diff --git a/bin/xmobar.hs b/bin/xmobar.hs
index 39205a8..b1a35e3 100644
--- a/bin/xmobar.hs
+++ b/bin/xmobar.hs
@@ -65,11 +65,10 @@ parseTest =
     (long "test" <> short 't' <> help "test dependencies without running")
 
 xio :: XOpts -> IO ()
-xio o = runXIO "xmobar.log" $
-  case o of
-    XDeps -> printDeps
-    XTest -> withDBus_ evalConfig
-    XRun -> run
+xio o = case o of
+  XDeps -> hRunXIO False stderr printDeps
+  XTest -> hRunXIO False stderr $ withDBus_ evalConfig
+  XRun -> runXIO "xmobar.log" run
 
 run :: XIO ()
 run = do
diff --git a/bin/xmonad.hs b/bin/xmonad.hs
index b7f8b13..917de35 100644
--- a/bin/xmonad.hs
+++ b/bin/xmonad.hs
@@ -91,11 +91,10 @@ parseTest =
     (long "test" <> short 't' <> help "test dependencies without running")
 
 xio :: XOpts -> IO ()
-xio o = runXIO "xmonad.log" $
-  case o of
-    XDeps -> printDeps
-    XTest -> undefined
-    XRun -> run
+xio o = case o of
+  XDeps -> hRunXIO False stderr printDeps
+  XTest -> undefined
+  XRun -> runXIO "xmonad.log" run
 
 run :: XIO ()
 run = do
diff --git a/lib/Data/Internal/XIO.hs b/lib/Data/Internal/XIO.hs
index 6813146..b516e6a 100644
--- a/lib/Data/Internal/XIO.hs
+++ b/lib/Data/Internal/XIO.hs
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ module Data.Internal.XIO
   -- testing
   , XIO
   , runXIO
+  , hRunXIO
   , evalFeature
   , executeSometimes
   , executeAlways
@@ -133,8 +134,9 @@ import XMonad.Internal.Theme
 -- | Run feature evaluation(s) with the cache
 -- Currently there is no easy way to not use this (oh well)
 runXIO :: FilePath -> XIO a -> IO a
-runXIO logfile x = withLogFile logfile $ runXIOInner x
+runXIO logfile x = withLogFile logfile $ \h -> hRunXIO True h x
 
+-- TODO use dhall to encode config file and log here to control the loglevel
 withLogFile :: MonadUnliftIO m => FilePath -> (Handle -> m a) -> m a
 withLogFile logfile f = do
   p <- (</> logfile) . dataDir <$> liftIO getDirectories
@@ -143,16 +145,20 @@ withLogFile logfile f = do
     liftIO $ putStrLn "could not open log file, falling back to stderr"
     f stderr
 
-runXIOInner :: XIO a -> Handle -> IO a
-runXIOInner x h = do
+hRunXIO :: Bool -> Handle -> XIO a -> IO a
+hRunXIO verbose h x = do
   hSetBuffering h LineBuffering
-  logOpts <- setLogVerboseFormat True . setLogUseTime True <$> logOptionsHandle h False
+  logOpts <- logOptionsHandle_ verbose h
   pc <- mkDefaultProcessContext
   withLogFunc logOpts $ \f -> do
     p <- getParams
     let s = XEnv f pc p
     runRIO s x
 
+logOptionsHandle_ :: MonadUnliftIO m => Bool -> Handle -> m LogOptions
+logOptionsHandle_ v h =
+  setLogVerboseFormat v . setLogUseTime v <$> logOptionsHandle h False
+
 -- | Execute an Always immediately
 executeAlways :: Always (IO a) -> XIO a
 executeAlways = io <=< evalAlways
diff --git a/lib/Xmobar/Plugins/Common.hs b/lib/Xmobar/Plugins/Common.hs
index ee37da8..abefb83 100644
--- a/lib/Xmobar/Plugins/Common.hs
+++ b/lib/Xmobar/Plugins/Common.hs
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ module Xmobar.Plugins.Common
   , displayMaybe
   , displayMaybe'
   , xmobarFGColor
-  , LogConf (..)
   )
 where
 
@@ -88,10 +87,3 @@ withDBusClientConnection cb logfile f =
       withLogFunc logOpts $ \lf -> do
         env <- mkSimpleApp lf Nothing
         runRIO env $ displayMaybe' cb f =<< getDBusClient
-
-data LogConf = LogConf
-  { lcLevel :: !LogLevel
-  , lcVerbose :: !Bool
-  , lcPath :: FilePath
-  }
-  deriving (Show, Read)