diff --git a/nimbus/config.nim b/nimbus/config.nim
index a8548574a..b141d73f8 100644
--- a/nimbus/config.nim
+++ b/nimbus/config.nim
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# Copyright (c) 2018-2024 Status Research & Development GmbH
+# Copyright (c) 2018-2025 Status Research & Development GmbH
 # Licensed under either of
 #  * Apache License, version 2.0, ([LICENSE-APACHE](LICENSE-APACHE))
 #  * MIT license ([LICENSE-MIT](LICENSE-MIT))
@@ -28,7 +28,9 @@ import
   common/chain_config,
   db/opts
 
-export net, defs
+from beacon_chain/nimbus_binary_common import setupLogging, StdoutLogKind
+
+export net, defs, StdoutLogKind
 
 
 const
@@ -217,13 +219,16 @@ type
     logLevel* {.
       separator: "\pLOGGING AND DEBUGGING OPTIONS:"
       desc: "Sets the log level for process and topics (" & logLevelDesc & ")"
-      defaultValue: LogLevel.INFO
-      defaultValueDesc: $LogLevel.INFO
-      name: "log-level" }: LogLevel
+      defaultValue: "INFO"
+      defaultValueDesc: "Info topic level logging"
+      name: "log-level" }: string
 
-    logFile* {.
-      desc: "Specifies a path for the written Json log file"
-      name: "log-file" }: Option[OutFile]
+    logStdout* {.
+      hidden
+      desc: "Specifies what kind of logs should be written to stdout (auto, colors, nocolors, json)"
+      defaultValueDesc: "auto"
+      defaultValue: StdoutLogKind.Auto
+      name: "log-format" .}: StdoutLogKind
 
     logMetricsEnabled* {.
       desc: "Enable metrics logging"
@@ -817,6 +822,8 @@ proc makeConfig*(cmdLine = commandLineParams()): NimbusConf
   except CatchableError as e:
     raise e
 
+  setupLogging(result.logLevel, result.logStdout, none(OutFile))
+
   var networkId = result.getNetworkId()
 
   if result.customNetwork.isSome:
diff --git a/nimbus/nimbus_execution_client.nim b/nimbus/nimbus_execution_client.nim
index 5a9ab9443..900506b41 100644
--- a/nimbus/nimbus_execution_client.nim
+++ b/nimbus/nimbus_execution_client.nim
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 # Nimbus
-# Copyright (c) 2018-2024 Status Research & Development GmbH
+# Copyright (c) 2018-2025 Status Research & Development GmbH
 # Licensed under either of
 #  * Apache License, version 2.0, ([LICENSE-APACHE](LICENSE-APACHE))
 #  * MIT license ([LICENSE-MIT](LICENSE-MIT))
@@ -174,14 +174,6 @@ proc preventLoadingDataDirForTheWrongNetwork(db: CoreDbRef; conf: NimbusConf) =
     quit(QuitFailure)
 
 proc run(nimbus: NimbusNode, conf: NimbusConf) =
-  ## logging
-  setLogLevel(conf.logLevel)
-  if conf.logFile.isSome:
-    let logFile = string conf.logFile.get()
-    defaultChroniclesStream.output.outFile = nil # to avoid closing stdout
-    discard defaultChroniclesStream.output.open(logFile, fmAppend)
-
-  setupFileLimits()
 
   info "Launching execution client",
       version = FullVersionStr,
@@ -290,19 +282,18 @@ proc run(nimbus: NimbusNode, conf: NimbusConf) =
 when isMainModule:
   var nimbus = NimbusNode(state: NimbusState.Starting, ctx: newEthContext())
 
+  ## Processing command line arguments
+  let conf = makeConfig()
+
+  setupFileLimits()
+
   ## Ctrl+C handling
   proc controlCHandler() {.noconv.} =
     when defined(windows):
       # workaround for https://github.com/nim-lang/Nim/issues/4057
       setupForeignThreadGc()
     nimbus.state = NimbusState.Stopping
-    echo "\nCtrl+C pressed. Waiting for a graceful shutdown."
+    notice "\nCtrl+C pressed. Waiting for a graceful shutdown."
   setControlCHook(controlCHandler)
 
-  ## Show logs on stdout until we get the user's logging choice
-  discard defaultChroniclesStream.output.open(stdout)
-
-  ## Processing command line arguments
-  let conf = makeConfig()
-
   nimbus.run(conf)
diff --git a/nimbus/nimbus_execution_client.nim.cfg b/nimbus/nimbus_execution_client.nim.cfg
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4c0d44247
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nimbus/nimbus_execution_client.nim.cfg
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+-d:"chronicles_sinks=textlines[dynamic],json[dynamic]"
+-d:"chronicles_runtime_filtering=on"
+-d:"chronicles_disable_thread_id"
+
+@if release:
+  -d:"chronicles_line_numbers:0"
+@end