diff --git a/api/numaresourcesoperator/v1/numaresourcesoperator_normalize.go b/api/numaresourcesoperator/v1/numaresourcesoperator_normalize.go
index 25599b926..2347ad2a1 100644
--- a/api/numaresourcesoperator/v1/numaresourcesoperator_normalize.go
+++ b/api/numaresourcesoperator/v1/numaresourcesoperator_normalize.go
@@ -20,8 +20,20 @@ import (
 	"sort"
 
 	corev1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
+
+	operatorv1 "github.com/openshift/api/operator/v1"
 )
 
+func NormalizeSpec(spec *NUMAResourcesOperatorSpec) {
+	defaultLog := operatorv1.Normal
+	if spec.LogLevel == "" {
+		spec.LogLevel = defaultLog
+	}
+	if spec.OperatorLogLevel == nil {
+		spec.OperatorLogLevel = &defaultLog
+	}
+}
+
 func (nodeGroup NodeGroup) NormalizeConfig() NodeGroupConfig {
 	conf := DefaultNodeGroupConfig()
 	if nodeGroup.Config == nil {
diff --git a/api/numaresourcesoperator/v1/numaresourcesoperator_types.go b/api/numaresourcesoperator/v1/numaresourcesoperator_types.go
index 01c70ff9e..bff5375ca 100644
--- a/api/numaresourcesoperator/v1/numaresourcesoperator_types.go
+++ b/api/numaresourcesoperator/v1/numaresourcesoperator_types.go
@@ -45,6 +45,12 @@ type NUMAResourcesOperatorSpec struct {
 	// +optional
 	//+operator-sdk:csv:customresourcedefinitions:type=spec,displayName="Optional ignore pod namespace/name glob patterns"
 	PodExcludes []NamespacedName `json:"podExcludes,omitempty"`
+	// Valid values are: "Normal", "Debug", "Trace", "TraceAll".
+	// Defaults to "Normal".
+	// +optional
+	// +kubebuilder:default=Normal
+	//+operator-sdk:csv:customresourcedefinitions:type=spec,displayName="Operator log verbosity"
+	OperatorLogLevel *operatorv1.LogLevel `json:"operatorLogLevel,omitempty"`
 }
 
 // +kubebuilder:validation:Enum=Disabled;Enabled;EnabledExclusiveResources
@@ -136,6 +142,9 @@ type NUMAResourcesOperatorStatus struct {
 	// RelatedObjects list of objects of interest for this operator
 	//+operator-sdk:csv:customresourcedefinitions:type=status,displayName="Related Objects"
 	RelatedObjects []configv1.ObjectReference `json:"relatedObjects,omitempty"`
+	// OperatorLogLevel is the current log verbosity of the operator.
+	//+operator-sdk:csv:customresourcedefinitions:type=status,displayName="Operator log verbosity"
+	OperatorLogLevel operatorv1.LogLevel `json:"operatorLogLevel,omitempty"`
 }
 
 // MachineConfigPool defines the observed state of each MachineConfigPool selected by node groups
diff --git a/api/numaresourcesoperator/v1/zz_generated.deepcopy.go b/api/numaresourcesoperator/v1/zz_generated.deepcopy.go
index 0e404ffc7..799b45799 100644
--- a/api/numaresourcesoperator/v1/zz_generated.deepcopy.go
+++ b/api/numaresourcesoperator/v1/zz_generated.deepcopy.go
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ package v1
 
 import (
 	configv1 "github.com/openshift/api/config/v1"
+	operatorv1 "github.com/openshift/api/operator/v1"
 	machineconfiguration_openshift_iov1 "github.com/openshift/machine-config-operator/pkg/apis/machineconfiguration.openshift.io/v1"
 	corev1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
 	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
@@ -129,6 +130,11 @@ func (in *NUMAResourcesOperatorSpec) DeepCopyInto(out *NUMAResourcesOperatorSpec
 		*out = make([]NamespacedName, len(*in))
 		copy(*out, *in)
 	}
+	if in.OperatorLogLevel != nil {
+		in, out := &in.OperatorLogLevel, &out.OperatorLogLevel
+		*out = new(operatorv1.LogLevel)
+		**out = **in
+	}
 }
 
 // DeepCopy is an autogenerated deepcopy function, copying the receiver, creating a new NUMAResourcesOperatorSpec.
diff --git a/controllers/numaresourcesoperator_controller.go b/controllers/numaresourcesoperator_controller.go
index c972cf255..d86802d37 100644
--- a/controllers/numaresourcesoperator_controller.go
+++ b/controllers/numaresourcesoperator_controller.go
@@ -63,6 +63,8 @@ import (
 	rteupdate "github.com/openshift-kni/numaresources-operator/pkg/objectupdate/rte"
 	"github.com/openshift-kni/numaresources-operator/pkg/status"
 	"github.com/openshift-kni/numaresources-operator/pkg/validation"
+
+	intkloglevel "github.com/openshift-kni/numaresources-operator/internal/kloglevel"
 )
 
 const numaResourcesRetryPeriod = 1 * time.Minute
@@ -132,6 +134,16 @@ func (r *NUMAResourcesOperatorReconciler) Reconcile(ctx context.Context, req ctr
 		return r.updateStatus(ctx, instance, status.ConditionDegraded, status.ConditionTypeIncorrectNUMAResourcesOperatorResourceName, message)
 	}
 
+	needStatusUpdate := false
+	nropv1.NormalizeSpec(&instance.Spec)
+
+	// do as early as possible, so we don't miss log messages
+	if lev := *instance.Spec.OperatorLogLevel; lev != instance.Status.OperatorLogLevel {
+		intkloglevel.Set(loglevel.ToKlog(lev))
+		instance.Status.OperatorLogLevel = lev
+		needStatusUpdate = true
+	}
+
 	if err := validation.NodeGroups(instance.Spec.NodeGroups); err != nil {
 		return r.updateStatus(ctx, instance, status.ConditionDegraded, validation.NodeGroupsError, err.Error())
 	}
@@ -152,6 +164,9 @@ func (r *NUMAResourcesOperatorReconciler) Reconcile(ctx context.Context, req ctr
 
 	result, condition, err := r.reconcileResource(ctx, instance, trees)
 	if condition != "" {
+		needStatusUpdate = true
+	}
+	if needStatusUpdate {
 		// TODO: use proper reason
 		reason, message := condition, messageFromError(err)
 		_, _ = r.updateStatus(ctx, instance, condition, reason, message)