diff --git a/qutebrowser/utils/log.py b/qutebrowser/utils/log.py
index 6442ed999..1ca57ef6c 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/utils/log.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/utils/log.py
@@ -140,12 +140,15 @@ class CriticalQtWarning(Exception):
 
 def init_log(args):
     """Init loggers based on the argparse namespace passed."""
-    level = 'VDEBUG' if args.debug else args.loglevel.upper()
+    level = args.loglevel.upper()
     try:
         numeric_level = getattr(logging, level)
     except AttributeError:
         raise ValueError("Invalid log level: {}".format(args.loglevel))
 
+    if numeric_level > logging.DEBUG and args.debug:
+        numeric_level = logging.DEBUG
+
     console, ram = _init_handlers(numeric_level, args.color, args.loglines)
     root = logging.getLogger()
     if console is not None: