diff --git a/asterixdb/asterix-app/pom.xml b/asterixdb/asterix-app/pom.xml
index 629bca6..7d7aee5 100644
--- a/asterixdb/asterix-app/pom.xml
+++ b/asterixdb/asterix-app/pom.xml
@@ -640,10 +640,6 @@
     </dependency>
     <dependency>
       <groupId>org.apache.logging.log4j</groupId>
-      <artifactId>log4j-core</artifactId>
-    </dependency>
-    <dependency>
-      <groupId>org.apache.logging.log4j</groupId>
       <artifactId>log4j-jul</artifactId>
       <version>2.10.0</version>
     </dependency>
diff --git a/asterixdb/asterix-app/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/hyracks/bootstrap/CCApplication.java b/asterixdb/asterix-app/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/hyracks/bootstrap/CCApplication.java
index 6baf488..1cefd42 100644
--- a/asterixdb/asterix-app/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/hyracks/bootstrap/CCApplication.java
+++ b/asterixdb/asterix-app/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/hyracks/bootstrap/CCApplication.java
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@
 import org.apache.asterix.common.api.INodeJobTracker;
 import org.apache.asterix.common.config.AsterixExtension;
 import org.apache.asterix.common.config.ExternalProperties;
+import org.apache.asterix.common.config.GlobalConfig;
 import org.apache.asterix.common.config.MetadataProperties;
 import org.apache.asterix.common.config.PropertiesAccessor;
 import org.apache.asterix.common.config.ReplicationProperties;
@@ -94,10 +95,10 @@
 import org.apache.hyracks.http.api.IServlet;
 import org.apache.hyracks.http.server.HttpServer;
 import org.apache.hyracks.http.server.WebManager;
+import org.apache.hyracks.util.LoggingConfigUtil;
 import org.apache.logging.log4j.Level;
 import org.apache.logging.log4j.LogManager;
 import org.apache.logging.log4j.Logger;
-import org.apache.logging.log4j.core.config.Configurator;
 
 public class CCApplication extends BaseCCApplication {
 
@@ -191,8 +192,7 @@
     @Override
     protected void configureLoggingLevel(Level level) {
         super.configureLoggingLevel(level);
-        LOGGER.info("Setting Asterix log level to " + level);
-        Configurator.setLevel("org.apache.asterix", level);
+        LoggingConfigUtil.defaultIfMissing(GlobalConfig.ASTERIX_LOGGER_NAME, level);
     }
 
     protected List<AsterixExtension> getExtensions() {
diff --git a/asterixdb/asterix-app/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/hyracks/bootstrap/NCApplication.java b/asterixdb/asterix-app/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/hyracks/bootstrap/NCApplication.java
index 0d3b7b5..a23a763 100644
--- a/asterixdb/asterix-app/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/hyracks/bootstrap/NCApplication.java
+++ b/asterixdb/asterix-app/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/hyracks/bootstrap/NCApplication.java
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 import org.apache.asterix.common.api.INcApplicationContext;
 import org.apache.asterix.common.config.AsterixExtension;
 import org.apache.asterix.common.config.ExternalProperties;
+import org.apache.asterix.common.config.GlobalConfig;
 import org.apache.asterix.common.config.MessagingProperties;
 import org.apache.asterix.common.config.MetadataProperties;
 import org.apache.asterix.common.config.NodeProperties;
@@ -60,10 +61,10 @@
 import org.apache.hyracks.control.nc.NodeControllerService;
 import org.apache.hyracks.http.server.HttpServer;
 import org.apache.hyracks.http.server.WebManager;
+import org.apache.hyracks.util.LoggingConfigUtil;
 import org.apache.logging.log4j.Level;
 import org.apache.logging.log4j.LogManager;
 import org.apache.logging.log4j.Logger;
-import org.apache.logging.log4j.core.config.Configurator;
 
 public class NCApplication extends BaseNCApplication {
     private static final Logger LOGGER = LogManager.getLogger();
@@ -140,7 +141,7 @@
     @Override
     protected void configureLoggingLevel(Level level) {
         super.configureLoggingLevel(level);
-        Configurator.setLevel("org.apache.asterix", level);
+        LoggingConfigUtil.defaultIfMissing(GlobalConfig.ASTERIX_LOGGER_NAME, level);
     }
 
     protected void configureServers() throws Exception {
diff --git a/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-api/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/api/util/HyracksConstants.java b/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-api/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/api/util/HyracksConstants.java
index 8d55235..5609721 100644
--- a/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-api/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/api/util/HyracksConstants.java
+++ b/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-api/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/api/util/HyracksConstants.java
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 
 public class HyracksConstants {
     public static final String KEY_MESSAGE = "HYX:MSG";
+    public static final String HYRACKS_LOGGER_NAME = "org.apache.hyracks";
 
