diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 2758c060d..053a74f09 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -316,6 +316,7 @@ helm-install-provider: helm-version check-api-key
 		--set registry=$(DOCKER_REGISTRY) \
 		--set imagePullPolicy=Always \
 		--set tag=$(VERSION) \
+		--set controller.loglevel=debug \
 		--set controller.image.pullPolicy=Always \
 		--set ui.image.pullPolicy=Always \
 		--set controller.service.type=LoadBalancer \
diff --git a/go/pkg/app/app.go b/go/pkg/app/app.go
index 585431487..1a7b7ce69 100644
--- a/go/pkg/app/app.go
+++ b/go/pkg/app/app.go
@@ -89,8 +89,6 @@ func init() {
 	utilruntime.Must(v1alpha1.AddToScheme(scheme))
 	utilruntime.Must(v1alpha2.AddToScheme(scheme))
 	// +kubebuilder:scaffold:scheme
-
-	ctrl.SetLogger(zap.New(zap.UseDevMode(true)))
 }
 
 type Config struct {
@@ -182,22 +180,16 @@ func Start(getExtensionConfig GetExtensionConfig) {
 	flag.StringVar(&agent_translator.DefaultImageConfig.PullSecret, "image-pull-secret", "", "The pull secret name for the agent image.")
 	flag.StringVar(&agent_translator.DefaultImageConfig.Repository, "image-repository", agent_translator.DefaultImageConfig.Repository, "The repository to use for the agent image.")
 
-	opts := zap.Options{
-		Development: true,
-	}
+	opts := zap.Options{}
 	opts.BindFlags(flag.CommandLine)
 	flag.Parse()
 
 	logger := zap.New(zap.UseFlagOptions(&opts))
-
-	logger.Info("Starting KAgent Controller", "version", Version, "git_commit", GitCommit, "build_date", BuildDate)
-	logger.Info("Config", "config", cfg)
-
 	ctrl.SetLogger(logger)
 
-	goruntime.SetMaxProcs(logger)
+	setupLog.Info("Starting KAgent Controller", "version", Version, "git_commit", GitCommit, "build_date", BuildDate, "config", cfg)
 
-	setupLog.Info("Starting KAgent Controller", "version", Version, "git_commit", GitCommit, "build_date", BuildDate)
+	goruntime.SetMaxProcs(logger)
 
 	// if the enable-http2 flag is false (the default), http/2 should be disabled
 	// due to its vulnerabilities. More specifically, disabling http/2 will
diff --git a/helm/kagent/templates/controller-deployment.yaml b/helm/kagent/templates/controller-deployment.yaml
index 4bf66a53e..2044c332f 100644
--- a/helm/kagent/templates/controller-deployment.yaml
+++ b/helm/kagent/templates/controller-deployment.yaml
@@ -91,8 +91,6 @@ spec:
               valueFrom:
                 fieldRef:
                   fieldPath: metadata.namespace
-            - name: LOG_LEVEL
-              value: {{ .Values.controller.loglevel | quote }}
             - name: OTEL_TRACING_ENABLED
               value: {{ .Values.otel.tracing.enabled | quote }}
             - name: OTEL_EXPORTER_OTLP_ENDPOINT