diff --git a/garden-service/src/commands/logs.ts b/garden-service/src/commands/logs.ts
index bcef3a763c..f25e23be0e 100644
--- a/garden-service/src/commands/logs.ts
+++ b/garden-service/src/commands/logs.ts
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ export class LogsCommand extends Command<Args, Opts> {
     })
 
     await Bluebird.map(services, async (service: Service<any>) => {
-      const voidLog = log.placeholder(LogLevel.silly)
+      const voidLog = log.placeholder(LogLevel.silly, { preserveLevel: true })
       const status = await garden.actions.getServiceStatus({ log: voidLog, service, hotReload: false })
 
       if (status.state === "ready" || status.state === "outdated") {
diff --git a/garden-service/src/logger/log-entry.ts b/garden-service/src/logger/log-entry.ts
index 282cb170e0..34aef24d4c 100644
--- a/garden-service/src/logger/log-entry.ts
+++ b/garden-service/src/logger/log-entry.ts
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import * as nodeEmoji from "node-emoji"
 import { flatten } from "lodash"
 
 import { LogNode, LogLevel } from "./log-node"
-import { getChildEntries } from "./util"
+import { getChildEntries, findParentEntry } from "./util"
 import { GardenError } from "../exceptions"
 import { Omit } from "../util/util"
 import { Logger } from "./logger"
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ export interface UpdateOpts {
   error?: GardenError
   status?: EntryStatus
   indent?: number
+  preserveLevel?: boolean
 }
 
 export interface CreateOpts extends UpdateOpts {
@@ -104,12 +105,16 @@ export class LogEntry extends LogNode {
   }
 
   protected createNode(level: LogLevel, param: CreateParam) {
-    // A child entry must not have a higher level than its parent
-    const childLevel = this.level > level ? this.level : level
     const opts = {
       indent: (this.opts.indent || 0) + 1,
       ...resolveParam(param),
     }
+
+    // If preserveLevel is set to true, all children must have a level geq the level
+    // of the parent entry that set the flag.
+    const parentWithPreserveFlag = findParentEntry(this, entry => !!entry.opts.preserveLevel)
+    const childLevel = parentWithPreserveFlag ? Math.max(parentWithPreserveFlag.level, level) : level
+
     return new LogEntry({
       opts,
       level: childLevel,
@@ -122,10 +127,10 @@ export class LogEntry extends LogNode {
     this.root.onGraphChange(node)
   }
 
-  placeholder(level: LogLevel = LogLevel.info): LogEntry {
+  placeholder(level: LogLevel = LogLevel.info, param? : CreateParam): LogEntry {
     // Ensure placeholder child entries align with parent context
     const indent = Math.max((this.opts.indent || 0) - 1, - 1)
-    return this.appendNode(level, { indent })
+    return this.appendNode(level, { ...resolveParam(param), indent })
   }
 
   // Preserves status
diff --git a/garden-service/src/logger/log-node.ts b/garden-service/src/logger/log-node.ts
index c1b561e503..e04d43d9f5 100644
--- a/garden-service/src/logger/log-node.ts
+++ b/garden-service/src/logger/log-node.ts
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ export abstract class LogNode {
    * A placeholder entry is an empty entry whose children should be aligned with the parent context.
    * Useful for setting a placeholder in the middle of the log that can later be populated.
    */
-  abstract placeholder(level: LogLevel): LogEntry
+  abstract placeholder(level: LogLevel, param?: CreateParam): LogEntry
 
   protected appendNode(level: LogLevel, param: CreateParam): LogEntry {
     const node = this.createNode(level, param)
diff --git a/garden-service/src/logger/util.ts b/garden-service/src/logger/util.ts
index a13b6d65ac..646d7ff782 100644
--- a/garden-service/src/logger/util.ts
+++ b/garden-service/src/logger/util.ts
@@ -44,6 +44,12 @@ export function getChildEntries(node: LogNode): LogEntry[] {
   return getChildNodes<LogNode, LogEntry>(node)
 }
 
+export function findParentEntry(entry: LogEntry, predicate: ProcessNode<LogEntry>): LogEntry | null {
+  return predicate(entry)
+    ? entry
+    : entry.parent ? findParentEntry(entry.parent, predicate) : null
+}
+
 export function findLogNode(node: LogNode, predicate: ProcessNode<LogNode>): LogEntry | void {
   let found: LogEntry | undefined
   traverseChildren<LogNode, LogEntry>(node, entry => {