diff --git a/docs/environment-variables.md b/docs/environment-variables.md
index 174e283f9fc9..42ce4e2558b3 100644
--- a/docs/environment-variables.md
+++ b/docs/environment-variables.md
@@ -17,19 +17,9 @@ Default: ~/.ipfs
 
 ## `IPFS_LOGGING`
 
-Sets the log level for go-ipfs. It can be set to one of:
+Specifies the log level for go-ipfs.
 
-* `CRITICAL`
-* `ERROR`
-* `WARNING`
-* `NOTICE`
-* `INFO`
-* `DEBUG`
-
-Logging can also be configured (on a subsystem by subsystem basis) at runtime
-with the `ipfs log` command.
-
-Default: `ERROR`
+`IPFS_LOGGING` is a deprecated alias for the `GOLOG_LOG_LEVEL` environment variable.  See below.
 
 ## `IPFS_LOGGING_FMT`
 
@@ -40,6 +30,31 @@ Sets the log message format. Can be one of:
 
 Default: `color`
 
+## `GOLOG_LOG_LEVEL`
+
+Specifies the log-level, both globally and on a per-subsystem basis.  Level can be one of:
+
+* `debug`
+* `info`
+* `warn`
+* `error`
+* `dpanic`
+* `panic`
+* `fatal`
+
+Per-subsystem levels are specified with `subsystem=level`.  One global level and one or more per-subsystem levels
+can be specified by separating them with commas.
+
+Default: `error`
+
+Example:
+
+```console
+GOLOG_LOG_LEVEL="error,core/server=debug" ipfs daemon
+```
+
+Logging can also be configured at runtime, both globally and on a per-subsystem basis, with the `ipfs log` command.
+
 ## `GOLOG_FILE`
 
 Sets the file to which go-ipfs logs. By default, go-ipfs logs to standard error.