diff --git a/Documentation/op-guide/configuration.md b/Documentation/op-guide/configuration.md
index 9d902963352..3a682bcf94e 100644
--- a/Documentation/op-guide/configuration.md
+++ b/Documentation/op-guide/configuration.md
@@ -342,7 +342,8 @@ The security flags help to [build a secure etcd cluster][security].
 
 ### --logger
 
-**Available from v3.4**
+**Available from v3.4.**
+**WARNING: `--logger=capnslog` to be deprecated in v3.5.**
 
 + Specify 'zap' for structured logging or 'capnslog'.
 + default: capnslog
@@ -354,12 +355,27 @@ The security flags help to [build a secure etcd cluster][security].
 + env variable: ETCD_LOG_OUTPUTS
 + 'default' use 'stderr' config for v3.4 during zap logger migraion
 
+### --log-level
+
+**Available from v3.4.**
+
++ Configures log level. Only supports debug, info, warn, error, panic, or fatal.
++ default: info
++ env variable: ETCD_LOG_LEVEL
++ 'default' use 'info'.
+
 ### --debug
+
+**WARNING: to be deprecated in v3.5.**
+
 + Drop the default log level to DEBUG for all subpackages.
 + default: false (INFO for all packages)
 + env variable: ETCD_DEBUG
 
 ### --log-package-levels
+
+**WARNING: to be deprecated in v3.5.**
+
 + Set individual etcd subpackages to specific log levels. An example being `etcdserver=WARNING,security=DEBUG`
 + default: "" (INFO for all packages)
 + env variable: ETCD_LOG_PACKAGE_LEVELS
diff --git a/embed/config.go b/embed/config.go
index d60493340a7..0cc112001b7 100644
--- a/embed/config.go
+++ b/embed/config.go
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ import (
 	"go.etcd.io/etcd/etcdserver"
 	"go.etcd.io/etcd/etcdserver/api/v3compactor"
 	"go.etcd.io/etcd/pkg/flags"
+	"go.etcd.io/etcd/pkg/logutil"
 	"go.etcd.io/etcd/pkg/netutil"
 	"go.etcd.io/etcd/pkg/srv"
 	"go.etcd.io/etcd/pkg/tlsutil"
@@ -291,11 +292,8 @@ type Config struct {
 	// Logger is logger options: "zap", "capnslog".
 	// WARN: "capnslog" is being deprecated in v3.5.
 	Logger string `json:"logger"`
-
-	// DeprecatedLogOutput is to be deprecated in v3.5.
-	// Just here for safe migration in v3.4.
-	DeprecatedLogOutput []string `json:"log-output"`
-
+	// LogLevel configures log level. Only supports debug, info, warn, error, panic, or fatal. Default 'info'.
+	LogLevel string `json:"log-level"`
 	// LogOutputs is either:
 	//  - "default" as os.Stderr,
 	//  - "stderr" as os.Stderr,
@@ -304,11 +302,8 @@ type Config struct {
 	// It can be multiple when "Logger" is zap.
 	LogOutputs []string `json:"log-outputs"`
 
-	// Debug is true, to enable debug level logging.
-	Debug bool `json:"debug"`
-
-	// ZapLoggerBuilder is used to build the zap logger.
-	ZapLoggerBuilder func(*Config) error
+	// zapLoggerBuilder is used to build the zap logger.
+	zapLoggerBuilder func(*Config) error
 
 	// logger logs server-side operations. The default is nil,
 	// and "setupLogging" must be called before starting server.
@@ -329,6 +324,12 @@ type Config struct {
 
