diff --git a/pkg/cli/cmds/agent.go b/pkg/cli/cmds/agent.go
index 31f40bfffa..29649ce8b1 100644
--- a/pkg/cli/cmds/agent.go
+++ b/pkg/cli/cmds/agent.go
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ func NewAgentCommand(action func(ctx *cli.Context) error) cli.Command {
 		Name:      "agent",
 		Usage:     "Run node agent",
 		UsageText: appName + " agent [OPTIONS]",
-		Before:    SetupDebug(CheckSELinuxFlags),
+		Before:    CheckSELinuxFlags,
 		Action:    action,
 		Flags: []cli.Flag{
 			ConfigFlag,
diff --git a/pkg/cli/cmds/log.go b/pkg/cli/cmds/log.go
index 3f896fcc11..32586bf798 100644
--- a/pkg/cli/cmds/log.go
+++ b/pkg/cli/cmds/log.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"sync"
 	"time"
 
+	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 	"github.com/urfave/cli"
 )
 
@@ -76,4 +77,7 @@ func setupLogging() {
 	flag.Set("vmodule", LogConfig.VModule)
 	flag.Set("alsologtostderr", strconv.FormatBool(Debug))
 	flag.Set("logtostderr", strconv.FormatBool(!Debug))
+	if Debug {
+		logrus.SetLevel(logrus.DebugLevel)
+	}
 }
diff --git a/pkg/cli/cmds/root.go b/pkg/cli/cmds/root.go
index ebd536685c..1bb97635ad 100644
--- a/pkg/cli/cmds/root.go
+++ b/pkg/cli/cmds/root.go
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ import (
 	"runtime"
 
 	"github.com/rancher/k3s/pkg/version"
-	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 	"github.com/urfave/cli"
 )
 
@@ -43,19 +42,6 @@ func NewApp() *cli.App {
 			Usage: "(data) Folder to hold state default /var/lib/rancher/" + version.Program + " or ${HOME}/.rancher/" + version.Program + " if not root",
 		},
 	}
-	app.Before = SetupDebug(nil)
 
 	return app
 }
-
-func SetupDebug(next func(ctx *cli.Context) error) func(ctx *cli.Context) error {
-	return func(ctx *cli.Context) error {
-		if Debug {
-			logrus.SetLevel(logrus.DebugLevel)
-		}
-		if next != nil {
-			return next(ctx)
-		}
-		return nil
-	}
-}
diff --git a/pkg/cli/cmds/server.go b/pkg/cli/cmds/server.go
index 237cc2a3b3..3d7a58fd39 100644
--- a/pkg/cli/cmds/server.go
+++ b/pkg/cli/cmds/server.go
@@ -514,7 +514,7 @@ func NewServerCommand(action func(*cli.Context) error) cli.Command {
 		Name:      "server",
 		Usage:     "Run management server",
 		UsageText: appName + " server [OPTIONS]",
-		Before:    SetupDebug(CheckSELinuxFlags),
+		Before:    CheckSELinuxFlags,
 		Action:    action,
 		Flags:     ServerFlags,
 	}