diff --git a/cmd/totp-proxy/main.go b/cmd/totp-proxy/main.go
index c2a6032..7607067 100644
--- a/cmd/totp-proxy/main.go
+++ b/cmd/totp-proxy/main.go
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 func main() {
-	ctx := mctx.New()
+	ctx := m.NewServiceCtx()
 	logger := mlog.From(ctx)
 	cookieName := mcfg.String(ctx, "cookie-name", "_totp_proxy", "String to use as the name for cookies")
 	cookieTimeout := mcfg.Duration(ctx, "cookie-timeout", mtime.Duration{1 * time.Hour}, "Timeout for cookies")
diff --git a/m/m.go b/m/m.go
index 4e639a9..23ef500 100644
--- a/m/m.go
+++ b/m/m.go
@@ -24,11 +24,33 @@ func CfgSource() mcfg.Source {
 	}
 }
 
-// TODO Create a function, `NewService() mctx.Context` which preloads the
-// context with log-level param. Will one day also add debug server. Problem
-// comes because mlog isn't quite designed right and setting log-level from
-// config won't propagate changes to child contexts which have already called
-// mlog.From.
+// NewServiceCtx returns a Context which should be used as the root Context when
+// creating long running services, such as an RPC service or database.
+//
+// The returned Context will automatically handle setting up global
+// configuration parameters like "log-level", as well as an http endpoint where
+// debug information about the running process can be accessed.
+//
+// TODO set up the debug endpoint.
+func NewServiceCtx() mctx.Context {
+	ctx := mctx.New()
+
+	// set up log level handling
+	logLevelStr := mcfg.String(ctx, "log-level", "info", "Maximum log level which will be printed.")
+	mrun.OnStart(ctx, func(mctx.Context) error {
+		logLevel := mlog.LevelFromString(*logLevelStr)
+		if logLevel == nil {
+			return merr.New("invalid log level", "log-level", *logLevelStr)
+		}
+		mlog.CtxSetAll(ctx, func(_ mctx.Context, logger *mlog.Logger) *mlog.Logger {
+			logger.SetMaxLevel(logLevel)
+			return logger
+		})
+		return nil
+	})
+
+	return ctx
+}
 
 // Run performs the work of populating configuration parameters, triggering the
 // start event, waiting for an interrupt, and then triggering the stop event.
diff --git a/m/m_test.go b/m/m_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f20288a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/m/m_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+package m
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	. "testing"
+
+	"github.com/mediocregopher/mediocre-go-lib/mcfg"
+	"github.com/mediocregopher/mediocre-go-lib/mctx"
+	"github.com/mediocregopher/mediocre-go-lib/mlog"
+	"github.com/mediocregopher/mediocre-go-lib/mrun"
+	"github.com/mediocregopher/mediocre-go-lib/mtest/massert"
+)
+
+func TestServiceCtx(t *T) {
+	t.Run("log-level", func(t *T) {
+		ctx := NewServiceCtx()
+
+		// pull the Logger out of the ctx and set the Handler on it, so we can check
+		// the log level
+		var msgs []mlog.Message
+		logger := mlog.From(ctx)
+		logger.SetHandler(func(msg mlog.Message) error {
+			msgs = append(msgs, msg)
+			return nil
+		})
+
+		// create a child Context before running to ensure it the change propagates
+		// correctly.
+		ctxA := mctx.ChildOf(ctx, "A")
+
+		params := mcfg.ParamValues{{Name: "log-level", Value: json.RawMessage(`"DEBUG"`)}}
+		if err := mcfg.Populate(ctx, params); err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		} else if err := mrun.Start(ctx); err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+
+		mlog.From(ctxA).Info("foo")
+		mlog.From(ctxA).Debug("bar")
+		massert.Fatal(t, massert.All(
+			massert.Len(msgs, 2),
+			massert.Equal(msgs[0].Level.String(), "INFO"),
+			massert.Equal(msgs[0].Description.String(), "(/A) foo"),
+			massert.Equal(msgs[1].Level.String(), "DEBUG"),
+			massert.Equal(msgs[1].Description.String(), "(/A) bar"),
+		))
+	})
+}