diff --git a/api/src/server.ts b/api/src/server.ts
index a999115bd53..30ef89dd842 100644
--- a/api/src/server.ts
+++ b/api/src/server.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,12 @@
 // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/triple-slash-reference
 /// <reference path="./reset.d.ts" />
 import { build } from './app';
-import { FREECODECAMP_NODE_ENV, HOST, PORT } from './utils/env';
+import {
+  FREECODECAMP_NODE_ENV,
+  FCC_API_LOG_LEVEL,
+  HOST,
+  PORT
+} from './utils/env';
 
 const envToLogger = {
   development: {
@@ -15,10 +20,9 @@ const envToLogger = {
         ignore: 'pid,hostname'
       }
     },
-    level: 'debug'
+    level: FCC_API_LOG_LEVEL
   },
-  // TODO: is this the right level for production or should we use 'error'?
-  production: { level: 'fatal' },
+  production: { level: FCC_API_LOG_LEVEL },
   test: undefined
 };
 
diff --git a/api/src/utils/env.ts b/api/src/utils/env.ts
index 813df7a561c..99ed813f053 100644
--- a/api/src/utils/env.ts
+++ b/api/src/utils/env.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import assert from 'node:assert';
 import path from 'node:path';
 import { config } from 'dotenv';
+import { LogLevel } from 'fastify';
 
 const envPath = path.resolve(__dirname, '../../../.env');
 const { error } = config({ path: envPath });
@@ -57,6 +58,25 @@ assert.ok(process.env.SHOW_UPCOMING_CHANGES);
 assert.ok(process.env.MONGOHQ_URL);
 assert.ok(process.env.COOKIE_SECRET);
 
+const LOG_LEVELS: LogLevel[] = [
+  'fatal',
+  'error',
+  'warn',
+  'info',
+  'debug',
+  'trace',
+  'silent'
+] as const;
+
+function assertLogLevel(level: unknown): level is LogLevel {
+  return typeof level === 'string' && LOG_LEVELS.includes(level);
+}
+
+assert.ok(
+  assertLogLevel(process.env.FCC_API_LOG_LEVEL),
+  `FCC_API_LOG_LEVEL must be one of ${LOG_LEVELS.join(',')}. Found ${process.env.FCC_API_LOG_LEVEL}`
+);
+
 if (process.env.FREECODECAMP_NODE_ENV !== 'development') {
   assert.ok(process.env.SES_ID);
   assert.ok(process.env.SES_SECRET);
@@ -137,6 +157,7 @@ export const FCC_ENABLE_EXAM_ENVIRONMENT =
   process.env.FCC_ENABLE_EXAM_ENVIRONMENT === 'true';
 export const FCC_ENABLE_SENTRY_ROUTES =
   process.env.FCC_ENABLE_SENTRY_ROUTES === 'true';
+export const FCC_API_LOG_LEVEL = process.env.FCC_API_LOG_LEVEL;
 export const SENTRY_DSN =
   process.env.SENTRY_DSN === 'dsn_from_sentry_dashboard'
     ? ''
diff --git a/sample.env b/sample.env
index 9eaca7eb8c6..0a80a69f83c 100644
--- a/sample.env
+++ b/sample.env
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ FCC_ENABLE_DEV_LOGIN_MODE=true
 FCC_ENABLE_SHADOW_CAPTURE=false
 FCC_ENABLE_EXAM_ENVIRONMENT=false
 FCC_ENABLE_SENTRY_ROUTES=false
+FCC_API_LOG_LEVEL=debug
 
 # Email
 # use ses in production