diff --git a/pkg/log/config.go b/pkg/log/config.go
index 5b9f96eab..2242a88f3 100644
--- a/pkg/log/config.go
+++ b/pkg/log/config.go
@@ -31,8 +31,6 @@ const (
 	debugEnvVar = "LOGGER_DEBUG"
 	// logSourceEnvVar is the environment variable used to seed source logging.
 	logSourceEnvVar = "LOGGER_LOG_SOURCE"
-	// configModule is our module name in the runtime configuration.
-	configModule = "logger"
 )
 
 // srcmap tracks debugging settings for sources.
diff --git a/pkg/log/klogcontrol/klogcontrol.go b/pkg/log/klogcontrol/klogcontrol.go
index 3b52294ac..1765f23ef 100644
--- a/pkg/log/klogcontrol/klogcontrol.go
+++ b/pkg/log/klogcontrol/klogcontrol.go
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 	"flag"
 	"fmt"
-	"io/ioutil"
+	"io"
 	"os"
 	"strings"
 
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ func klogError(format string, args ...interface{}) error {
 
 // init discovers klog flags and sets up dynamic control for them.
 func init() {
-	ctl.SetOutput(ioutil.Discard)
+	ctl.SetOutput(io.Discard)
 	klog.InitFlags(ctl.FlagSet)
 	ctl.VisitAll(func(f *flag.Flag) {
 		if name, value, ok := getEnvForFlag(f.Name); ok {
@@ -84,7 +84,10 @@ func init() {
 			if f.Name == "skip_headers" {
 				if value, _ := os.LookupEnv("JOURNAL_STREAM"); value != "" {
 					klog.Infof("Logging to journald, forcing headers off...")
-					ctl.Set(f.Name, "true")
+					err := ctl.Set(f.Name, "true")
+					if err != nil {
+						klog.Warningf("failed to set klog flag %s to true: %v", f.Name, err)
+					}
 				}
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/pkg/log/log.go b/pkg/log/log.go
index 3f44e9698..ef736ec88 100644
--- a/pkg/log/log.go
+++ b/pkg/log/log.go
@@ -161,7 +161,10 @@ func DebugEnabled(source string) bool {
 func SetLevel(level Level) {
 	log.Lock()
 	defer log.Unlock()
-	log.setLevel(level)
+	err := log.setLevel(level)
+	if err != nil {
+		Default().Warn("failed to set log level to %v: %v", level, err)
+	}
 }
 
 // Flush flushes any pending log messages.
diff --git a/pkg/log/signal.go b/pkg/log/signal.go
index c7302d85d..62fb94340 100644
--- a/pkg/log/signal.go
+++ b/pkg/log/signal.go
@@ -35,12 +35,7 @@ func SetupDebugToggleSignal(sig os.Signal) {
 	go func(sig <-chan os.Signal) {
 		state := map[bool]string{false: "off", true: "on"}
 		for {
-			select {
-			case _, ok := <-sig:
-				if !ok {
-					return
-				}
-			}
+			<-sig
 			log.forced = !log.forced
 			deflog.Warn("forced full debugging is now %s...", state[log.forced])
 		}