--- a/jdk/src/share/classes/java/util/logging/LogManager.java	Mon Oct 21 11:15:41 2013 +0200
+++ b/jdk/src/share/classes/java/util/logging/LogManager.java	Mon Oct 21 12:00:58 2013 +0200
@@ -770,9 +770,10 @@
             ref = owner.new LoggerWeakRef(logger);
             namedLoggers.put(name, ref);
 
-            // Apply any initial level defined for the new logger.
+            // Apply any initial level defined for the new logger, unless
+            // the logger's level is already initialized
             Level level = owner.getLevelProperty(name + ".level", null);
-            if (level != null) {
+            if (level != null && !logger.isLevelInitialized()) {
                 doSetLevel(logger, level);
             }