diff --git a/app.py b/app.py
index 2a99d78..e523637 100755
--- a/app.py
+++ b/app.py
@@ -12,16 +12,20 @@ import sys
 import redis
 import socket
 from urllib.parse import urlparse
+from dotenv import load_dotenv
+load_dotenv()
 
-# Define a mapping from string log levels to logging constants
-LOG_LEVELS = {
-    "CRITICAL": logging.CRITICAL,
-    "ERROR": logging.ERROR,
-    "WARNING": logging.WARNING,
-    "INFO": logging.INFO,
-    "DEBUG": logging.DEBUG,
-    "NOTSET": logging.NOTSET,
-}
+# Parse log level from environment as early as possible, default to INFO for visibility
+log_level_str = os.getenv("LOG_LEVEL", "WARNING").upper()
+log_level = getattr(logging, log_level_str, logging.INFO)
+
+# Set up a very basic logging config immediately, so early logs (including import/migration errors) are visible
+logging.basicConfig(
+    level=log_level,
+    format="%(asctime)s [%(levelname)s] %(message)s",
+    datefmt="%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S",
+    stream=sys.stderr,
+)
 
 # Run DB migrations as early as possible, before importing any routers that may touch DBs
 try:
@@ -37,10 +41,6 @@ except Exception as e:
     )
     sys.exit(1)
 
-# Get log level from environment variable, default to INFO
-log_level_str = os.getenv("LOG_LEVEL", "WARNING").upper()
-log_level = LOG_LEVELS.get(log_level_str, logging.INFO)
-
 # Apply process umask from environment as early as possible
 _umask_value = os.getenv("UMASK")
 if _umask_value:
@@ -139,6 +139,7 @@ def setup_logging():
         "uvicorn",          # General Uvicorn logger
         "uvicorn.access",   # Uvicorn access logs
         "uvicorn.error",    # Uvicorn error logs
+        "spotizerr",
     ]:
         logger = logging.getLogger(logger_name)
         logger.setLevel(log_level)
@@ -146,7 +147,7 @@ def setup_logging():
         # if access_log=False is used in uvicorn.run, and to ensure our middleware handles it.
         logger.propagate = False if logger_name == "uvicorn.access" else True
 
-    logging.info("Logging system initialized")
+    logger.info("Logging system initialized")
 
 
 def check_redis_connection():
@@ -197,6 +198,8 @@ async def lifespan(app: FastAPI):
     """Handle application startup and shutdown"""
     # Startup
     setup_logging()
+    effective_level = logging.getLevelName(log_level)
+    logging.getLogger(__name__).info(f"Logging system fully initialized (lifespan startup). Effective log level: {effective_level}")
 
     # Run migrations before initializing services
     try:
diff --git a/routes/system/progress.py b/routes/system/progress.py
index 104a617..f5d5d78 100755
--- a/routes/system/progress.py
+++ b/routes/system/progress.py
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ class SSEBroadcaster:
         # Clean up disconnected clients
         for client in disconnected:
             self.clients.discard(client)
-        logger.info(
+        logger.debug(
             f"SSE Broadcaster: Successfully sent to {sent_count} clients, removed {len(disconnected)} disconnected clients"
         )
 
diff --git a/routes/utils/celery_manager.py b/routes/utils/celery_manager.py
index d26d291..e75519b 100644
--- a/routes/utils/celery_manager.py
+++ b/routes/utils/celery_manager.py
@@ -5,6 +5,9 @@ import threading
 import os
 import sys
 
+from dotenv import load_dotenv
+load_dotenv()
+
 # Import Celery task utilities
 from .celery_config import get_config_params, MAX_CONCURRENT_DL
 
@@ -70,6 +73,12 @@ class CeleryManager:
         logger.debug(f"Generated Celery command: {' '.join(command)}")
         return command
 
+    def _get_worker_env(self):
+        # Inherit current environment, but set NO_CONSOLE_LOG=1 for subprocess
+        env = os.environ.copy()
+        env["NO_CONSOLE_LOG"] = "1"
+        return env
+
     def _process_output_reader(self, stream, log_prefix, error=False):
         logger.debug(f"Log reader thread started for {log_prefix}")
         try:
@@ -138,6 +147,7 @@ class CeleryManager:
                 text=True,
                 bufsize=1,
                 universal_newlines=True,
+                env=self._get_worker_env(),
             )
             self.download_log_thread_stdout = threading.Thread(
                 target=self._process_output_reader,
@@ -161,7 +171,7 @@ class CeleryManager:
                 queues="utility_tasks,default",  # Listen to utility and default
                 concurrency=5,  # Increased concurrency for SSE updates and utility tasks
                 worker_name_suffix="utw",  # Utility Worker
-                log_level_env=os.getenv("LOG_LEVEL", "ERROR").upper(),
+                log_level_env=os.getenv("LOG_LEVEL", "WARNING").upper(),
 
             )
             logger.info(
@@ -174,6 +184,7 @@ class CeleryManager:
                 text=True,
                 bufsize=1,
                 universal_newlines=True,
+                env=self._get_worker_env(),
             )
             self.utility_log_thread_stdout = threading.Thread(
                 target=self._process_output_reader,
diff --git a/routes/utils/celery_tasks.py b/routes/utils/celery_tasks.py
index 52853f5..9bec287 100644
--- a/routes/utils/celery_tasks.py
+++ b/routes/utils/celery_tasks.py
@@ -285,9 +285,16 @@ def setup_celery_logging(**kwargs):
     """
     This handler ensures Celery uses our application logging settings
     instead of its own. Prevents duplicate log configurations.
+    Also disables console logging if NO_CONSOLE_LOG=1 is set in the environment.
     """
-    # Using the root logger's handlers and level preserves our config
-    return logging.getLogger()
+    root_logger = logging.getLogger()
+    import os
+    if os.environ.get("NO_CONSOLE_LOG") == "1":
+        # Remove all StreamHandlers (console handlers) from the root logger
+        handlers_to_remove = [h for h in root_logger.handlers if isinstance(h, logging.StreamHandler)]
+        for h in handlers_to_remove:
+            root_logger.removeHandler(h)
+    return root_logger
 
 
 # The initialization of a worker will log the worker configuration