diff --git a/src/cmd/root.go b/src/cmd/root.go
index 7899388317..63513c7104 100644
--- a/src/cmd/root.go
+++ b/src/cmd/root.go
@@ -95,6 +95,8 @@ func preRun(cmd *cobra.Command, _ []string) error {
 	var disableMessage bool
 	if LogFormat != "" {
 		disableMessage = true
+		ctx := logger.WithLoggingEnabled(ctx, true)
+		cmd.SetContext(ctx)
 	}
 	err = setupMessage(messageCfg{
 		level:           LogLevelCLI,
diff --git a/src/internal/packager/images/pull.go b/src/internal/packager/images/pull.go
index 8d3b8201ae..7d5baf8464 100644
--- a/src/internal/packager/images/pull.go
+++ b/src/internal/packager/images/pull.go
@@ -144,6 +144,7 @@ func Pull(ctx context.Context, cfg PullConfig) (map[transform.Image]v1.Image, er
 
 					// TODO(mkcp): Remove message on logger release
 					message.Warnf("Falling back to local 'docker', failed to find the manifest on a remote: %s", err.Error())
+					l.Warn("Falling back to local 'docker', failed to find the manifest on a remote", "error", err.Error())
 
 					// Attempt to connect to the local docker daemon.
 					cli, err := client.NewClientWithOpts(client.FromEnv)
diff --git a/src/internal/packager/template/template.go b/src/internal/packager/template/template.go
index ec53877db1..a77d09de93 100644
--- a/src/internal/packager/template/template.go
+++ b/src/internal/packager/template/template.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"encoding/base64"
 	"fmt"
+	"log/slog"
 	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/zarf-dev/zarf/src/api/v1alpha1"
@@ -35,7 +36,10 @@ func GetZarfVariableConfig(ctx context.Context) *variables.VariableConfig {
 		return interactive.PromptVariable(variable)
 	}
 
-	return variables.New("zarf", prompt, logger.From(ctx))
+	if logger.Enabled(ctx) {
+		return variables.New("zarf", prompt, logger.From(ctx))
+	}
+	return variables.New("zarf", prompt, slog.New(message.ZarfHandler{}))
 }
 
 // GetZarfTemplates returns the template keys and values to be used for templating.
diff --git a/src/pkg/logger/logger.go b/src/pkg/logger/logger.go
index ccbddf7901..bd17269772 100644
--- a/src/pkg/logger/logger.go
+++ b/src/pkg/logger/logger.go
@@ -170,6 +170,30 @@ func WithContext(ctx context.Context, logger *slog.Logger) context.Context {
 	return context.WithValue(ctx, defaultCtxKey, logger)
 }
 
+// TODO (@austinabro321) once we switch over to the new logger completely the enabled key & logic should be deleted
+type ctxKeyEnabled struct{}
+
+var defaultCtxKeyEnabled = ctxKeyEnabled{}
+
+// WithLoggingEnabled allows stores a value to determine whether or not slog logging is enabled
+func WithLoggingEnabled(ctx context.Context, enabled bool) context.Context {
+	return context.WithValue(ctx, defaultCtxKeyEnabled, enabled)
+}
+
+// Enabled returns true if slog logging is enabled
+func Enabled(ctx context.Context) bool {
+	if ctx == nil {
+		return false
+	}
+	enabled := ctx.Value(defaultCtxKeyEnabled)
+	switch v := enabled.(type) {
+	case bool:
+		return v
+	default:
+		return false
+	}
+}
+
 // From takes a context and reads out a *slog.Logger. If From does not find a value it will return a discarding logger
 // similar to log-format "none".
 func From(ctx context.Context) *slog.Logger {
diff --git a/src/pkg/logger/logger_test.go b/src/pkg/logger/logger_test.go
index 409922c7b2..74695ca063 100644
--- a/src/pkg/logger/logger_test.go
+++ b/src/pkg/logger/logger_test.go
@@ -224,4 +224,8 @@ func TestContext(t *testing.T) {
 		res := From(ctx)
 		require.NotNil(t, res)
 	})
+	t.Run("can add a flag to the context to determine if enabled", func(t *testing.T) {
+		ctx := WithLoggingEnabled(context.Background(), true)
+		require.True(t, Enabled(ctx))
+	})
 }