diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index e04b3c666e8..53647bc23ab 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ RUN mkdir /container-init.d \
 VOLUME $IPFS_PATH
 
 # The default logging level
-ENV IPFS_LOGGING ""
+ENV GOLOG_LOG_LEVEL ""
 
 # This just makes sure that:
 # 1. There's an fs-repo, and initializes one if there isn't.
diff --git a/cmd/ipfs/kubo/start.go b/cmd/ipfs/kubo/start.go
index efde6e48e9b..5d8447a1073 100644
--- a/cmd/ipfs/kubo/start.go
+++ b/cmd/ipfs/kubo/start.go
@@ -226,7 +226,10 @@ func insideGUI() bool {
 func checkDebug(req *cmds.Request) {
 	// check if user wants to debug. option OR env var.
 	debug, _ := req.Options["debug"].(bool)
-	if debug || os.Getenv("IPFS_LOGGING") == "debug" {
+	ipfsLogLevel, _ := logging.LevelFromString(os.Getenv("IPFS_LOGGING")) // IPFS_LOGGING is deprecated
+	goLogLevel, _ := logging.LevelFromString(os.Getenv("GOLOG_LOG_LEVEL"))
+
+	if debug || goLogLevel == logging.LevelDebug || ipfsLogLevel == logging.LevelDebug {
 		u.Debug = true
 		logging.SetDebugLogging()
 	}
diff --git a/core/commands/log.go b/core/commands/log.go
index d2cb4a1a168..a9af0c2f379 100644
--- a/core/commands/log.go
+++ b/core/commands/log.go
@@ -22,12 +22,12 @@ var LogCmd = &cmds.Command{
 'ipfs log' contains utility commands to affect or read the logging
 output of a running daemon.
 
-There are also two environmental variables that direct the logging 
+There are also two environmental variables that direct the logging
 system (not just for the daemon logs, but all commands):
-    IPFS_LOGGING - sets the level of verbosity of the logging.
+    GOLOG_LOG_LEVEL - sets the level of verbosity of the logging.
         One of: debug, info, warn, error, dpanic, panic, fatal
-    IPFS_LOGGING_FMT - sets formatting of the log output.
-        One of: color, nocolor
+    GOLOG_LOG_FMT - sets formatting of the log output.
+        One of: color, nocolor, json
 `,
 	},
 
diff --git a/docs/changelogs/v0.34.md b/docs/changelogs/v0.34.md
index 773d942fe46..327b021c287 100644
--- a/docs/changelogs/v0.34.md
+++ b/docs/changelogs/v0.34.md
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 - [🔦 Highlights](#-highlights)
   - [RPC and CLI command changes](#rpc-and-cli-command-changes)
   - [Bitswap improvements from Boxo](#bitswap-improvements-from-boxo)
-- [📝 Changelog](#-changelog)
+  - [IPFS_LOG_LEVEL deprecated](#ipfs_log_level-deprecated)
 - [👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Contributors](#-contributors)
 
 ### Overview
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@
 
 This release includes performance and reliability improvements and fixes for minor resource leaks. One of the performance changes [greatly improves the bitswap clients ability to operate under high load](https://github.com/ipfs/boxo/pull/817#pullrequestreview-2587207745), that could previously result in an out of memory condition.
 
-### 📝 Changelog
+#### `IPFS_LOG_LEVEL` deprecated
+
+The variable has been deprecated. Please use [`GOLOG_LOG_LEVEL`](https://github.com/ipfs/kubo/blob/master/docs/environment-variables.md#golog_log_level) instead for configuring logging levels.
 
