diff --git a/src/logger/__tests__/logger.test.ts b/src/logger/__tests__/logger.test.ts
index 7405229013..af10455afb 100644
--- a/src/logger/__tests__/logger.test.ts
+++ b/src/logger/__tests__/logger.test.ts
@@ -29,6 +29,14 @@ describe('general functionality', () => {
     expect(logger.level).toEqual(LogLevel.Debug)
   })
 
+  test('contextFilter overrides level', () => {
+    const logger = new Logger({
+      level: LogLevel.Info,
+      contextFilter: 'test',
+    })
+    expect(logger.level).toEqual(LogLevel.Debug)
+  })
+
   test('supports extra metadata', () => {
     const timestamp = Date.now()
     const logger = new Logger({})
diff --git a/src/logger/index.ts b/src/logger/index.ts
index bbbd38cfb6..0ca1464e7b 100644
--- a/src/logger/index.ts
+++ b/src/logger/index.ts
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ export class Logger {
 
   static create(context?: LogContext) {
     const logger = new Logger({
-      level: (process.env.EXPO_PUBLIC_LOG_LEVEL || LogLevel.Info) as LogLevel,
+      level: process.env.EXPO_PUBLIC_LOG_LEVEL as LogLevel,
       context,
       contextFilter: process.env.EXPO_PUBLIC_LOG_DEBUG || '',
     })
@@ -57,14 +57,15 @@ export class Logger {
     contextFilter?: string
   } = {}) {
     this.context = context
-    this.level =
-      level || (process.env.EXPO_PUBLIC_LOG_LEVEL as LogLevel) || LogLevel.Info // default to info
-    this.contextFilter =
-      contextFilter || process.env.EXPO_PUBLIC_LOG_DEBUG || ''
+    this.level = level || LogLevel.Info
+    this.contextFilter = contextFilter || ''
+    if (this.contextFilter) {
+      this.level = LogLevel.Debug
+    }
     this.debugContextRegexes = (this.contextFilter || '')
       .split(',')
       .map(filter => {
-        return new RegExp(filter.replace(/[^\w:*]/, '').replace(/\*/g, '.*'))
+        return new RegExp(filter.replace(/[^\w:*-]/, '').replace(/\*/g, '.*'))
       })
   }
 
@@ -105,6 +106,7 @@ export class Logger {
     metadata: Metadata
   }) {
     if (
+      level === LogLevel.Debug &&
       !!this.contextFilter &&
       !!this.context &&
       !this.debugContextRegexes.find(reg => reg.test(this.context!))