diff --git a/src/tech/ml/utils.clj b/src/tech/ml/utils.clj
index f14d04e5..0b4b1e14 100644
--- a/src/tech/ml/utils.clj
+++ b/src/tech/ml/utils.clj
@@ -49,3 +49,13 @@
               (reset! next-item-atom (next-item-fn))
               entry)
             (throw (NoSuchElementException.))))))))
+
+
+(defn set-slf4j-log-level
+  "Set the slf4j log level.  Safe to call if slf4j is not in the
+  classpath."
+  [level]
+  (try
+    ((parallel/require-resolve 'tech.ml.utils.slf4j-log-level/set-log-level) level)
+    (catch Throwable e
+      :exception)))
diff --git a/src/tech/ml/utils/slf4j_log_level.clj b/src/tech/ml/utils/slf4j_log_level.clj
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6b90787d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/tech/ml/utils/slf4j_log_level.clj
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+(ns tech.ml.utils.slf4j-log-level
+  (:import [ch.qos.logback.classic Logger]
+           [ch.qos.logback.classic Level]))
+
+
+(defn set-log-level
+  [log-level]
+  (.setLevel
+   (org.slf4j.LoggerFactory/getLogger
+    (Logger/ROOT_LOGGER_NAME))
+   (case log-level
+     :all Level/ALL
+     :debug Level/DEBUG
+     :trace Level/TRACE
+     :info Level/INFO
+     :warn Level/WARN
+     :error Level/ERROR
+     :off Level/OFF))
+  log-level)