diff --git a/src/logging.cpp b/src/logging.cpp
index e620618ff7636d..4b3e96a7678c52 100644
--- a/src/logging.cpp
+++ b/src/logging.cpp
@@ -93,12 +93,6 @@ void BCLog::Logger::DisconnectTestLogger()
     m_print_callbacks.clear();
 }
 
-void BCLog::Logger::EnableCategory(BCLog::LogFlags flag)
-{
-    m_categories |= flag;
-    SetCategoryLogLevel(flag, Level::Debug);
-}
-
 bool BCLog::Logger::EnableCategory(const std::string& str)
 {
     BCLog::LogFlags flag;
@@ -107,12 +101,6 @@ bool BCLog::Logger::EnableCategory(const std::string& str)
     return true;
 }
 
-void BCLog::Logger::TraceCategory(BCLog::LogFlags flag)
-{
-    m_categories |= flag;
-    SetCategoryLogLevel(flag, Level::Trace);
-}
-
 bool BCLog::Logger::TraceCategory(const std::string& str)
 {
     BCLog::LogFlags flag;
@@ -121,11 +109,6 @@ bool BCLog::Logger::TraceCategory(const std::string& str)
     return true;
 }
 
-void BCLog::Logger::DisableCategory(BCLog::LogFlags flag)
-{
-    m_categories &= ~flag;
-}
-
 bool BCLog::Logger::DisableCategory(const std::string& str)
 {
     BCLog::LogFlags flag;
@@ -141,15 +124,17 @@ bool BCLog::Logger::WillLogCategory(BCLog::LogFlags category) const
 
 bool BCLog::Logger::WillLogCategoryLevel(BCLog::LogFlags category, BCLog::Level level) const
 {
-    // Log messages at Info, Warning and Error level unconditionally, so that
-    // important troubleshooting information doesn't get lost.
-    if (level >= BCLog::Level::Info) return true;
-
-    if (!WillLogCategory(category)) return false;
-
-    StdLockGuard scoped_lock(m_cs);
-    const auto it{m_category_log_levels.find(category)};
-    return level >= (it == m_category_log_levels.end() ? LogLevel() : it->second);
+    switch (level) {
+    case BCLog::Level::Error:
+    case BCLog::Level::Warning:
+    case BCLog::Level::Info:
+        break;
+    case BCLog::Level::Debug:
+        return WillLogCategory(category);
+    case BCLog::Level::Trace:
+        return (m_trace_categories.load(std::memory_order_relaxed) & category) != 0;
+    }
+    return true;
 }
 
 bool BCLog::Logger::DefaultShrinkDebugFile() const
@@ -519,22 +504,23 @@ void BCLog::Logger::ShrinkDebugFile()
         fclose(file);
 }
 
-bool BCLog::Logger::SetLogLevel(const std::string& level_str)
-{
-    const auto level = GetLogLevel(level_str);
-    if (!level.has_value() || level.value() > MAX_USER_SETABLE_SEVERITY_LEVEL) return false;
-    m_log_level = level.value();
-    return true;
-}
-
 void BCLog::Logger::SetCategoryLogLevel(BCLog::LogFlags flag, BCLog::Level level)
 {
-    StdLockGuard scoped_lock(m_cs);
-    if (flag == LogFlags::ALL) {
-        SetLogLevel(level);
-        m_category_log_levels.clear();
-    } else {
-        m_category_log_levels[flag] = level;
+    switch (level) {
+    case BCLog::Level::Error:
+    case BCLog::Level::Warning:
+    case BCLog::Level::Info:
+        m_categories &= ~flag;
+        m_trace_categories &= ~flag;
+        break;
+    case BCLog::Level::Debug:
+        m_categories |= flag;
+        m_trace_categories &= ~flag;
+        break;
+    case BCLog::Level::Trace:
+        m_categories |= flag;
+        m_trace_categories |= flag;
+        break;
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/logging.h b/src/logging.h
index 3e73db43a72dfd..9f5f0932896d92 100644
--- a/src/logging.h
+++ b/src/logging.h
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@
 #include <list>
 #include <mutex>
 #include <string>
-#include <unordered_map>
 #include <vector>
 
 static const bool DEFAULT_LOGTIMEMICROS = false;
@@ -94,15 +93,10 @@ namespace BCLog {
          */
         std::atomic_bool m_started_new_line{true};
 
-        //! Category-specific log level. Overrides `m_log_level`.
-        std::unordered_map<LogFlags, Level> m_category_log_levels GUARDED_BY(m_cs);
-
-        //! If there is no category-specific log level, all logs with a severity
-        //! level lower than `m_log_level` will be ignored.
-        std::atomic<Level> m_log_level{Level::Debug};
-
         /** Log categories bitfield. */
         std::atomic<uint32_t> m_categories{0};
+        /** Tracing-enabled categories bitfield. */
+        std::atomic<uint32_t> m_trace_categories{0};
 
         std::string LogTimestampStr(const std::string& str);
 
@@ -153,30 +147,21 @@ namespace BCLog {
 
         void ShrinkDebugFile();
 
-        std::unordered_map<LogFlags, Level> CategoryLevels() const
-        {
-            StdLockGuard scoped_lock(m_cs);
-            return m_category_log_levels;
-        }
-        void SetCategoryLogLevel(const std::unordered_map<LogFlags, Level>& levels)
-        {
-            StdLockGuard scoped_lock(m_cs);
-            m_category_log_levels = levels;
-        }
         void SetCategoryLogLevel(LogFlags flag, Level level);
         bool SetCategoryLogLevel(const std::string& category_str, const std::string& level_str);
 
-        Level LogLevel() const { return m_log_level.load(); }
-        void SetLogLevel(Level level) { m_log_level = level; }
-        bool SetLogLevel(const std::string& level);
-
         uint32_t GetCategoryMask() const { return m_categories.load(); }
+        uint32_t GetCategoryTraceMask() const { return m_trace_categories.load(); }
+        void ResetLogLevels(uint32_t catmask, uint32_t tracemask) {
+            m_categories = catmask;
+            m_trace_categories = (catmask | tracemask);
+        }
 
-        void EnableCategory(LogFlags flag);
+        void EnableCategory(LogFlags flag) { SetCategoryLogLevel(flag, Level::Debug); }
         bool EnableCategory(const std::string& str);
-        void TraceCategory(LogFlags flag);
+        void TraceCategory(LogFlags flag) { SetCategoryLogLevel(flag, Level::Trace); }
         bool TraceCategory(const std::string& str);
-        void DisableCategory(LogFlags flag);
+        void DisableCategory(LogFlags flag) { SetCategoryLogLevel(flag, Level::Info); }
         bool DisableCategory(const std::string& str);
 
         bool WillLogCategory(LogFlags category) const;
diff --git a/src/test/i2p_tests.cpp b/src/test/i2p_tests.cpp
index b2e1ae43bedafd..ce8a6dfdafc2df 100644
--- a/src/test/i2p_tests.cpp
+++ b/src/test/i2p_tests.cpp
@@ -20,8 +20,9 @@ BOOST_FIXTURE_TEST_SUITE(i2p_tests, BasicTestingSetup)
 
 BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(unlimited_recv)
 {
-    const auto prev_log_level{LogInstance().LogLevel()};
-    LogInstance().SetLogLevel(BCLog::Level::Trace);
+    const auto prev_log_mask{LogInstance().GetCategoryMask()};
+    const auto prev_log_trace_mask{LogInstance().GetCategoryTraceMask()};
+    LogInstance().TraceCategory(BCLog::LogFlags::ALL);
     auto CreateSockOrig = CreateSock;
 
     // Mock CreateSock() to create MockSock.
@@ -42,7 +43,7 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(unlimited_recv)
     }
 
     CreateSock = CreateSockOrig;
-    LogInstance().SetLogLevel(prev_log_level);
+    LogInstance().ResetLogLevels(prev_log_mask, prev_log_trace_mask);
 }
 
 BOOST_AUTO_TEST_SUITE_END()
diff --git a/src/test/logging_tests.cpp b/src/test/logging_tests.cpp
index 3f6b1c66a9124c..6497a3ba31e75c 100644
--- a/src/test/logging_tests.cpp
+++ b/src/test/logging_tests.cpp
@@ -21,8 +21,7 @@ BOOST_FIXTURE_TEST_SUITE(logging_tests, BasicTestingSetup)
 
 static void ResetLogger()
 {
-    LogInstance().SetLogLevel(BCLog::Level::Debug);
-    LogInstance().SetCategoryLogLevel({});
+    LogInstance().ResetLogLevels(0,0);
 }
 
 struct LogSetup : public BasicTestingSetup {
@@ -33,8 +32,8 @@ struct LogSetup : public BasicTestingSetup {
     bool prev_log_timestamps;
     bool prev_log_threadnames;
     bool prev_log_sourcelocations;
-    std::unordered_map<BCLog::LogFlags, BCLog::Level> prev_category_levels;
-    BCLog::Level prev_log_level;
+    uint32_t prev_category_mask;
+    uint32_t prev_category_trace_mask;
 
     LogSetup() : prev_log_path{LogInstance().m_file_path},
                  tmp_log_path{m_args.GetDataDirBase() / "tmp_debug.log"},
@@ -43,8 +42,8 @@ struct LogSetup : public BasicTestingSetup {
                  prev_log_timestamps{LogInstance().m_log_timestamps},
                  prev_log_threadnames{LogInstance().m_log_threadnames},
                  prev_log_sourcelocations{LogInstance().m_log_sourcelocations},
-                 prev_category_levels{LogInstance().CategoryLevels()},
-                 prev_log_level{LogInstance().LogLevel()}
+                 prev_category_mask{LogInstance().GetCategoryMask()},
+                 prev_category_trace_mask{LogInstance().GetCategoryTraceMask()}
     {
         LogInstance().m_file_path = tmp_log_path;
         LogInstance().m_reopen_file = true;
@@ -67,8 +66,7 @@ struct LogSetup : public BasicTestingSetup {
         LogInstance().m_log_timestamps = prev_log_timestamps;
         LogInstance().m_log_threadnames = prev_log_threadnames;
         LogInstance().m_log_sourcelocations = prev_log_sourcelocations;
-        LogInstance().SetLogLevel(prev_log_level);
-        LogInstance().SetCategoryLogLevel(prev_category_levels);
+        LogInstance().ResetLogLevels(prev_category_mask, prev_category_trace_mask);
     }
 };
 
@@ -186,7 +184,6 @@ BOOST_FIXTURE_TEST_CASE(logging_SeverityLevels, LogSetup)
 {
     LogInstance().EnableCategory(BCLog::LogFlags::ALL);
 
-    LogInstance().SetLogLevel(BCLog::Level::Debug);
     LogInstance().SetCategoryLogLevel(/*category_str=*/"net", /*level_str=*/"info");
 
     // Global log level
@@ -228,7 +225,9 @@ BOOST_FIXTURE_TEST_CASE(logging_Conf, LogSetup)
 
         auto result = init::SetLoggingCategories(args);
         BOOST_REQUIRE(result);
-        BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(LogInstance().LogLevel(), BCLog::Level::Debug);
+
+        BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(LogInstance().GetCategoryMask(), BCLog::LogFlags::NONE);
+        BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(LogInstance().GetCategoryTraceMask(), BCLog::LogFlags::NONE);
     }
 
     // All traced categories
@@ -243,10 +242,8 @@ BOOST_FIXTURE_TEST_CASE(logging_Conf, LogSetup)
         auto result = init::SetLoggingCategories(args);
         BOOST_REQUIRE(result);
 
-        BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(LogInstance().LogLevel(), BCLog::Level::Trace);
-
-        const auto& category_levels{LogInstance().CategoryLevels()};
-        BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(category_levels.size(), 0);
+        BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(LogInstance().GetCategoryMask(), BCLog::LogFlags::ALL);
+        BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(LogInstance().GetCategoryTraceMask(), BCLog::LogFlags::ALL);
     }
 
     // Specific traced categories
@@ -261,22 +258,9 @@ BOOST_FIXTURE_TEST_CASE(logging_Conf, LogSetup)
 
         auto result = init::SetLoggingCategories(args);
         BOOST_REQUIRE(result);
-        BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(LogInstance().LogLevel(), BCLog::Level::Debug);
-
-        const auto& category_levels{LogInstance().CategoryLevels()};
-        BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(category_levels.size(), 3);
-
-        const auto net_it{category_levels.find(BCLog::LogFlags::NET)};
-        BOOST_CHECK(net_it != category_levels.end());
-        BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(net_it->second, BCLog::Level::Trace);
-
-        const auto http_it{category_levels.find(BCLog::LogFlags::HTTP)};
-        BOOST_CHECK(http_it != category_levels.end());
-        BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(http_it->second, BCLog::Level::Trace);
 
-        const auto mempool_it{category_levels.find(BCLog::LogFlags::MEMPOOL)};
-        BOOST_CHECK(mempool_it != category_levels.end());
-        BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(mempool_it->second, BCLog::Level::Debug);
+        BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(LogInstance().GetCategoryMask(), BCLog::LogFlags::NET | BCLog::LogFlags::HTTP | BCLog::LogFlags::MEMPOOL);
+        BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(LogInstance().GetCategoryTraceMask(), BCLog::LogFlags::NET | BCLog::LogFlags::HTTP);
     }
 }