diff --git a/src/host.cpp b/src/host.cpp
index a6bc7b49d..2bd323aa7 100644
--- a/src/host.cpp
+++ b/src/host.cpp
@@ -334,7 +334,7 @@ static bool parse_opts_set_logging(int argc, char *argv[])
         }
         opterr = saved_opterr;
         if (logging_lvl == 0) {
-                logging_lvl = getenv("ULTRAGRID_VERBOSE") != nullptr ? LOG_LEVEL_VERBOSE : log_level;
+                logging_lvl = getenv("ULTRAGRID_VERBOSE") != nullptr && strlen(getenv("ULTRAGRID_VERBOSE")) > 0 ? LOG_LEVEL_VERBOSE : log_level;
         } else {
                 logging_lvl += LOG_LEVEL_INFO;
         }