diff --git a/txaio/tx.py b/txaio/tx.py
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/txaio/tx.py
+++ b/txaio/tx.py
@@ -133,10 +133,9 @@ def _no_op(*args, **kwargs):
 class _TxLogger(Logger):
     def __init__(self, *args, **kw):
         super(_TxLogger, self).__init__(*args, **kw)
+        self._set_log_level(_log_level)
         if _loggers is not None:
             _loggers.append(weakref.ref(self))
-        else:
-            self._set_log_level(_log_level)
 
     def __get__(self, oself, type=None):
         # this causes the Logger to lie about the "source=", but
always set log level to global log level initially