diff --git a/log/format.go b/log/format.go
index 2a3790501e..c61a4d82aa 100644
--- a/log/format.go
+++ b/log/format.go
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ func TerminalFormat() Format {
 		}
 
 		b := &bytes.Buffer{}
-		lvl := strings.ToUpper(r.Lvl.String())
+		lvl := r.Lvl.AlignedString()
 		if atomic.LoadUint32(&locationEnabled) != 0 {
 			// Log origin printing was requested, format the location path and line number
 			location := fmt.Sprintf("%+v", r.Call)
@@ -107,13 +107,13 @@ func TerminalFormat() Format {
 			if color > 0 {
 				fmt.Fprintf(b, "\x1b[%dm%s\x1b[0m[%s|%s]%s %s ", color, lvl, r.Time.Format(termTimeFormat), location, padding, r.Msg)
 			} else {
-				fmt.Fprintf(b, "[%s] [%s|%s]%s %s ", lvl, r.Time.Format(termTimeFormat), location, padding, r.Msg)
+				fmt.Fprintf(b, "%s[%s|%s]%s %s ", lvl, r.Time.Format(termTimeFormat), location, padding, r.Msg)
 			}
 		} else {
 			if color > 0 {
 				fmt.Fprintf(b, "\x1b[%dm%s\x1b[0m[%s] %s ", color, lvl, r.Time.Format(termTimeFormat), r.Msg)
 			} else {
-				fmt.Fprintf(b, "[%s] [%s] %s ", lvl, r.Time.Format(termTimeFormat), r.Msg)
+				fmt.Fprintf(b, "%s[%s] %s ", lvl, r.Time.Format(termTimeFormat), r.Msg)
 			}
 		}
 		// try to justify the log output for short messages
diff --git a/log/logger.go b/log/logger.go
index a7f7d9df7f..15c83a9b25 100644
--- a/log/logger.go
+++ b/log/logger.go
@@ -24,7 +24,27 @@ const (
 	LvlTrace
 )
 
-// Returns the name of a Lvl
+// Aligned returns a 5-character string containing the name of a Lvl.
+func (l Lvl) AlignedString() string {
+	switch l {
+	case LvlTrace:
+		return "TRACE"
+	case LvlDebug:
+		return "DEBUG"
+	case LvlInfo:
+		return "INFO "
+	case LvlWarn:
+		return "WARN "
+	case LvlError:
+		return "ERROR"
+	case LvlCrit:
+		return "CRIT "
+	default:
+		panic("bad level")
+	}
+}
+
+// Strings returns the name of a Lvl.
 func (l Lvl) String() string {
 	switch l {
 	case LvlTrace: