diff --git a/kong-3.2.0-0.rockspec b/kong-3.2.0-0.rockspec
index 21e721af7cf..15822bc1b5d 100644
--- a/kong-3.2.0-0.rockspec
+++ b/kong-3.2.0-0.rockspec
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ dependencies = {
   "lua-resty-ipmatcher == 0.6.1",
   "lua-resty-acme == 0.10.1",
   "lua-resty-session == 4.0.0",
-  "lua-resty-timer-ng == 0.2.0",
+  "lua-resty-timer-ng == 0.2.2",
 }
 build = {
   type = "builtin",
diff --git a/kong/api/routes/debug.lua b/kong/api/routes/debug.lua
index 8b488113c20..a75c338d160 100644
--- a/kong/api/routes/debug.lua
+++ b/kong/api/routes/debug.lua
@@ -64,6 +64,10 @@ local function handle_put_log_level(self, broadcast)
     return kong.response.exit(500, { message = message })
   end
 
+  -- store in global _G table for timers pre-created by lua-resty-timer-ng
+  -- KAG-457 - find a better way to make this work with lua-resty-timer-ng
+  _G.log_level = log_level
+
   return kong.response.exit(200, { message = "log level changed" })
 end
 
diff --git a/spec/02-integration/04-admin_api/22-debug_spec.lua b/spec/02-integration/04-admin_api/22-debug_spec.lua
index 6be83918081..b3b7cda86b4 100644
--- a/spec/02-integration/04-admin_api/22-debug_spec.lua
+++ b/spec/02-integration/04-admin_api/22-debug_spec.lua
@@ -21,6 +21,10 @@ describe("Admin API - Kong debug route with strategy #" .. strategy, function()
       paths         = { "/" },
       service       = service_mockbin,
     })
+    assert(bp.plugins:insert {
+      name = "datadog",
+      service = service_mockbin,
+    })
 
     assert(helpers.start_kong {
       database = strategy,
@@ -143,6 +147,19 @@ describe("Admin API - Kong debug route with strategy #" .. strategy, function()
       "(20:unable to get local issuer certificate) " ..
       "while SSL handshaking to upstream", true, 2)
 
+      -- e2e test: we are not printing lower than alert
+      helpers.clean_logfile()
+      res = assert(helpers.proxy_client():send {
+        method  = "GET",
+        path    = "/",
+        headers = {
+          Host  = "mockbin.com",
+        },
+      })
+      assert.res_status(502, res)
+      -- from timers pre-created by timer-ng (datadog plugin)
+      assert.logfile().has.no.line("failed to send data to", true, 2)
+
       -- go back to default (debug)
       res = assert(helpers.admin_client():send {
         method = "PUT",
@@ -179,6 +196,19 @@ describe("Admin API - Kong debug route with strategy #" .. strategy, function()
       assert.logfile().has.line("upstream SSL certificate verify error: " ..
       "(20:unable to get local issuer certificate) " ..
       "while SSL handshaking to upstream", true, 30)
+
+      -- e2e test: we are printing higher than debug
+      helpers.clean_logfile()
+      res = assert(helpers.proxy_client():send {
+        method  = "GET",
+        path    = "/",
+        headers = {
+          Host  = "mockbin.com",
+        },
+      })
+      assert.res_status(502, res)
+      -- from timers pre-created by timer-ng (datadog plugin)
+      assert.logfile().has.line("failed to send data to", true, 30)
     end)
 
     it("changes log level for traditional mode", function()