diff --git a/cmd/basecoin/commands/root.go b/cmd/basecoin/commands/root.go
index ff70f1980..bdcc25d72 100644
--- a/cmd/basecoin/commands/root.go
+++ b/cmd/basecoin/commands/root.go
@@ -3,9 +3,39 @@ package commands
 import (
 	"os"
 
+	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+	"github.com/spf13/viper"
+
+	"github.com/tendermint/tmlibs/cli"
+	tmflags "github.com/tendermint/tmlibs/cli/flags"
 	"github.com/tendermint/tmlibs/log"
 )
 
+const (
+	defaultLogLevel = "error"
+	FlagLogLevel    = "log_level"
+)
+
 var (
 	logger = log.NewTMLogger(log.NewSyncWriter(os.Stdout)).With("module", "main")
 )
+
+var RootCmd = &cobra.Command{
+	Use:   "basecoin",
+	Short: "A cryptocurrency framework in Golang based on Tendermint-Core",
+	PersistentPreRunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) (err error) {
+		level := viper.GetString(FlagLogLevel)
+		logger, err = tmflags.ParseLogLevel(level, logger, defaultLogLevel)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		if viper.GetBool(cli.TraceFlag) {
+			logger = log.NewTracingLogger(logger)
+		}
+		return nil
+	},
+}
+
+func init() {
+	RootCmd.PersistentFlags().String(FlagLogLevel, defaultLogLevel, "Log level")
+}
diff --git a/cmd/basecoin/commands/start.go b/cmd/basecoin/commands/start.go
index 1bcca1b15..554a99c1d 100644
--- a/cmd/basecoin/commands/start.go
+++ b/cmd/basecoin/commands/start.go
@@ -12,11 +12,9 @@ import (
 	"github.com/tendermint/abci/server"
 	eyes "github.com/tendermint/merkleeyes/client"
 	"github.com/tendermint/tmlibs/cli"
-	cliflags "github.com/tendermint/tmlibs/cli/flags"
 	cmn "github.com/tendermint/tmlibs/common"
 
 	tcmd "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/cmd/tendermint/commands"
-	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/config"
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/node"
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/proxy"
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/types"
@@ -127,14 +125,9 @@ func startTendermint(dir string, basecoinApp *app.Basecoin) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	tmLogger, err := cliflags.ParseLogLevel(cfg.LogLevel, logger, config.DefaultConfig().LogLevel)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
 	// Create & start tendermint node
-	privValidator := types.LoadOrGenPrivValidator(cfg.PrivValidatorFile(), tmLogger)
-	n := node.NewNode(cfg, privValidator, proxy.NewLocalClientCreator(basecoinApp), tmLogger.With("module", "node"))
+	privValidator := types.LoadOrGenPrivValidator(cfg.PrivValidatorFile(), logger)
+	n := node.NewNode(cfg, privValidator, proxy.NewLocalClientCreator(basecoinApp), logger.With("module", "node"))
 
 	_, err = n.Start()
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/cmd/basecoin/main.go b/cmd/basecoin/main.go
index 23c46c768..a0ce5a263 100644
--- a/cmd/basecoin/main.go
+++ b/cmd/basecoin/main.go
@@ -3,19 +3,14 @@ package main
 import (
 	"os"
 
-	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
-
 	"github.com/tendermint/basecoin/cmd/basecoin/commands"
 	"github.com/tendermint/tmlibs/cli"
 )
 
 func main() {
-	var RootCmd = &cobra.Command{
-		Use:   "basecoin",
-		Short: "A cryptocurrency framework in Golang based on Tendermint-Core",
-	}
+	rt := commands.RootCmd
 
-	RootCmd.AddCommand(
+	rt.AddCommand(
 		commands.InitCmd,
 		commands.StartCmd,
 		commands.RelayCmd,
@@ -23,7 +18,7 @@ func main() {
 		commands.VersionCmd,
 	)
 
-	cmd := cli.PrepareMainCmd(RootCmd, "BC", os.ExpandEnv("$HOME/.basecoin"))
+	cmd := cli.PrepareMainCmd(rt, "BC", os.ExpandEnv("$HOME/.basecoin"))
 	if err := cmd.Execute(); err != nil {
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}