diff --git a/zebrad/src/application.rs b/zebrad/src/application.rs
index df41a2b3..24956341 100644
--- a/zebrad/src/application.rs
+++ b/zebrad/src/application.rs
@@ -139,16 +139,24 @@ impl Application for ZebradApp {
             .map(ZebradCmd::is_server)
             .unwrap_or(false);
 
-        // Launch network endpoints for long-running commands
+        // Launch network endpoints only for long-running commands.
         if is_server {
-            let filter = cfg_ref.tracing.filter.as_deref().unwrap_or(default_filter);
-            let flame_root = cfg_ref.tracing.flamegraph.as_deref();
-            components.push(Box::new(Tracing::new(filter, flame_root)?));
+            // Override the default tracing filter based on the command-line verbosity.
+            let mut tracing_config = cfg_ref.tracing.clone();
+            tracing_config.filter = tracing_config
+                .filter
+                .or_else(|| Some(default_filter.to_owned()));
+
+            components.push(Box::new(Tracing::new(tracing_config)?));
             components.push(Box::new(TokioComponent::new()?));
             components.push(Box::new(TracingEndpoint::new(cfg_ref)?));
             components.push(Box::new(MetricsEndpoint::new(cfg_ref)?));
         } else {
-            components.push(Box::new(Tracing::new(default_filter, None)?));
+            // Don't apply the configured filter for short-lived commands.
+            let mut tracing_config = cfg_ref.tracing.clone();
+            tracing_config.filter = Some(default_filter.to_owned());
+            tracing_config.flamegraph = None;
+            components.push(Box::new(Tracing::new(tracing_config)?));
         }
 
         self.state.components.register(components)
diff --git a/zebrad/src/components/tracing/component.rs b/zebrad/src/components/tracing/component.rs
index 48f510cc..3ee54aa7 100644
--- a/zebrad/src/components/tracing/component.rs
+++ b/zebrad/src/components/tracing/component.rs
@@ -1,12 +1,11 @@
-use std::path::Path;
-
+use abscissa_core::{Component, FrameworkError, FrameworkErrorKind, Shutdown};
 use tracing_error::ErrorLayer;
 use tracing_subscriber::{
     fmt::Formatter, layer::SubscriberExt, reload::Handle, util::SubscriberInitExt, EnvFilter,
     FmtSubscriber,
 };
 
-use abscissa_core::{Component, FrameworkError, FrameworkErrorKind, Shutdown};
+use crate::config::TracingSection;
 
 use super::flame;
 
@@ -18,7 +17,10 @@ pub struct Tracing {
 
 impl Tracing {
     /// Try to create a new [`Tracing`] component with the given `filter`.
-    pub fn new(filter: &str, flame_root: Option<&Path>) -> Result<Self, FrameworkError> {
+    pub fn new(config: TracingSection) -> Result<Self, FrameworkError> {
+        let filter = config.filter.unwrap_or_else(|| "".to_string());
+        let flame_root = &config.flamegraph;
+
         // Construct a tracing subscriber with the supplied filter and enable reloading.
         let builder = FmtSubscriber::builder()
             .with_ansi(true)