     private HyracksConstants() {
     }
diff --git a/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-control/hyracks-control-cc/pom.xml b/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-control/hyracks-control-cc/pom.xml
index 763c5ac..ec84637 100644
--- a/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-control/hyracks-control-cc/pom.xml
+++ b/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-control/hyracks-control-cc/pom.xml
@@ -97,9 +97,5 @@
       <groupId>org.apache.logging.log4j</groupId>
       <artifactId>log4j-api</artifactId>
     </dependency>
-    <dependency>
-      <groupId>org.apache.logging.log4j</groupId>
-      <artifactId>log4j-core</artifactId>
-    </dependency>
   </dependencies>
 </project>
diff --git a/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-control/hyracks-control-cc/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/control/cc/BaseCCApplication.java b/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-control/hyracks-control-cc/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/control/cc/BaseCCApplication.java
index a7a64cc..dc63481 100644
--- a/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-control/hyracks-control-cc/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/control/cc/BaseCCApplication.java
+++ b/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-control/hyracks-control-cc/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/control/cc/BaseCCApplication.java
@@ -26,16 +26,15 @@
 import org.apache.hyracks.api.config.Section;
 import org.apache.hyracks.api.job.resource.DefaultJobCapacityController;
 import org.apache.hyracks.api.job.resource.IJobCapacityController;
+import org.apache.hyracks.api.util.HyracksConstants;
 import org.apache.hyracks.control.common.controllers.CCConfig;
 import org.apache.hyracks.control.common.controllers.ControllerConfig;
 import org.apache.hyracks.control.common.controllers.NCConfig;
+import org.apache.hyracks.util.LoggingConfigUtil;
 import org.apache.logging.log4j.Level;
-import org.apache.logging.log4j.LogManager;
-import org.apache.logging.log4j.Logger;
-import org.apache.logging.log4j.core.config.Configurator;
 
 public class BaseCCApplication implements ICCApplication {
-    private static final Logger LOGGER = LogManager.getLogger();
+
     public static final ICCApplication INSTANCE = new BaseCCApplication();
     private IConfigManager configManager;
 
@@ -84,8 +83,7 @@
     }
 
     protected void configureLoggingLevel(Level level) {
-        LOGGER.info("Setting Hyracks log level to " + level);
-        Configurator.setLevel("org.apache.hyracks", level);
+        LoggingConfigUtil.defaultIfMissing(HyracksConstants.HYRACKS_LOGGER_NAME, level);
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-control/hyracks-control-nc/pom.xml b/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-control/hyracks-control-nc/pom.xml
index 594b701..65be97b 100644
--- a/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-control/hyracks-control-nc/pom.xml
+++ b/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-control/hyracks-control-nc/pom.xml
@@ -87,9 +87,5 @@
       <groupId>org.apache.logging.log4j</groupId>
       <artifactId>log4j-api</artifactId>
     </dependency>
-    <dependency>
-      <groupId>org.apache.logging.log4j</groupId>
-      <artifactId>log4j-core</artifactId>
-    </dependency>
   </dependencies>
 </project>
diff --git a/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-control/hyracks-control-nc/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/control/nc/BaseNCApplication.java b/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-control/hyracks-control-nc/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/control/nc/BaseNCApplication.java
index 9670e42..ea16032 100644
--- a/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-control/hyracks-control-nc/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/control/nc/BaseNCApplication.java
+++ b/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-control/hyracks-control-nc/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/control/nc/BaseNCApplication.java
@@ -28,12 +28,13 @@
 import org.apache.hyracks.api.control.CcId;
 import org.apache.hyracks.api.io.IFileDeviceResolver;
 import org.apache.hyracks.api.job.resource.NodeCapacity;
+import org.apache.hyracks.api.util.HyracksConstants;
 import org.apache.hyracks.control.common.controllers.CCConfig;
 import org.apache.hyracks.control.common.controllers.ControllerConfig;
 import org.apache.hyracks.control.common.controllers.NCConfig;
 import org.apache.hyracks.control.nc.io.DefaultDeviceResolver;
+import org.apache.hyracks.util.LoggingConfigUtil;
 import org.apache.logging.log4j.Level;
-import org.apache.logging.log4j.core.config.Configurator;
 
 public class BaseNCApplication implements INCApplication {
     public static final BaseNCApplication INSTANCE = new BaseNCApplication();
@@ -98,7 +99,7 @@
     }
 
     protected void configureLoggingLevel(Level level) {
-        Configurator.setLevel("org.apache.hyracks", level);
+        LoggingConfigUtil.defaultIfMissing(HyracksConstants.HYRACKS_LOGGER_NAME, level);
     }
 
 }
diff --git a/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-util/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/util/LoggingConfigUtil.java b/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-util/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/util/LoggingConfigUtil.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a98c241
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-util/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/util/LoggingConfigUtil.java
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+/*
+ * Licensed to the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements.  See the NOTICE file
+ * distributed with this work for additional information
+ * regarding copyright ownership.  The ASF licenses this file
+ * to you under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the
+ * "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance
+ * with the License.  You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *   http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing,
+ * software distributed under the License is distributed on an
+ * "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY
+ * KIND, either express or implied.  See the License for the
+ * specific language governing permissions and limitations
+ * under the License.
+ */
+package org.apache.hyracks.util;
+
+import org.apache.logging.log4j.Level;
+import org.apache.logging.log4j.LogManager;
+import org.apache.logging.log4j.Logger;
+import org.apache.logging.log4j.core.LoggerContext;
+import org.apache.logging.log4j.core.config.Configuration;
+import org.apache.logging.log4j.core.config.Configurator;
+import org.apache.logging.log4j.core.config.LoggerConfig;
+
+public class LoggingConfigUtil {
+
+    private static final Logger LOGGER = LogManager.getLogger();
+
+    private LoggingConfigUtil() {
+    }
+
+    public static void defaultIfMissing(String logger, Level defaultLvl) {
+        final Configuration loggingConfig = LoggerContext.getContext().getConfiguration();
+        final LoggerConfig loggerConfig = loggingConfig.getLoggers().get(logger);
+        if (loggerConfig != null) {
+            LOGGER.info("{} log level is {}", logger, loggerConfig.getLevel());
+        } else {
+            LOGGER.info("Setting {} log level to {}", logger, defaultLvl);
+            Configurator.setLevel(logger, defaultLvl);
+        }
+    }
+}