diff --git a/python/ovs/vlog.py b/python/ovs/vlog.py
index 49210b85f..48d52ade7 100644
--- a/python/ovs/vlog.py
+++ b/python/ovs/vlog.py
@@ -298,11 +298,10 @@ class Vlog(object):
             return
 
         logger = logging.getLogger('syslog')
-        # If there is no infrastructure to support python syslog, increase
-        # the logging severity level to avoid repeated errors.
+        # If there is no infrastructure to support python syslog, disable
+        # the logger to avoid repeated errors.
         if not os.path.exists("/dev/log"):
             logger.disabled = True
-            logger.setLevel(logging.CRITICAL)
             return
 
         if syslog_handler: