diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 72cf44159..b4497be4d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ $ curl https://sh.rustup.rs -sSf | sh
 Compile and run Delta Chat Core command line utility, using `cargo`:
 
 ```
-$ RUST_LOG=deltachat_repl=info cargo run -p deltachat-repl -- ~/deltachat-db
+$ cargo run -p deltachat-repl -- ~/deltachat-db
 ```
 where ~/deltachat-db is the database file. Delta Chat will create it if it does not exist.
 
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ $ cargo build -p deltachat_ffi --release
 
 - `DCC_MIME_DEBUG`: if set outgoing and incoming message will be printed 
 
-- `RUST_LOG=deltachat_repl=info,async_imap=trace,async_smtp=trace`: enable IMAP and
+- `RUST_LOG=async_imap=trace,async_smtp=trace`: enable IMAP and
 SMTP tracing in addition to info messages.
 
 ### Expensive tests
diff --git a/deltachat-repl/src/main.rs b/deltachat-repl/src/main.rs
index 7617c5783..17659b6ee 100644
--- a/deltachat-repl/src/main.rs
+++ b/deltachat-repl/src/main.rs
@@ -481,7 +481,10 @@ async fn handle_cmd(
 
 #[tokio::main]
 async fn main() -> Result<(), Error> {
-    let _ = pretty_env_logger::try_init();
+    pretty_env_logger::formatted_timed_builder()
+        .parse_default_env()
+        .filter_module("deltachat_repl", log::LevelFilter::Info)
+        .init();
 
     let args = std::env::args().collect();
     start(args).await?;