 	// TO BE DEPRECATED
 
+	// DeprecatedLogOutput is to be deprecated in v3.5.
+	// Just here for safe migration in v3.4.
+	DeprecatedLogOutput []string `json:"log-output"`
+	// Debug is true, to enable debug level logging.
+	// WARNING: to be deprecated in 3.5. Use "--log-level=debug" instead.
+	Debug bool `json:"debug"`
 	// LogPkgLevels is being deprecated in v3.5.
 	// Only valid if "logger" option is "capnslog".
 	// WARN: DO NOT USE THIS!
@@ -415,6 +416,7 @@ func NewConfig() *Config {
 		DeprecatedLogOutput: []string{DefaultLogOutput},
 		LogOutputs:          []string{DefaultLogOutput},
 		Debug:               false,
+		LogLevel:            logutil.DefaultLogLevel,
 		LogPkgLevels:        "",
 	}
 	cfg.InitialCluster = cfg.InitialClusterFromName(cfg.Name)
diff --git a/embed/config_logging.go b/embed/config_logging.go
index 0478fb44482..e617dfe82dc 100644
--- a/embed/config_logging.go
+++ b/embed/config_logging.go
@@ -69,11 +69,25 @@ func (cfg *Config) setupLogging() error {
 			return fmt.Errorf("'--log-output=%q' and '--log-outputs=%q' are incompatible; only set --log-outputs", cfg.DeprecatedLogOutput, cfg.LogOutputs)
 		}
 		if !reflect.DeepEqual(cfg.DeprecatedLogOutput, []string{DefaultLogOutput}) {
-			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "Deprecated '--log-output' flag is set to %q\n", cfg.DeprecatedLogOutput)
+			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "[WARNING] Deprecated '--log-output' flag is set to %q\n", cfg.DeprecatedLogOutput)
 			fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "Please use '--log-outputs' flag")
 		}
 	}
 
+	// TODO: remove after deprecating log related flags in v3.5
+	if cfg.Debug {
+		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "[WARNING] Deprecated '--debug' flag is set to %v (use '--log-level=debug' instead\n", cfg.Debug)
+	}
+	if cfg.Debug && cfg.LogLevel != "debug" {
+		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "[WARNING] Deprecated '--debug' flag is set to %v with inconsistent '--log-level=%s' flag\n", cfg.Debug, cfg.LogLevel)
+	}
+	if cfg.Logger == "capnslog" {
+		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "[WARNING] Deprecated '--logger=%s' flag is set; use '--logger=zap' flag instead\n", cfg.Logger)
+	}
+	if cfg.LogPkgLevels != "" {
+		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "[WARNING] Deprecated '--log-package-levels=%s' flag is set; use '--logger=zap' flag instead\n", cfg.LogPkgLevels)
+	}
+
 	switch cfg.Logger {
 	case "capnslog": // TODO: deprecate this in v3.5
 		cfg.ClientTLSInfo.HandshakeFailure = logTLSHandshakeFailure
@@ -85,7 +99,7 @@ func (cfg *Config) setupLogging() error {
 			// enable info, warning, error
 			grpclog.SetLoggerV2(grpclog.NewLoggerV2(os.Stderr, os.Stderr, os.Stderr))
 		} else {
-			capnslog.SetGlobalLogLevel(capnslog.INFO)
+			capnslog.SetGlobalLogLevel(logutil.ConvertToCapnslogLogLevel(cfg.LogLevel))
 			// only discard info
 			grpclog.SetLoggerV2(grpclog.NewLoggerV2(ioutil.Discard, os.Stderr, os.Stderr))
 		}
@@ -157,13 +171,15 @@ func (cfg *Config) setupLogging() error {
 
 		if !isJournal {
 			copied := logutil.AddOutputPaths(logutil.DefaultZapLoggerConfig, outputPaths, errOutputPaths)
-
-			if cfg.Debug {
-				copied.Level = zap.NewAtomicLevelAt(zap.DebugLevel)
+			copied.Level = zap.NewAtomicLevelAt(logutil.ConvertToZapLevel(cfg.LogLevel))
+			if cfg.Debug || cfg.LogLevel == "debug" {
+				// enable tracing even when "--debug --log-level info"
+				// in order to keep backward compatibility with <= v3.3
+				// TODO: remove "Debug" check in v3.5
 				grpc.EnableTracing = true
 			}
-			if cfg.ZapLoggerBuilder == nil {
-				cfg.ZapLoggerBuilder = func(c *Config) error {
+			if cfg.zapLoggerBuilder == nil {
+				cfg.zapLoggerBuilder = func(c *Config) error {
 					var err error
 					c.logger, err = copied.Build()
 					if err != nil {
@@ -201,9 +217,11 @@ func (cfg *Config) setupLogging() error {
 				return lerr
 			}
 
