diff --git a/gallery_dl/__init__.py b/gallery_dl/__init__.py
index ffaed3dd..6fba5e22 100644
--- a/gallery_dl/__init__.py
+++ b/gallery_dl/__init__.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 
-# Copyright 2014-2019 Mike Fährmann
+# Copyright 2014-2020 Mike Fährmann
 #
 # This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
 # it under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2 as
@@ -129,17 +129,8 @@ def main():
         for opts in args.options:
             config.set(*opts)
 
-        # stream logging handler
-        output.configure_logging_handler(
-            "log", logging.getLogger().handlers[0])
-
-        # file logging handler
-        handler = output.setup_logging_handler(
-            "logfile", lvl=args.loglevel)
-        if handler:
-            logging.getLogger().addHandler(handler)
-
         # loglevels
+        output.configure_logging(args.loglevel)
         if args.loglevel >= logging.ERROR:
             config.set(("output",), "mode", "null")
         elif args.loglevel <= logging.DEBUG:
diff --git a/gallery_dl/output.py b/gallery_dl/output.py
index 38e2f606..de59ea1b 100644
--- a/gallery_dl/output.py
+++ b/gallery_dl/output.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 
-# Copyright 2015-2019 Mike Fährmann
+# Copyright 2015-2020 Mike Fährmann
 #
 # This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
 # it under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2 as
@@ -81,6 +81,36 @@ def initialize_logging(loglevel):
     return logging.getLogger("gallery-dl")
 
 
+def configure_logging(loglevel):
+    root = logging.getLogger()
+    minlevel = LOG_LEVEL
+
+    # stream logging handler
+    handler = root.handlers[0]
+    opts = config.interpolate(("output",), "log")
+    if opts:
+        if isinstance(opts, str):
+            opts = {"format": opts}
+        if handler.level == LOG_LEVEL and "level" in opts:
+            handler.setLevel(opts["level"])
+        if "format" in opts or "format-date" in opts:
+            handler.setFormatter(Formatter(
+                opts.get("format", LOG_FORMAT),
+                opts.get("format-date", LOG_FORMAT_DATE),
+            ))
+        if minlevel > handler.level:
+            minlevel = handler.level
+
+    # file logging handler
+    handler = setup_logging_handler("logfile", lvl=loglevel)
+    if handler:
+        root.addHandler(handler)
+        if minlevel > handler.level:
+            minlevel = handler.level
+
+    root.setLevel(minlevel)
+
+
 def setup_logging_handler(key, fmt=LOG_FORMAT, lvl=LOG_LEVEL):
     """Setup a new logging handler"""
     opts = config.interpolate(("output",), key)
@@ -112,22 +142,6 @@ def setup_logging_handler(key, fmt=LOG_FORMAT, lvl=LOG_LEVEL):
     return handler
 
 
-def configure_logging_handler(key, handler):
-    """Configure a logging handler"""
-    opts = config.interpolate(("output",), key)
-    if not opts:
-        return
-    if isinstance(opts, str):
-        opts = {"format": opts}
-    if handler.level == LOG_LEVEL and "level" in opts:
-        handler.setLevel(opts["level"])
-    if "format" in opts or "format-date" in opts:
-        handler.setFormatter(Formatter(
-            opts.get("format", LOG_FORMAT),
-            opts.get("format-date", LOG_FORMAT_DATE),
-        ))
-
-
 # --------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Utility functions