diff --git a/internal/log/syslog_test.go b/internal/log/syslog_test.go
index 391d5b49b..354c81556 100644
--- a/internal/log/syslog_test.go
+++ b/internal/log/syslog_test.go
@@ -62,10 +62,10 @@ func (suite *SyslogTestSuite) TearDownTest() {
 }
 
 func (suite *SyslogTestSuite) TestSyslog() {
-	log.Info(nil, "this is a test of the emergency broadcast system!")
+	log.Error(nil, "this is a test of the emergency broadcast system!")
 
 	entry := <-suite.syslogChannel
-	suite.Regexp(regexp.MustCompile(`timestamp=.* func=.* level=INFO msg="this is a test of the emergency broadcast system!"`), entry["content"])
+	suite.Regexp(regexp.MustCompile(`timestamp=.* func=.* level=ERROR msg="this is a test of the emergency broadcast system!"`), entry["content"])
 }
 
 func (suite *SyslogTestSuite) TestSyslogDisableTimestamp() {
@@ -78,20 +78,20 @@ func (suite *SyslogTestSuite) TestSyslogDisableTimestamp() {
 	// Set old timestamp on return.
 	defer log.SetTimeFormat(timefmt)
 
-	log.Info(nil, "this is a test of the emergency broadcast system!")
+	log.Error(nil, "this is a test of the emergency broadcast system!")
 
 	entry := <-suite.syslogChannel
-	suite.Regexp(regexp.MustCompile(`func=.* level=INFO msg="this is a test of the emergency broadcast system!"`), entry["content"])
+	suite.Regexp(regexp.MustCompile(`func=.* level=ERROR msg="this is a test of the emergency broadcast system!"`), entry["content"])
 }
 
 func (suite *SyslogTestSuite) TestSyslogLongMessage() {
-	log.Warn(nil, longMessage)
+	log.Error(nil, longMessage)
 
 	funcName := log.Caller(2)
-	prefix := fmt.Sprintf(`timestamp="02/01/2006 15:04:05.000" func=%s level=WARN msg="`, funcName)
+	prefix := fmt.Sprintf(`timestamp="02/01/2006 15:04:05.000" func=%s level=ERROR msg="`, funcName)
 
 	entry := <-suite.syslogChannel
-	regex := fmt.Sprintf(`timestamp=.* func=.* level=WARN msg="%s`, longMessage[:2048-len(prefix)])
+	regex := fmt.Sprintf(`timestamp=.* func=.* level=ERROR msg="%s`, longMessage[:2048-len(prefix)])
 	suite.Regexp(regexp.MustCompile(regex), entry["content"])
 }
 
diff --git a/internal/log/sysloglongunixgram_test.go b/internal/log/sysloglongunixgram_test.go
index 11aecfd14..e64a9fef9 100644
--- a/internal/log/sysloglongunixgram_test.go
+++ b/internal/log/sysloglongunixgram_test.go
@@ -53,13 +53,13 @@ func (suite *SyslogTestSuite) TestSyslogLongMessageUnixgram() {
 
 	testrig.InitTestLog()
 
-	log.Warn(nil, longMessage)
+	log.Error(nil, longMessage)
 
 	funcName := log.Caller(2)
-	prefix := fmt.Sprintf(`timestamp="02/01/2006 15:04:05.000" func=%s level=WARN msg="`, funcName)
+	prefix := fmt.Sprintf(`timestamp="02/01/2006 15:04:05.000" func=%s level=ERROR msg="`, funcName)
 
 	entry := <-syslogChannel
-	regex := fmt.Sprintf(`timestamp=.* func=.* level=WARN msg="%s`, longMessage[:2048-len(prefix)])
+	regex := fmt.Sprintf(`timestamp=.* func=.* level=ERROR msg="%s`, longMessage[:2048-len(prefix)])
 
 	suite.Regexp(regexp.MustCompile(regex), entry["content"])
 
diff --git a/testrig/config.go b/testrig/config.go
index c3a62aed4..d33c4ac8c 100644
--- a/testrig/config.go
+++ b/testrig/config.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 package testrig
 
 import (
+	"os"
 	"time"
 
 	"codeberg.org/gruf/go-bytesize"
@@ -33,8 +34,16 @@ func InitTestConfig() {
 	})
 }
 
+func logLevel() string {
+	level := "error"
+	if lv := os.Getenv("GTS_LOG_LEVEL"); lv != "" {
+		level = lv
+	}
+	return level
+}
+
 var testDefaults = config.Configuration{
-	LogLevel:           "info",
+	LogLevel:           logLevel(),
 	LogTimestampFormat: "02/01/2006 15:04:05.000",
 	LogDbQueries:       true,
 	ApplicationName:    "gotosocial",