diff --git a/src/libbpf.c b/src/libbpf.c
index 8da5181..5b0d87e 100644
--- a/src/libbpf.c
+++ b/src/libbpf.c
@@ -9139,7 +9139,8 @@ static int bpf_object_load(struct bpf_object *obj, int extra_log_level, const ch
 	 * permit cross-endian creation of "light skeleton".
 	 */
 	if (obj->gen_loader) {
-		bpf_gen__init(obj->gen_loader, extra_log_level, obj->nr_programs, obj->nr_maps);
+		bpf_gen__init(obj->gen_loader, obj->log_level | extra_log_level,
+			      obj->nr_programs, obj->nr_maps);
 	} else if (!is_native_endianness(obj)) {
 		pr_warn("object '%s': loading non-native endianness is unsupported\n", obj->name);
 		return libbpf_err(-LIBBPF_ERRNO__ENDIAN);