diff --git a/lib/log.bash b/lib/log.bash
index f1bce9f7..673fdd08 100644
--- a/lib/log.bash
+++ b/lib/log.bash
@@ -2,34 +2,39 @@
 #
 # A collection of logging functions.
 
-export BASH_IT_LOG_LEVEL_ERROR=1
-export BASH_IT_LOG_LEVEL_WARNING=2
-export BASH_IT_LOG_LEVEL_ALL=3
+# Declare log severity levels, matching syslog numbering
+: "${BASH_IT_LOG_LEVEL_FATAL:=1}"
+: "${BASH_IT_LOG_LEVEL_ERROR:=3}"
+: "${BASH_IT_LOG_LEVEL_WARNING:=4}"
+: "${BASH_IT_LOG_LEVEL_ALL:=6}"
+: "${BASH_IT_LOG_LEVEL_INFO:=6}"
+: "${BASH_IT_LOG_LEVEL_TRACE:=7}"
+readonly "${!BASH_IT_LOG_LEVEL_@}"
 
 function _has_colors() {
 	# Check that stdout is a terminal, and that it has at least 8 colors.
 	[[ -t 1 && "${_bash_it_available_colors:=$(tput colors 2> /dev/null)}" -ge 8 ]]
 }
 
-function _log_general() {
+function _bash-it-log-message() {
 	about 'Internal function used for logging, uses BASH_IT_LOG_PREFIX as a prefix'
 	param '1: color of the message'
 	param '2: log level to print before the prefix'
 	param '3: message to log'
 	group 'log'
 
-	message=$2${BASH_IT_LOG_PREFIX:-default: }$3
+	message="$2${BASH_IT_LOG_PREFIX:-default: }$3"
 	_has_colors && echo -e "$1${message}${echo_normal:-}" || echo -e "${message}"
 }
 
 function _log_debug() {
-	about 'log a debug message by echoing to the screen. needs BASH_IT_LOG_LEVEL >= BASH_IT_LOG_LEVEL_ALL'
+	about 'log a debug message by echoing to the screen. needs BASH_IT_LOG_LEVEL >= BASH_IT_LOG_LEVEL_INFO'
 	param '1: message to log'
 	example '$ _log_debug "Loading plugin git..."'
 	group 'log'
 
-	[[ "${BASH_IT_LOG_LEVEL:-0}" -ge $BASH_IT_LOG_LEVEL_ALL ]] || return 0
-	_log_general "${echo_green:-}" "DEBUG: " "$1"
+	[[ "${BASH_IT_LOG_LEVEL:-0}" -ge "${BASH_IT_LOG_LEVEL_INFO?}" ]] || return 0
+	_bash-it-log-message "${echo_green:-}" "DEBUG: " "$1"
 }
 
 function _log_warning() {
@@ -38,8 +43,8 @@ function _log_warning() {
 	example '$ _log_warning "git binary not found, disabling git plugin..."'
 	group 'log'
 
-	[[ "${BASH_IT_LOG_LEVEL:-0}" -ge $BASH_IT_LOG_LEVEL_WARNING ]] || return 0
-	_log_general "${echo_yellow:-}" " WARN: " "$1"
+	[[ "${BASH_IT_LOG_LEVEL:-0}" -ge "${BASH_IT_LOG_LEVEL_WARNING?}" ]] || return 0
+	_bash-it-log-message "${echo_yellow:-}" " WARN: " "$1"
 }
 
 function _log_error() {
@@ -48,6 +53,6 @@ function _log_error() {
 	example '$ _log_error "Failed to load git plugin..."'
 	group 'log'
 
-	[[ "${BASH_IT_LOG_LEVEL:-0}" -ge $BASH_IT_LOG_LEVEL_ERROR ]] || return 0
-	_log_general "${echo_red:-}" "ERROR: " "$1"
+	[[ "${BASH_IT_LOG_LEVEL:-0}" -ge "${BASH_IT_LOG_LEVEL_ERROR?}" ]] || return 0
+	_bash-it-log-message "${echo_red:-}" "ERROR: " "$1"
 }