diff --git a/java/src/ch/ntb/usb/logger/LogUtil.java b/java/src/ch/ntb/usb/logger/LogUtil.java
index ef81b4d..3518cc7 100644
--- a/java/src/ch/ntb/usb/logger/LogUtil.java
+++ b/java/src/ch/ntb/usb/logger/LogUtil.java
@@ -16,6 +16,9 @@ import java.util.logging.Logger;
 
 public class LogUtil {
 
+	// debug this class
+	private static final boolean debugLogUtil = false;
+
 	private static final String PLUGIN_ID = "ch.ntb.usb";
 	private static final String PROPERTIES_FILE = ".configure";
 	private static final String LOGGER_WARNING = "Warning in class "
@@ -28,24 +31,37 @@ public class LogUtil {
 		createLoggersFromProperties();
 	}
 
+	private static void debugMsg(String method, String message) {
+		if (debugLogUtil) {
+			System.out.println(method + ": " + message);
+		}
+	}
+
 	public static void setLevel(Logger logger, Level loglevel) {
 		Handler[] h = logger.getHandlers();
 		for (int i = 0; i < h.length; i++) {
+			System.out.println("setLevel " + loglevel.toString());
 			h[i].setLevel(loglevel);
 		}
 		logger.setLevel(loglevel);
 	}
 
 	public static Logger getLogger(String name) {
+		debugMsg("getLogger", name);
 		LogManager manager = LogManager.getLogManager();
 		// check if logger is already registered
 		Logger logger = manager.getLogger(name);
 		if (logger == null) {
 			logger = Logger.getLogger(name);
-			initLevel(logger, Level.OFF);
+			setLevel(logger, Level.OFF);
 			manager.addLogger(logger);
+			debugMsg("getLogger", "creating new logger");
 		}
-		logger.setLevel(null);
+		if (logger.getLevel() == null) {
+			debugMsg("getLogger", "level == null -> setLevel to OFF ");
+			setLevel(logger, Level.OFF);
+		}
+		debugMsg("getLogger", "logLevel " + logger.getLevel().getName());
 		return logger;
 	}
 
@@ -63,6 +79,7 @@ public class LogUtil {
 
 	private static void createLoggersFromProperties() {
 		try {
+			debugMsg(LogUtil.class.getName(), "createLoggersFromProperties");
 			InputStream is = LogUtil.class.getClassLoader()
 					.getResourceAsStream(PROPERTIES_FILE);
 			if (is == null) {
@@ -70,9 +87,15 @@ public class LogUtil {
 			} else {
 				Properties prop = new Properties();
 				prop.load(is);
+				debugMsg("createLoggersFromProperties",
+						"properties file loaded: " + PROPERTIES_FILE);
+				debugMsg("createLoggersFromProperties", "file content:\n"
+						+ prop.toString());
 				// get global debug enable flag
 				debugEnabled = Boolean.parseBoolean(prop.getProperty(PLUGIN_ID
 						+ "/debug"));
+				debugMsg("createLoggersFromProperties", "debuging enabled: "
+						+ debugEnabled);
 				// get and configure loggers
 				boolean moreLoggers = true;
 				int loggerCount = 0;
@@ -96,6 +119,9 @@ public class LogUtil {
 						}
 						Logger logger = getLogger(loggerName);
 						initLevel(logger, level);
+						debugMsg("createLoggersFromProperties",
+								"create logger " + loggerName + " with level "
+										+ level.toString());
 					} else {
 						moreLoggers = false;
 					}