diff --git a/lib/gems/baw-app/lib/baw_app.rb b/lib/gems/baw-app/lib/baw_app.rb
index 9b527964..9335817a 100644
--- a/lib/gems/baw-app/lib/baw_app.rb
+++ b/lib/gems/baw-app/lib/baw_app.rb
@@ -104,13 +104,23 @@ def log_to_stdout?
     true
   end
 
+  # Get the log level for the application.
+  # @param default [Integer] the default log level to use if not set
+  # @return [Integer] the log level
   def log_level(default = Logger::DEBUG)
     # The default Rails log level is warn in production env and info in any other env.
-    return ENV['RAILS_LOG_LEVEL'] if ENV.key?('RAILS_LOG_LEVEL')
+    return Logger::Severity.coerce(ENV['RAILS_LOG_LEVEL']) if ENV.key?('RAILS_LOG_LEVEL')
+
     return Logger::INFO if Rails.env.staging?
     return Logger::INFO if Rails.env.production?
 
-    default
+    Logger::Severity.coerce(default)
+  rescue ArgumentError
+    # rubocop:disable Rails/Output - the rails logger may not yet be initialized
+    puts "ERROR:\tInvalid log level: `#{ENV.fetch('RAILS_LOG_LEVEL', nil)}` or invalid default: `#{default}`"
+    # rubocop:enable Rails/Output
+
+    Logger::DEBUG
   end
 
   def http_scheme
diff --git a/spec/lib/gems/baw_app/baw_app_spec.rb b/spec/lib/gems/baw_app/baw_app_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7d08bb2d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/lib/gems/baw_app/baw_app_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+describe BawApp do
+  it 'coerces log level warn' do
+    expect(BawApp.log_level('warn')).to eq(Logger::WARN)
+  end
+
+  it 'coerces log level info' do
+    expect(BawApp.log_level('info')).to eq(Logger::INFO)
+  end
+
+  it 'coerces log level debug' do
+    expect(BawApp.log_level('debug')).to eq(Logger::DEBUG)
+  end
+
+  it 'coerces log level error' do
+    expect(BawApp.log_level('error')).to eq(Logger::ERROR)
+  end
+
+  it 'coerces log level fatal' do
+    expect(BawApp.log_level('fatal')).to eq(Logger::FATAL)
+  end
+
+  it 'coerces log level unknown' do
+    expect(BawApp.log_level('unknown')).to eq(Logger::UNKNOWN)
+  end
+
+  it 'coerces log level nil to default' do
+    expect(BawApp.log_level(nil)).to eq(Logger::DEBUG)
+  end
+
+  it 'coerces log level without argument to default' do
+    expect(BawApp.log_level).to eq(Logger::DEBUG)
+  end
+
+  it 'coerces log level WARN' do
+    expect(BawApp.log_level('WARN')).to eq(Logger::WARN)
+  end
+
+  it 'coerces log level INFO' do
+    expect(BawApp.log_level('INFO')).to eq(Logger::INFO)
+  end
+
+  it 'coerces log level DEBUG' do
+    expect(BawApp.log_level('DEBUG')).to eq(Logger::DEBUG)
+  end
+
+  it 'coerces log level ERROR' do
+    expect(BawApp.log_level('ERROR')).to eq(Logger::ERROR)
+  end
+
+  it 'coerces log level FATAL' do
+    expect(BawApp.log_level('FATAL')).to eq(Logger::FATAL)
+  end
+
+  it 'coerces log level UNKNOWN' do
+    expect(BawApp.log_level('UNKNOWN')).to eq(Logger::UNKNOWN)
+  end
+end