diff --git a/hw/xfree86/common/xf86Init.c b/hw/xfree86/common/xf86Init.c
index 106f238ca..24547096f 100644
--- a/hw/xfree86/common/xf86Init.c
+++ b/hw/xfree86/common/xf86Init.c
@@ -877,7 +877,7 @@ void
 xf86SetLogVerbosity(int verb)
 {
     xf86LogVerbose = verb;
-    LogSetParameter(XLOG_FILE_VERBOSITY, verb);
+    xorgLogFileVerbosity = verb;
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/hw/xwin/InitOutput.c b/hw/xwin/InitOutput.c
index c33584082..d2d0d1e43 100644
--- a/hw/xwin/InitOutput.c
+++ b/hw/xwin/InitOutput.c
@@ -543,7 +543,7 @@ OsVendorInit(void)
 
     }
     xorgLogVerbosity = g_iLogVerbose;
-    LogSetParameter(XLOG_FILE_VERBOSITY, g_iLogVerbose);
+    xorgLogFileVerbosity = g_iLogVerbose;
 
     /* Log the version information */
     if (serverGeneration == 1)
diff --git a/os/log.c b/os/log.c
index 1889dcfdb..c1fe800f0 100644
--- a/os/log.c
+++ b/os/log.c
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ void (*OsVendorVErrorFProc) (const char *, va_list args) = NULL;
 static int logFileFd = -1;
 static Bool logSync = FALSE;
 int xorgLogVerbosity = DEFAULT_LOG_VERBOSITY;
-static int logFileVerbosity = DEFAULT_LOG_FILE_VERBOSITY;
+int xorgLogFileVerbosity = DEFAULT_LOG_FILE_VERBOSITY;
 
 /* Buffer to information logged before the log file is opened. */
 static char *saveBuffer = NULL;
@@ -322,7 +322,7 @@ LogSetParameter(LogParameter param, int value)
         xorgLogVerbosity = value;
         return TRUE;
     case XLOG_FILE_VERBOSITY:
-        logFileVerbosity = value;
+        xorgLogFileVerbosity = value;
         return TRUE;
     default:
         return FALSE;
@@ -571,7 +571,7 @@ LogSWrite(int verb, const char *buf, size_t len, Bool end_line)
     if (verb < 0 || xorgLogVerbosity >= verb)
         ret = write(2, buf, len);
 
-    if (verb < 0 || logFileVerbosity >= verb) {
+    if (verb < 0 || xorgLogFileVerbosity >= verb) {
         if (inSignalContext && logFileFd >= 0) {
             ret = write(logFileFd, buf, len);
             if (logSync)
@@ -620,7 +620,7 @@ LogMessageTypeVerbString(MessageType type, int verb)
     if (type == X_ERROR)
         verb = 0;
 
-    if (xorgLogVerbosity < verb && logFileVerbosity < verb)
+    if (xorgLogVerbosity < verb && xorgLogFileVerbosity < verb)
         return NULL;
 
     switch (type) {
diff --git a/os/log_priv.h b/os/log_priv.h
index cf81e0db4..28f6fb26c 100644
--- a/os/log_priv.h
+++ b/os/log_priv.h
@@ -76,4 +76,12 @@ int LogSetParameter(LogParameter param, int value);
  */
 extern int xorgLogVerbosity;
 
+/**
+ * @brief log file verbosity
+ *
+ * The verbosity level of logging to per-display file. All messages with
+ * verbosity level below this one will be written to the log file.
+ */
+extern int xorgLogFileVerbosity;
+
 #endif /* __XORG_OS_LOGGING_H */