diff --git a/lib/logging.sh b/lib/logging.sh
index 549f533..4946d53 100644
--- a/lib/logging.sh
+++ b/lib/logging.sh
@@ -33,13 +33,18 @@ _log() {
     local upper; upper=$(echo "$level" | tr '[:lower:]' '[:upper:]')
     local line="[$ts] [$upper] $msg"
 
-    # Always write to log file if initialized (regardless of LOG_LEVEL)
-    [[ -n "$LOG_FILE" ]] && echo "$line" >> "$LOG_FILE"
-
-    # Print to stderr only if level meets configured threshold
     local configured_level="${LOG_LEVEL:-$DEFAULT_LOG_LEVEL}"
     local level_num; level_num=$(_log_level_num "$level")
     local configured_num; configured_num=$(_log_level_num "$configured_level")
+
+    # Log file: always write info/warn/error; debug only when LOG_LEVEL=debug
+    if [[ -n "$LOG_FILE" ]]; then
+        if [[ "$level" != "debug" ]] || (( level_num >= configured_num )); then
+            echo "$line" >> "$LOG_FILE"
+        fi
+    fi
+
+    # Console: only print if level meets configured threshold
     (( level_num < configured_num )) && return 0
 
     case "$level" in