-			lvl := zap.NewAtomicLevelAt(zap.InfoLevel)
-			if cfg.Debug {
-				lvl = zap.NewAtomicLevelAt(zap.DebugLevel)
+			lvl := zap.NewAtomicLevelAt(logutil.ConvertToZapLevel(cfg.LogLevel))
+			if cfg.Debug || cfg.LogLevel == "debug" {
+				// enable tracing even when "--debug --log-level info"
+				// in order to keep backward compatibility with <= v3.3
+				// TODO: remove "Debug" check in v3.5
 				grpc.EnableTracing = true
 			}
 
@@ -214,8 +232,8 @@ func (cfg *Config) setupLogging() error {
 				syncer,
 				lvl,
 			)
-			if cfg.ZapLoggerBuilder == nil {
-				cfg.ZapLoggerBuilder = func(c *Config) error {
+			if cfg.zapLoggerBuilder == nil {
+				cfg.zapLoggerBuilder = func(c *Config) error {
 					c.logger = zap.New(cr, zap.AddCaller(), zap.ErrorOutput(syncer))
 					c.loggerMu.Lock()
 					defer c.loggerMu.Unlock()
@@ -231,7 +249,7 @@ func (cfg *Config) setupLogging() error {
 			}
 		}
 
-		err := cfg.ZapLoggerBuilder(cfg)
+		err := cfg.zapLoggerBuilder(cfg)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
diff --git a/etcdmain/config.go b/etcdmain/config.go
index 12a22d4de84..29947cbcb80 100644
--- a/etcdmain/config.go
+++ b/etcdmain/config.go
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ import (
 
 	"go.etcd.io/etcd/embed"
 	"go.etcd.io/etcd/pkg/flags"
+	"go.etcd.io/etcd/pkg/logutil"
 	"go.etcd.io/etcd/pkg/types"
 	"go.etcd.io/etcd/version"
 
@@ -221,11 +222,12 @@ func newConfig() *config {
 	fs.Var(flags.NewUniqueStringsValue("*"), "host-whitelist", "Comma-separated acceptable hostnames from HTTP client requests, if server is not secure (empty means allow all).")
 
 	// logging
-	fs.StringVar(&cfg.ec.Logger, "logger", "capnslog", "Specify 'zap' for structured logging or 'capnslog'.")
-	fs.Var(flags.NewUniqueStringsValue(embed.DefaultLogOutput), "log-output", "DEPRECATED: use '--log-outputs'.")
+	fs.StringVar(&cfg.ec.Logger, "logger", "capnslog", "Specify 'zap' for structured logging or 'capnslog'. WARN: 'capnslog' is being deprecated in v3.5.")
+	fs.Var(flags.NewUniqueStringsValue(embed.DefaultLogOutput), "log-output", "[TO BE DEPRECATED IN v3.5] use '--log-outputs'.")
 	fs.Var(flags.NewUniqueStringsValue(embed.DefaultLogOutput), "log-outputs", "Specify 'stdout' or 'stderr' to skip journald logging even when running under systemd, or list of comma separated output targets.")
-	fs.BoolVar(&cfg.ec.Debug, "debug", false, "Enable debug-level logging for etcd.")
-	fs.StringVar(&cfg.ec.LogPkgLevels, "log-package-levels", "", "(To be deprecated) Specify a particular log level for each etcd package (eg: 'etcdmain=CRITICAL,etcdserver=DEBUG').")
+	fs.BoolVar(&cfg.ec.Debug, "debug", false, "[TO BE DEPRECATED IN v3.5] Enable debug-level logging for etcd. Use '--log-level=debug' instead.")
+	fs.StringVar(&cfg.ec.LogLevel, "log-level", logutil.DefaultLogLevel, "Configures log level. Only supports debug, info, warn, error, panic, or fatal. Default 'info'.")
+	fs.StringVar(&cfg.ec.LogPkgLevels, "log-package-levels", "", "[TO BE DEPRECATED IN v3.5] Specify a particular log level for each etcd package (eg: 'etcdmain=CRITICAL,etcdserver=DEBUG').")
 
 	// version
 	fs.BoolVar(&cfg.printVersion, "version", false, "Print the version and exit.")
diff --git a/etcdmain/help.go b/etcdmain/help.go
index 4cf7b23289b..28889c6a43b 100644
--- a/etcdmain/help.go
+++ b/etcdmain/help.go
@@ -173,15 +173,11 @@ Profiling and Monitoring:
 
 Logging:
   --logger 'capnslog'
-    Specify 'zap' for structured logging or 'capnslog'.
+    Specify 'zap' for structured logging or 'capnslog'. [WARN] 'capnslog' will be deprecated in v3.5.
   --log-outputs 'default'
     Specify 'stdout' or 'stderr' to skip journald logging even when running under systemd, or list of comma separated output targets.
-  --debug 'false'
-    Enable debug-level logging for etcd.
-
-Logging (to be deprecated in v3.5):
-  --log-package-levels ''
-    Specify a particular log level for each etcd package (eg: 'etcdmain=CRITICAL,etcdserver=DEBUG').
+  --log-level 'info'
+    Configures log level. Only supports debug, info, warn, error, panic, or fatal.
 
 v2 Proxy (to be deprecated in v4):
   --proxy 'off'
@@ -214,5 +210,12 @@ Unsafe feature:
     Force to create a new one-member cluster.
 
 CAUTIOUS with unsafe flag! It may break the guarantees given by the consensus protocol!
+
+TO BE DEPRECATED:
+
+  --debug 'false'
+    Enable debug-level logging for etcd. [WARN] Will be deprecated in v3.5. Use '--log-level=debug' instead.
+  --log-package-levels ''
+    Specify a particular log level for each etcd package (eg: 'etcdmain=CRITICAL,etcdserver=DEBUG').
 `
 )
diff --git a/etcdserver/raft.go b/etcdserver/raft.go
index 8095288cefa..c0fe9790539 100644
--- a/etcdserver/raft.go
+++ b/etcdserver/raft.go
@@ -58,13 +58,6 @@ var (
 )
 
 func init() {
-	lcfg := logutil.DefaultZapLoggerConfig
-	lg, err := logutil.NewRaftLogger(&lcfg)
-	if err != nil {
-		log.Fatalf("cannot create raft logger %v", err)
-	}
-	raft.SetLogger(lg)
-
 	expvar.Publish("raft.status", expvar.Func(func() interface{} {
 		raftStatusMu.Lock()
 		defer raftStatusMu.Unlock()
@@ -124,6 +117,18 @@ type raftNodeConfig struct {
 }
 
