diff --git a/ai_diplomacy/clients.py b/ai_diplomacy/clients.py
index ca1c15b..61b5819 100644
--- a/ai_diplomacy/clients.py
+++ b/ai_diplomacy/clients.py
@@ -454,6 +454,8 @@ class BaseModelClient:
         else:
             # Load generic conversation instructions
             instructions = load_prompt(get_prompt_path("conversation_instructions.txt"), prompts_dir=self.prompts_dir)
+        
+        logger.debug(f"[{power_name}] Conversation instructions: {instructions}")
 
         # KEEP ORIGINAL: Use build_context_prompt as before
         context = build_context_prompt(
@@ -468,6 +470,8 @@ class BaseModelClient:
             prompts_dir=self.prompts_dir,
         )
 
+        logger.debug(f"[{power_name}] Conversation context: {context}")
+
         # KEEP ORIGINAL: Get recent messages targeting this power to prioritize responses
         recent_messages_to_power = game_history.get_recent_messages_to_power(power_name, limit=3)
 
diff --git a/ai_diplomacy/game_history.py b/ai_diplomacy/game_history.py
index 0e0ce2f..5652fed 100644
--- a/ai_diplomacy/game_history.py
+++ b/ai_diplomacy/game_history.py
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@ from typing import Dict, List, Optional
 import re
 
 logger = logging.getLogger("utils")
-logger.setLevel(logging.INFO)
-logging.basicConfig(level=logging.INFO)
+# Level inherited from root (set in lm_game.py); use --debug for DEBUG globally.
+
 load_dotenv()
 
 
diff --git a/ai_diplomacy/negotiations.py b/ai_diplomacy/negotiations.py
index b21696f..6ce8135 100644
--- a/ai_diplomacy/negotiations.py
+++ b/ai_diplomacy/negotiations.py
@@ -13,8 +13,7 @@ if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from diplomacy import Game
 
 logger = logging.getLogger("negotiations")
-logger.setLevel(logging.INFO)
-logging.basicConfig(level=logging.INFO)
+# Level inherited from root (set in lm_game.py); use --debug for DEBUG globally.
 
 load_dotenv()
 
diff --git a/ai_diplomacy/utils.py b/ai_diplomacy/utils.py
index e1ab2e9..66a3073 100644
--- a/ai_diplomacy/utils.py
+++ b/ai_diplomacy/utils.py
@@ -24,8 +24,7 @@ if TYPE_CHECKING:
     # from .agent import DiplomacyAgent
 
 logger = logging.getLogger("utils")
-logger.setLevel(logging.INFO)
-logging.basicConfig(level=logging.INFO)
+# Level inherited from root (set in lm_game.py); use --debug for DEBUG globally.
 
 load_dotenv()
 
diff --git a/lm_game.py b/lm_game.py
index 8961b06..b0ad1f2 100644
--- a/lm_game.py
+++ b/lm_game.py
@@ -205,8 +205,7 @@ async def main():
     config.DEBUG = getattr(args, "debug", False)
     if config.DEBUG:
         logging.getLogger().setLevel(logging.DEBUG)
-        # debug_log_llm_io() in ai_diplomacy.utils uses logger.debug(); ensure that logger is not capped at INFO
-        logging.getLogger("utils").setLevel(logging.DEBUG)
+        # Named loggers (negotiations, utils, etc.) inherit root when they don't set their own level.
         logger.info("Debug mode enabled: logger.debug() messages and every LLM input/output will be shown.")
 
     logger.info(f"args.simple_prompts = {args.simple_prompts} (type: {type(args.simple_prompts)}), args.prompts_dir = {args.prompts_dir}")