diff --git a/src/utility/initialize.cpp b/src/utility/initialize.cpp
index a20619720..a499dcbfa 100644
--- a/src/utility/initialize.cpp
+++ b/src/utility/initialize.cpp
@@ -9,13 +9,19 @@ log4cplus::Logger printer;
 
 namespace storm {
     namespace utility {
+
+
        void initializeLogger() {
+            auto loglevel = storm::settings::debugSettings().isTraceSet() ? log4cplus::TRACE_LOG_LEVEL : storm::settings::debugSettings().isDebugSet() ? log4cplus::DEBUG_LOG_LEVEL : log4cplus::WARN_LOG_LEVEL;
+            initializeLogger(loglevel);
+       }
+
+        void initializeLogger(log4cplus::LogLevel const& loglevel) {
             logger = log4cplus::Logger::getInstance(LOG4CPLUS_TEXT("main"));
             log4cplus::SharedAppenderPtr consoleLogAppender(new log4cplus::ConsoleAppender());
             consoleLogAppender->setName("mainConsoleAppender");
             consoleLogAppender->setLayout(std::auto_ptr<log4cplus::Layout>(new log4cplus::PatternLayout("%-5p - %D{%H:%M:%S} (%r ms) - %b:%L: %m%n")));
             logger.addAppender(consoleLogAppender);
-            auto loglevel = storm::settings::debugSettings().isTraceSet() ? log4cplus::TRACE_LOG_LEVEL : storm::settings::debugSettings().isDebugSet() ? log4cplus::DEBUG_LOG_LEVEL : log4cplus::WARN_LOG_LEVEL;
             logger.setLogLevel(loglevel);
             consoleLogAppender->setThreshold(loglevel);
         }
diff --git a/src/utility/initialize.h b/src/utility/initialize.h
index 4a4680fe1..173d52f7e 100644
--- a/src/utility/initialize.h
+++ b/src/utility/initialize.h
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ namespace storm {
          * Initializes the logging framework and sets up logging to console.
          */
         void initializeLogger();
+        void initializeLogger(log4cplus::LogLevel const&);
 
         /*!
          * Performs some necessary initializations.