 func newRaftNode(cfg raftNodeConfig) *raftNode {
+	var lg raft.Logger
+	if cfg.lg != nil {
+		lg = logutil.NewRaftLoggerZap(cfg.lg)
+	} else {
+		lcfg := logutil.DefaultZapLoggerConfig
+		var err error
+		lg, err = logutil.NewRaftLogger(&lcfg)
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Fatalf("cannot create raft logger %v", err)
+		}
+	}
+	raft.SetLogger(lg)
 	r := &raftNode{
 		lg:             cfg.lg,
 		tickMu:         new(sync.Mutex),
diff --git a/pkg/logutil/log_level.go b/pkg/logutil/log_level.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..d57e1739449
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/logutil/log_level.go
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+// Copyright 2019 The etcd Authors
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+//     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+// limitations under the License.
+
+package logutil
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+
+	"github.com/coreos/pkg/capnslog"
+	"go.uber.org/zap"
+	"go.uber.org/zap/zapcore"
+)
+
+var DefaultLogLevel = "info"
+
+// ConvertToZapLevel converts log level string to zapcore.Level.
+func ConvertToZapLevel(lvl string) zapcore.Level {
+	switch lvl {
+	case "debug":
+		return zap.DebugLevel
+	case "info":
+		return zap.InfoLevel
+	case "warn":
+		return zap.WarnLevel
+	case "error":
+		return zap.ErrorLevel
+	case "dpanic":
+		return zap.DPanicLevel
+	case "panic":
+		return zap.PanicLevel
+	case "fatal":
+		return zap.FatalLevel
+	default:
+		panic(fmt.Sprintf("unknown level %q", lvl))
+	}
+}
+
+// ConvertToCapnslogLogLevel convert log level string to capnslog.LogLevel.
+// TODO: deprecate this in 3.5
+func ConvertToCapnslogLogLevel(lvl string) capnslog.LogLevel {
+	switch lvl {
+	case "debug":
+		return capnslog.DEBUG
+	case "info":
+		return capnslog.INFO
+	case "warn":
+		return capnslog.WARNING
+	case "error":
+		return capnslog.ERROR
+	case "dpanic":
+		return capnslog.CRITICAL
+	case "panic":
+		return capnslog.CRITICAL
+	case "fatal":
+		return capnslog.CRITICAL
+	default:
+		panic(fmt.Sprintf("unknown level %q", lvl))
+	}
+}
diff --git a/pkg/logutil/zap.go b/pkg/logutil/zap.go
index 313d914c107..2f692233aa8 100644
--- a/pkg/logutil/zap.go
+++ b/pkg/logutil/zap.go
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ import (
 
 // DefaultZapLoggerConfig defines default zap logger configuration.
 var DefaultZapLoggerConfig = zap.Config{
-	Level: zap.NewAtomicLevelAt(zap.InfoLevel),
+	Level: zap.NewAtomicLevelAt(ConvertToZapLevel(DefaultLogLevel)),
 
 	Development: false,
 	Sampling: &zap.SamplingConfig{
diff --git a/pkg/logutil/zap_raft.go b/pkg/logutil/zap_raft.go
index e92cba04cbf..f016b3054e3 100644
--- a/pkg/logutil/zap_raft.go
+++ b/pkg/logutil/zap_raft.go
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ import (
 	"go.uber.org/zap/zapcore"
 )
 
-// NewRaftLogger converts "*zap.Logger" to "raft.Logger".
+// NewRaftLogger builds "raft.Logger" from "*zap.Config".
 func NewRaftLogger(lcfg *zap.Config) (raft.Logger, error) {
 	if lcfg == nil {
 		return nil, errors.New("nil zap.Config")
@@ -35,6 +35,11 @@ func NewRaftLogger(lcfg *zap.Config) (raft.Logger, error) {
 	return &zapRaftLogger{lg: lg, sugar: lg.Sugar()}, nil
 }
 
+// NewRaftLoggerZap converts "*zap.Logger" to "raft.Logger".
+func NewRaftLoggerZap(lg *zap.Logger) raft.Logger {
+	return &zapRaftLogger{lg: lg, sugar: lg.Sugar()}
+}
+
 // NewRaftLoggerFromZapCore creates "raft.Logger" from "zap.Core"
 // and "zapcore.WriteSyncer".
 func NewRaftLoggerFromZapCore(cr zapcore.Core, syncer zapcore.WriteSyncer) raft.Logger {
diff --git a/raft/logger.go b/raft/logger.go
index 426a77d3445..6d89629650d 100644
--- a/raft/logger.go
+++ b/raft/logger.go
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import (
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"log"
 	"os"
+	"sync"
 )
 
 type Logger interface {
@@ -41,11 +42,16 @@ type Logger interface {
 	Panicf(format string, v ...interface{})
 }
 
-func SetLogger(l Logger) { raftLogger = l }
+func SetLogger(l Logger) {
+	raftLoggerMu.Lock()
+	raftLogger = l
+	raftLoggerMu.Unlock()
+}
 
 var (
 	defaultLogger = &DefaultLogger{Logger: log.New(os.Stderr, "raft", log.LstdFlags)}
 	discardLogger = &DefaultLogger{Logger: log.New(ioutil.Discard, "", 0)}
+	raftLoggerMu  sync.Mutex
 	raftLogger    = Logger(defaultLogger)
 )