diff --git a/plugins/LogToIrc.py b/plugins/LogToIrc.py
index 6480c8942..44bffaa72 100644
--- a/plugins/LogToIrc.py
+++ b/plugins/LogToIrc.py
@@ -130,24 +130,12 @@ _formatString = '%(name)s: %(levelname)s %(message)s'
 _ircFormatter = ColorizedIrcFormatter(_formatString)
 _ircHandler.setFormatter(_ircFormatter)
 
-class IrcLogLevel(log.LogLevel):
+class IrcLogLevel(log.ValidLogLevel):
     """Value must be one of INFO, WARNING, ERROR, or CRITICAL."""
-    def set(self, s):
-        # FIXME: Overriding set() here because log.LogLevel.set() sets the
-        # default log level as well. log.LogLevel and this class should be
-        # refactored and use registry.OnlySomeStrings in the future.
-        s = s.upper()
-        try:
-            self.setValue(getattr(logging, s))
-            _ircHandler.setLevel(self.value)
-        except AttributeError:
-            self.error()
-    
+    minimumLevel = logging.INFO
     def setValue(self, v):
-        if v <= logging.DEBUG:
-            self.error()
-        else:
-            log.LogLevel.setValue(self, v)
+        log.ValidLogLevel.setValue(self, v)
+        _ircHandler.setLevel(self.value)
 
 class ValidChannelOrNick(registry.String):
     """Value must be a valid channel or a valid nick."""
diff --git a/src/log.py b/src/log.py
index 82252fe2f..d445e8baf 100644
--- a/src/log.py
+++ b/src/log.py
@@ -220,20 +220,29 @@ class MetaFirewall(type):
         return type.__new__(cls, name, bases, dict)
 
 
-class LogLevel(registry.Value):
-    """Invalid log level.  Value must be either DEBUG, INFO, WARNING, ERROR,
-    or CRITICAL."""
+class ValidLogLevel(registry.String):
+    """This should be overridden."""
+    minimumLevel = -1
     def set(self, s):
         s = s.upper()
         try:
-            self.setValue(getattr(logging, s))
-            _logger.setLevel(self.value) # _logger defined later.
+            level = getattr(logging, s)
+            if level < self.minimumLevel:
+                self.error()
+            self.setValue(level)
         except AttributeError:
             self.error()
 
     def __str__(self):
         return logging.getLevelName(self.value)
     
+class LogLevel(ValidLogLevel):
+    """Invalid log level.  Value must be either DEBUG, INFO, WARNING, ERROR,
+    or CRITICAL."""
+    def setValue(self, v):
+        ValidLogLevel.setValue(self, v)
+        _logger.setLevel(self.value) # _logger defined later.
+    
 conf.supybot.directories.register('log', registry.String('logs', """Determines
 what directory the bot will store its logfiles in."""))