diff --git a/components/log/include/esp_log.h b/components/log/include/esp_log.h
index 02f7d167fe..d46e8068b1 100644
--- a/components/log/include/esp_log.h
+++ b/components/log/include/esp_log.h
@@ -71,6 +71,16 @@ extern esp_log_level_t esp_log_default_level;
  */
 void esp_log_level_set(const char* tag, esp_log_level_t level);
 
+/**
+ * @brief Get log level for given tag, can be used to avoid expensive log statements
+ *
+ * @param tag Tag of the log to query current level. Must be a non-NULL zero terminated
+ *            string.
+ *
+ * @return The current log level for the given tag
+ */
+esp_log_level_t esp_log_level_get(const char* tag);
+
 /**
  * @brief Set function used to output log entries
  *
diff --git a/components/log/log.c b/components/log/log.c
index 9af956516c..4ac47c5b14 100644
--- a/components/log/log.c
+++ b/components/log/log.c
@@ -141,6 +141,35 @@ void esp_log_level_set(const char *tag, esp_log_level_t level)
     esp_log_impl_unlock();
 }
 
+
+/* Common code for getting the log level from cache, esp_log_impl_lock()
+   should be called before calling this function. The function unlocks,
+   as indicated in the name.
+*/
+static esp_log_level_t s_log_level_get_and_unlock(const char *tag)
+{
+    esp_log_level_t level_for_tag;
+    // Look for the tag in cache first, then in the linked list of all tags
+    if (!get_cached_log_level(tag, &level_for_tag)) {
+        if (!get_uncached_log_level(tag, &level_for_tag)) {
+            level_for_tag = esp_log_default_level;
+        }
+        add_to_cache(tag, level_for_tag);
+#ifdef LOG_BUILTIN_CHECKS
+        ++s_log_cache_misses;
+#endif
+    }
+    esp_log_impl_unlock();
+
+    return level_for_tag;
+}
+
+esp_log_level_t esp_log_level_get(const char *tag)
+{
+    esp_log_impl_lock();
+    return s_log_level_get_and_unlock(tag);
+}
+
 void clear_log_level_list(void)
 {
     uncached_tag_entry_t *it;
@@ -163,18 +192,7 @@ void esp_log_writev(esp_log_level_t level,
     if (!esp_log_impl_lock_timeout()) {
         return;
     }
-    esp_log_level_t level_for_tag;
-    // Look for the tag in cache first, then in the linked list of all tags
-    if (!get_cached_log_level(tag, &level_for_tag)) {
-        if (!get_uncached_log_level(tag, &level_for_tag)) {
-            level_for_tag = esp_log_default_level;
-        }
-        add_to_cache(tag, level_for_tag);
-#ifdef LOG_BUILTIN_CHECKS
-        ++s_log_cache_misses;
-#endif
-    }
-    esp_log_impl_unlock();
+    esp_log_level_t level_for_tag = s_log_level_get_and_unlock(tag);
     if (!should_output(level, level_for_tag)) {
         return;
     }