables");