diff --git a/src/python/phenix_apps/apps/helics/helics.py b/src/python/phenix_apps/apps/helics/helics.py
index 5363157..1c67926 100644
--- a/src/python/phenix_apps/apps/helics/helics.py
+++ b/src/python/phenix_apps/apps/helics/helics.py
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ def pre_start(self):
 
         total_fed_count = 0
 
-        # broker hosts --> ip:port --> fed-count
+        # broker hosts --> ip:port --> ['fed_count', 'loglevel']
         # hosts to create start scripts for, ip:port combos to create sub brokers for
         brokers = {}
         federates = self.extract_annotated_topology_nodes('helics/federate')
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ def pre_start(self):
             for config in configs:
                 broker = config.get('broker', '127.0.0.1')
                 count  = config.get('fed-count', 1)
+                loglevel = config.get('log-level', 'SUMMARY')
 
                 total_fed_count += count
 
@@ -105,8 +106,10 @@ def pre_start(self):
                 self.add_label(hostname, 'group', 'helics')
                 self.add_label(hostname, 'helics', 'broker')
 
-                entry = brokers.get(hostname, {broker_ip: 0})
-                entry[broker] += count
+                entry = brokers.get(hostname, {broker_ip: [0, None]})
+                entry[broker][0] += count
+                if entry[broker][1] == None: # if log-level is already set for this sub-broker, don't overwrite.
+                    entry[broker][1] = loglevel
 
                 brokers[hostname] = entry
 
@@ -128,14 +131,15 @@ def pre_start(self):
             broker_configs = configs.get(hostname, [])
 
             # individual sub brokers for host (there will usually just be one)
-            for endpoint, feds in subs.items():
+            for endpoint, fedinfo in subs.items():
                 root_broker_config['subs'] += 1
-
+                feds = fedinfo[0]
+                loglevel = fedinfo[1]
                 broker_configs.append({
                     'feds':      feds,
                     'parent':    root_ip,
                     'endpoint':  endpoint,
-                    'log-level': broker_md.get('log-level', 'summary'),
+                    'log-level': loglevel,
                     'log-file':  os.path.join(log_dir, 'helics-sub-broker.log'),
                 })