diff --git a/src/charon/plugins/sql/pool.c b/src/charon/plugins/sql/pool.c
index 55d82dac7..68c2dac48 100644
--- a/src/charon/plugins/sql/pool.c
+++ b/src/charon/plugins/sql/pool.c
@@ -589,22 +589,6 @@ static void cleanup(void)
 	DESTROY_IF(end);
 }
 
-/**
- * Logging hook for library logs, using stderr output
- */
-static void dbg_stderr(int level, char *fmt, ...)
-{
-	va_list args;
-
-	if (level <= 1)
-	{
-		va_start(args, fmt);
-		vfprintf(stderr, fmt, args);
-		fprintf(stderr, "\n");
-		va_end(args);
-	}
-}
-
 int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
 	char *uri, *name = "", *filter = "";
@@ -620,7 +604,6 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 		OP_PURGE,
 	} operation = OP_USAGE;
 
-	dbg = dbg_stderr;
 	atexit(library_deinit);
 
 	/* initialize library */
diff --git a/src/libstrongswan/debug.c b/src/libstrongswan/debug.c
index 5bd4243d7..51b7875d8 100644
--- a/src/libstrongswan/debug.c
+++ b/src/libstrongswan/debug.c
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@
  */
 
 #include <stdarg.h>
-#include <stdio.h>
 
 #include "debug.h"
 
diff --git a/src/libstrongswan/debug.h b/src/libstrongswan/debug.h
index c3b71cee3..085795acb 100644
--- a/src/libstrongswan/debug.h
+++ b/src/libstrongswan/debug.h
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@
 #ifndef DEBUG_H_
 #define DEBUG_H_
 
+#include <stdio.h>
+
 #ifndef DEBUG_LEVEL
 # define DEBUG_LEVEL 4
 #endif /* DEBUG_LEVEL */
diff --git a/src/pki/command.c b/src/pki/command.c
index 8f5bc14f8..246ddfe43 100644
--- a/src/pki/command.c
+++ b/src/pki/command.c
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ int command_getopt(char **arg)
 				}
 				continue;
 			case 'v':
-				dbg_level = atoi(optarg);
+				dbg_default_set_level(atoi(optarg));
 				continue;
 			default:
 				*arg = optarg;
diff --git a/src/pki/pki.c b/src/pki/pki.c
index 0642bedc3..0912d5051 100644
--- a/src/pki/pki.c
+++ b/src/pki/pki.c
@@ -18,27 +18,6 @@
 
 #include <debug.h>
 
-/**
- * Default debug level
- */
-int dbg_level = 1;
-
-/**
- * Logging to stderr with configurable debug level
- */
-void dbg_pki(int level, char *fmt, ...)
-{
-	if (level <= dbg_level)
-	{
-		va_list args;
-
-		va_start(args, fmt);
-		vfprintf(stderr, fmt, args);
-		fprintf(stderr, "\n");
-		va_end(args);
-	}
-}
-
 /**
  * Convert a form string to a encoding type
  */
@@ -101,8 +80,6 @@ hash_algorithm_t get_digest(char *name)
  */
 int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
-	dbg = dbg_pki;
-
 	atexit(library_deinit);
 	if (!library_init(NULL))
 	{
diff --git a/src/pki/pki.h b/src/pki/pki.h
index 135749d47..893ab52e2 100644
--- a/src/pki/pki.h
+++ b/src/pki/pki.h
@@ -26,11 +26,6 @@
 #include <library.h>
 #include <credentials/keys/private_key.h>
 
-/**
- * Defines the settable debug level
- */
-extern int dbg_level;
-
 /**
  * Convert a form string to a encoding type
  */