diff --git a/cmd/root.go b/cmd/root.go
index 5898a79..c7705b3 100644
--- a/cmd/root.go
+++ b/cmd/root.go
@@ -56,12 +56,39 @@ func LoadConfig(cmd *cobra.Command) error {
 	applyBoolFlag(cmd, "update-only", &Cfg.Sync.UpdateOnly)
 	applyStringFlag(cmd, "cache-dir", &Cfg.Sync.CacheDir)
 
+	// Compute effective log settings: config file provides defaults,
+	// explicit CLI flags take precedence. Do not mutate the flag-backed globals.
+	effectiveDebug := debug
+	effectiveVerbose := verbose
+	effectiveLogFile := logFile
+	effectiveLogFormat := logFormat
+
+	var unknownLogLevelMsg string
+	if Cfg.Log.Level != "" && !cmd.Flags().Changed("debug") && !cmd.Flags().Changed("verbose") {
+		switch strings.ToLower(Cfg.Log.Level) {
+		case "debug":
+			effectiveDebug = true
+		case "info":
+			effectiveVerbose = true
+		case "warn", "warning":
+			// default, no action needed
+		default:
+			unknownLogLevelMsg = fmt.Sprintf("Unknown log.level %q in config, using default (warn)", Cfg.Log.Level)
+		}
+	}
+	if Cfg.Log.File != "" && !cmd.Flags().Changed("log-file") {
+		effectiveLogFile = Cfg.Log.File
+	}
+	if Cfg.Log.Format != "" && !cmd.Flags().Changed("log-format") {
+		effectiveLogFormat = Cfg.Log.Format
+	}
+
 	// Configure log level
 	var level logrus.Level
 	switch {
-	case debug:
+	case effectiveDebug:
 		level = logrus.DebugLevel
-	case verbose:
+	case effectiveVerbose:
 		level = logrus.InfoLevel
 	default:
 		level = logrus.WarnLevel
@@ -70,13 +97,13 @@ func LoadConfig(cmd *cobra.Command) error {
 
 	// Configure formatter
 	var formatter logrus.Formatter
-	switch strings.ToLower(logFormat) {
+	switch strings.ToLower(effectiveLogFormat) {
 	case "json":
 		formatter = &logrus.JSONFormatter{}
 	case "text", "":
 		formatter = &logrus.TextFormatter{FullTimestamp: true}
 	default:
-		return fmt.Errorf("invalid --log-format %q: must be 'text' or 'json'", logFormat)
+		return fmt.Errorf("invalid log format %q: must be 'text' or 'json'", effectiveLogFormat)
 	}
 	setAllLogFormatters(formatter)
 
@@ -86,8 +113,8 @@ func LoadConfig(cmd *cobra.Command) error {
 		_ = logFileFD.Close()
 		logFileFD = nil
 	}
-	if logFile != "" {
-		f, err := os.OpenFile(logFile, os.O_CREATE|os.O_WRONLY|os.O_APPEND, 0600)
+	if effectiveLogFile != "" {
+		f, err := os.OpenFile(effectiveLogFile, os.O_CREATE|os.O_WRONLY|os.O_APPEND, 0600)
 		if err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("opening log file: %w", err)
 		}
@@ -95,6 +122,11 @@ func LoadConfig(cmd *cobra.Command) error {
 		setAllLogOutputs(io.MultiWriter(os.Stderr, f))
 	}
 
+	// Emit deferred warning after format/output are configured.
+	if unknownLogLevelMsg != "" {
+		log.Warn(unknownLogLevelMsg)
+	}
+
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/config/config.go b/config/config.go
index c1ed043..33589bd 100644
--- a/config/config.go
+++ b/config/config.go
@@ -10,10 +10,19 @@ import (
 
 // Config holds all configuration for axm2snipe.
 type Config struct {
-	ABM    ABMConfig    `yaml:"abm"`
+	ABM     ABMConfig     `yaml:"abm"`
 	SnipeIT SnipeITConfig `yaml:"snipe_it"`
-	Sync   SyncConfig   `yaml:"sync"`
-	Slack  SlackConfig  `yaml:"slack"`
+	Sync    SyncConfig    `yaml:"sync"`
+	Slack   SlackConfig   `yaml:"slack"`
+	Log     LogConfig     `yaml:"log"`
+}
+
+// LogConfig holds logging settings that can be set in the config file.
+// CLI flags (--log-file, --log-format, -v, -d) take precedence.
+type LogConfig struct {
+	File   string `yaml:"file"`   // path to log file (appended to stderr)
+	Format string `yaml:"format"` // "text" (default) or "json"
+	Level  string `yaml:"level"`  // "warn" (default), "info", or "debug"
 }
 
 // SlackConfig holds optional Slack webhook notification settings.