 ### 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Contributors
diff --git a/plugin/plugins/peerlog/peerlog.go b/plugin/plugins/peerlog/peerlog.go
index d55a7f0b9e1..5aa11a6eb1c 100644
--- a/plugin/plugins/peerlog/peerlog.go
+++ b/plugin/plugins/peerlog/peerlog.go
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ type plEvent struct {
 //
 // Usage:
 //
-//	GOLOG_FILE=~/peer.log IPFS_LOGGING_FMT=json ipfs daemon
+//	GOLOG_FILE=~/peer.log GOLOG_LOG_FMT=json ipfs daemon
 //
 // Output:
 //
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ func (pl *peerLogPlugin) Start(node *core.IpfsNode) error {
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	// Ensure logs from this plugin get printed regardless of global IPFS_LOGGING value
+	// Ensure logs from this plugin get printed regardless of global GOLOG_LOG_LEVEL value
 	if err := logging.SetLogLevel("plugin/peerlog", "info"); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to set log level: %w", err)
 	}
diff --git a/test/3nodetest/bootstrap/Dockerfile b/test/3nodetest/bootstrap/Dockerfile
index ed8ac9ffa52..e5423f11660 100644
--- a/test/3nodetest/bootstrap/Dockerfile
+++ b/test/3nodetest/bootstrap/Dockerfile
@@ -6,6 +6,6 @@ RUN mv -f /tmp/id/config /root/.ipfs/config
 RUN ipfs id
 
 ENV IPFS_PROF true
-ENV IPFS_LOGGING_FMT nocolor
+ENV GOLOG_LOG_FMT nocolor
 
 EXPOSE 4011 4012/udp
diff --git a/test/3nodetest/client/Dockerfile b/test/3nodetest/client/Dockerfile
index d4e1ffa36d4..3e7ada6c05d 100644
--- a/test/3nodetest/client/Dockerfile
+++ b/test/3nodetest/client/Dockerfile
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ RUN ipfs id
 EXPOSE 4031 4032/udp
 
 ENV IPFS_PROF true
-ENV IPFS_LOGGING_FMT nocolor
+ENV GOLOG_LOG_FMT nocolor
 
 ENTRYPOINT ["/bin/bash"]
 CMD ["/tmp/id/run.sh"]
diff --git a/test/3nodetest/fig.yml b/test/3nodetest/fig.yml
index 18a28c8ff75..f163398c2af 100644
--- a/test/3nodetest/fig.yml
+++ b/test/3nodetest/fig.yml
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ bootstrap:
         - "4011"
         - "4012/udp"
     environment:
-        IPFS_LOGGING: debug
+        GOLOG_LOG_LEVEL: debug
 
 server:
     build: ./server
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ server:
         - "4021"
         - "4022/udp"
     environment:
-        IPFS_LOGGING: debug
+        GOLOG_LOG_LEVEL: debug
 
 client:
     build: ./client
@@ -35,4 +35,4 @@ client:
         - "4031"
         - "4032/udp"
     environment:
-        IPFS_LOGGING: debug
+        GOLOG_LOG_LEVEL: debug
diff --git a/test/3nodetest/server/Dockerfile b/test/3nodetest/server/Dockerfile
index 935d2e1b022..72f6fdf57ef 100644
--- a/test/3nodetest/server/Dockerfile
+++ b/test/3nodetest/server/Dockerfile
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ RUN chmod +x /tmp/test/run.sh
 EXPOSE 4021 4022/udp
 
 ENV IPFS_PROF true
-ENV IPFS_LOGGING_FMT nocolor
+ENV GOLOG_LOG_FMT nocolor
 
 ENTRYPOINT ["/bin/bash"]
 CMD ["/tmp/test/run.sh"]
diff --git a/test/sharness/README.md b/test/sharness/README.md
index 6ab8539da2c..239e46d1eb4 100644
--- a/test/sharness/README.md
+++ b/test/sharness/README.md
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ The usual ipfs env flags also apply:
 
 ```sh
 # the output will make your eyes bleed
-IPFS_LOGGING=debug TEST_VERBOSE=1 make
+GOLOG_LOG_LEVEL=debug TEST_VERBOSE=1 make
 ```
 
 To make the tests abort as soon as an error occurs, use the TEST_IMMEDIATE env variable: