diff --git a/kiwi/cli.py b/kiwi/cli.py
index 79e5bdecac..54b3005bd9 100644
--- a/kiwi/cli.py
+++ b/kiwi/cli.py
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@
         up at ~/.config/kiwi/config.yml or /etc/kiwi.yml
     --logfile=<filename>
         create a log file containing all log information including
-        debug information even if this is was not requested by the
+        debug information even if this was not requested by the
         debug switch. The special call: '--logfile stdout' sends all
         information to standard out instead of writing to a file
     --logsocket=<socketfile>
diff --git a/kiwi/logger.py b/kiwi/logger.py
index 84b5d4d3ce..5ef1292abb 100644
--- a/kiwi/logger.py
+++ b/kiwi/logger.py
@@ -97,13 +97,27 @@ def getLogFlags(self) -> Dict[str, bool]:
         """
         return self.log_flags
 
-    def setLogLevel(self, level: int, except_for: List[str] = []) -> None:
+    def setLogLevel(
+        self, level: int, except_for: List[str] = [], only_for: List[str] = []
+    ) -> None:
         """
         Set custom log level for all console handlers
 
         :param int level: log level number
+        :param list except_for:
+            set log level to all handlers except for the given list
+        :param list only_for:
+            set log level to the given handlers only
+
+        if both except_for and only_for handlers are specified,
+        the except_for list will be ignored
         """
         self.log_level = level
+        if only_for:
+            for handler_type in self.log_handlers:
+                if handler_type in only_for:
+                    self.log_handlers[handler_type].setLevel(level)
+            return
         for handler_type in self.log_handlers:
             if handler_type not in except_for:
                 self.log_handlers[handler_type].setLevel(level)
diff --git a/kiwi/tasks/base.py b/kiwi/tasks/base.py
index 4228bfa6d2..5c7edfcd2e 100644
--- a/kiwi/tasks/base.py
+++ b/kiwi/tasks/base.py
@@ -124,10 +124,14 @@ def __init__(self, should_perform_task_setup: bool = True) -> None:
                 log.setLogLevel(logging.DEBUG)
             else:
                 log.setLogLevel(logging.INFO)
+
             if self.global_args['--logfile'] == 'stdout':
                 # deactivate standard console logger by setting
                 # the highest possible log entry level
                 log.setLogLevel(logging.CRITICAL, except_for=['file', 'socket'])
+            elif self.global_args['--logfile']:
+                # set debug level for the file and socket logger
+                log.setLogLevel(logging.DEBUG, only_for=['file', 'socket'])
 
             # set log flags
             if self.global_args['--debug-run-scripts-in-screen']:
diff --git a/test/unit/logger_test.py b/test/unit/logger_test.py
index d363d29dbb..44629655a1 100644
--- a/test/unit/logger_test.py
+++ b/test/unit/logger_test.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import sys
 from unittest.mock import (
-    patch, call
+    patch, call, Mock
 )
 from pytest import raises
 
@@ -87,6 +87,35 @@ def test_getLogLevel(self):
         self.log.setLogLevel(42)
         assert self.log.getLogLevel() == 42
 
+    def test_setLogLevel(self):
+        handler_one = Mock()
+        handler_two = Mock()
+        self.log.log_handlers = {
+            'handler_one': handler_one,
+            'handler_two': handler_two
+        }
+        self.log.setLogLevel(
+            10, except_for=['handler_one']
+        )
+        assert not handler_one.setLevel.called
+        handler_two.setLevel.assert_called_once_with(10)
+
+        handler_one.reset_mock()
+        handler_two.reset_mock()
+        self.log.setLogLevel(
+            10, only_for=['handler_one']
+        )
+        assert not handler_two.setLevel.called
+        handler_one.setLevel.assert_called_once_with(10)
+
+        handler_one.reset_mock()
+        handler_two.reset_mock()
+        self.log.setLogLevel(
+            10, except_for=['handler_one'], only_for=['handler_one']
+        )
+        assert not handler_two.setLevel.called
+        handler_one.setLevel.assert_called_once_with(10)
+
     def test_getLogFlags(self):
         assert self.log.getLogFlags().get('run-scripts-in-screen') is None
         self.log.setLogFlag('run-scripts-in-screen')
diff --git a/test/unit/tasks/base_test.py b/test/unit/tasks/base_test.py
index 1b7433f518..2385b865a3 100644
--- a/test/unit/tasks/base_test.py
+++ b/test/unit/tasks/base_test.py
@@ -61,13 +61,31 @@ def setup(
         mock_command_args.assert_called_once_with()
         mock_global_args.assert_called_once_with()
         assert mock_setLogLevel.call_args_list == [
-            call(logging.DEBUG), call(logging.CRITICAL, except_for=['file', 'socket'])
+            call(logging.DEBUG),
+            call(logging.CRITICAL, except_for=['file', 'socket'])
         ]
         mock_setLogFlag.assert_called_once_with('run-scripts-in-screen')
         mock_setlog.assert_called_once_with('stdout')
         mock_color.assert_called_once_with()
         mock_runtime_config.assert_called_once_with()
 
+        mock_setLogLevel.reset_mock()
+        mock_global_args.return_value = {
+            '--debug': True,
+            '--debug-run-scripts-in-screen': True,
+            '--logfile': 'some',
+            '--logsocket': 'log_socket',
+            '--loglevel': None,
+            '--color-output': True,
+            '--profile': ['vmxFlavour'],
+            '--type': None
+        }
+        self.task = CliTask()
+        assert mock_setLogLevel.call_args_list == [
+            call(logging.DEBUG),
+            call(logging.DEBUG, only_for=['file', 'socket'])
+        ]
+
     @patch('kiwi.logger.Logger.setLogLevel')
     @patch('kiwi.logger.Logger.setLogFlag')
     @patch('kiwi.logger.Logger.set_logfile')