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/utils/celery_manager.py b/routes/utils/celery_manager.py
index d26d291..686dda9 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
 
@@ -161,7 +164,7 @@ 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(