diff --git a/src/ripple/basics/log/Log.cpp b/src/ripple/basics/log/Log.cpp
index fed6842f94..d3c52060c6 100644
--- a/src/ripple/basics/log/Log.cpp
+++ b/src/ripple/basics/log/Log.cpp
@@ -24,40 +24,22 @@
 
 namespace ripple {
 
-Logs::Sink::Sink (std::string const& partition, Logs& logs)
+Logs::Sink::Sink (std::string const& partition,
+    beast::Journal::Severity severity, Logs& logs)
     : logs_(logs)
     , partition_(partition)
 {
+    beast::Journal::Sink::severity (severity);
 }
 
-bool
-Logs::Sink::active (beast::Journal::Severity level) const
-{
-    return level >= logs_.severity() &&
-           level >= beast::Journal::Sink::severity();
-}
-        
-beast::Journal::Severity
-Logs::Sink::severity() const
-{
-    return beast::Journal::Sink::severity();
-}
-
-void
-Logs::Sink::severity (beast::Journal::Severity level)
-{
-    std::lock_guard <std::mutex> lock (logs_.mutex_);
-    beast::Journal::Sink::severity(level);
-}
-
-//------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
 void
 Logs::Sink::write (beast::Journal::Severity level, std::string const& text)
 {
     logs_.write (level, partition_, text, console());
 }
 
+//------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
 Logs::File::File()
     : m_stream (nullptr)
 {
@@ -138,8 +120,9 @@ Logs::Sink&
 Logs::get (std::string const& name)
 {
     std::lock_guard <std::mutex> lock (mutex_);
-    auto const result (sinks_.emplace(std::piecewise_construct,
-        std::forward_as_tuple(name), std::forward_as_tuple(name, *this)));
+    auto const result (sinks_.emplace (std::piecewise_construct,
+        std::forward_as_tuple(name), std::forward_as_tuple (name,
+            level_, *this)));
     return result.first->second;
 }
 
@@ -164,8 +147,10 @@ Logs::severity() const
 void
 Logs::severity (beast::Journal::Severity level)
 {
-    // VFALCO Do we need the lock?
+    std::lock_guard <std::mutex> lock (mutex_);
     level_ = level;
+    for (auto& sink : sinks_)
+        sink.second.severity (level);
 }
 
 std::vector<std::pair<std::string, std::string>>
diff --git a/src/ripple/basics/log/Log.h b/src/ripple/basics/log/Log.h
index a53f4213de..6f2e270898 100644
--- a/src/ripple/basics/log/Log.h
+++ b/src/ripple/basics/log/Log.h
@@ -52,20 +52,12 @@ private:
         std::string partition_;
 
     public:
-        Sink (std::string const& partition, Logs& logs);
+        Sink (std::string const& partition,
+            beast::Journal::Severity severity, Logs& logs);
 
         Sink (Sink const&) = delete;
         Sink& operator= (Sink const&) = delete;
 
-        bool
-        active (beast::Journal::Severity level) const override;
-        
-        beast::Journal::Severity
-        severity() const override;
-
-        void
-        severity (beast::Journal::Severity level) override;
-
         void
         write (beast::Journal::Severity level, std::string const& text) override;
     };