diff --git a/cmd/charger.go b/cmd/charger.go
index 9df2cbc00..d1991ee71 100644
--- a/cmd/charger.go
+++ b/cmd/charger.go
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ func runCharger(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 		log.FATAL.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
-	setLogLevel(cmd)
+	util.LogLevel(viper.GetString("log"), viper.GetStringMapString("levels"))
 
 	// setup environment
 	if err := configureEnvironment(cmd, conf); err != nil {
diff --git a/cmd/charger_ramp.go b/cmd/charger_ramp.go
index bf9022290..40874c88c 100644
--- a/cmd/charger_ramp.go
+++ b/cmd/charger_ramp.go
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ func runChargerRamp(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 		log.FATAL.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
-	setLogLevel(cmd)
+	util.LogLevel(viper.GetString("log"), viper.GetStringMapString("levels"))
 
 	// setup environment
 	if err := configureEnvironment(cmd, conf); err != nil {
diff --git a/cmd/demo.yaml b/cmd/demo.yaml
index 2a3690c04..bd6b07a69 100644
--- a/cmd/demo.yaml
+++ b/cmd/demo.yaml
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 network:
   port: 7070
 
-log: info
+log: debug
+levels:
+  mercedes: trace
 
 interval: 3s
 
@@ -198,6 +200,15 @@ vehicles:
     title: grüner Honda e
     capacity: 26
 
+  - name: mercedes1
+    type: mercedes
+    title: Mercedes
+    phases: 2
+    vin: W1K2052131G009532
+    clientId: 53c28422-25e4-47c2-9cf4-94a48065c5b3
+    clientSecret: ePhxFTNyMbvslPqgoAfERHscIvpHZIaOfKPLjmEvQZDhSaocKAOiceLEVubDPyxP
+    identifiers: Jochen
+
 site:
   title: Zuhause
   meters:
@@ -211,7 +222,7 @@ loadpoints:
     mode: pv
     phases: 1
     meter: meter_charger_1
-    vehicle: vehicle_1 # default
+    # vehicle: vehicle_1 # default
   - title: Garage
     charger: charger_2
     mode: "off"
diff --git a/cmd/discuss.go b/cmd/discuss.go
index c6f36ee45..8b3d07052 100644
--- a/cmd/discuss.go
+++ b/cmd/discuss.go
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ func runDiscuss(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 
 	cfgErr := loadConfigFile(&conf)
 
-	setLogLevel(cmd)
+	util.LogLevel(viper.GetString("log"), viper.GetStringMapString("levels"))
 
 	file, pathErr := filepath.Abs(cfgFile)
 	if pathErr != nil {
diff --git a/cmd/dump.go b/cmd/dump.go
index eda9f9e31..f5753fe9e 100644
--- a/cmd/dump.go
+++ b/cmd/dump.go
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ func runDump(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 	// load config
 	err := loadConfigFile(&conf)
 
-	setLogLevel(cmd)
+	util.LogLevel(viper.GetString("log"), viper.GetStringMapString("levels"))
 
 	// setup environment
 	if err == nil {
diff --git a/cmd/helper.go b/cmd/helper.go
index 7cf2d4386..ee35bb7af 100644
--- a/cmd/helper.go
+++ b/cmd/helper.go
@@ -11,20 +11,8 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/evcc-io/evcc/cmd/shutdown"
-	"github.com/evcc-io/evcc/util"
-	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
-	"github.com/spf13/viper"
 )
 
-// setLogLevel sets log level from config overwritten by command line
-// https://github.com/spf13/viper/issues/1444
-func setLogLevel(cmd *cobra.Command) {
-	if flag := cmd.Flags().Lookup("log"); viper.GetString("log") == "" || flag.Changed {
-		viper.Set("log", flag.Value.String())
-	}
-	util.LogLevel(viper.GetString("log"), viper.GetStringMapString("levels"))
-}
-
 // unwrap converts a wrapped error into slice of strings
 func unwrap(err error) (res []string) {
 	for err != nil {
diff --git a/cmd/meter.go b/cmd/meter.go
index 486197cf0..f48b38c8a 100644
--- a/cmd/meter.go
+++ b/cmd/meter.go
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ func runMeter(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 		log.FATAL.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
-	setLogLevel(cmd)
+	util.LogLevel(viper.GetString("log"), viper.GetStringMapString("levels"))
 
 	// setup environment
 	if err := configureEnvironment(cmd, conf); err != nil {
diff --git a/cmd/root.go b/cmd/root.go
index 6dbf4df6d..dada7ac23 100644
--- a/cmd/root.go
+++ b/cmd/root.go
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ func runRoot(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 		err = cfgErr
 	}
 
-	setLogLevel(cmd)
+	util.LogLevel(viper.GetString("log"), viper.GetStringMapString("levels"))
 
 	// network config
 	if viper.GetString("uri") != "" {
diff --git a/cmd/token.go b/cmd/token.go
index 36f4b10a4..97ffcd999 100644
--- a/cmd/token.go
+++ b/cmd/token.go
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ func runToken(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 		log.FATAL.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
-	setLogLevel(cmd)
+	util.LogLevel(viper.GetString("log"), viper.GetStringMapString("levels"))
 
 	var vehicleConf qualifiedConfig
 	if len(conf.Vehicles) == 1 {
diff --git a/cmd/vehicle.go b/cmd/vehicle.go
index b9dfa8fd0..0c0f58631 100644
--- a/cmd/vehicle.go
+++ b/cmd/vehicle.go
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ func runVehicle(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 		fatal(err)
 	}
 
-	setLogLevel(cmd)
+	util.LogLevel(viper.GetString("log"), viper.GetStringMapString("levels"))
 
 	// setup environment
 	if err := configureEnvironment(cmd, conf); err != nil {