diff --git a/stacks-common/src/util/log.rs b/stacks-common/src/util/log.rs
index 15d427a66..b3697baee 100644
--- a/stacks-common/src/util/log.rs
+++ b/stacks-common/src/util/log.rs
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ use std::time::{Duration, SystemTime};
 
 lazy_static! {
     pub static ref LOGGER: Logger = make_logger();
+    pub static ref STACKS_LOG_FORMAT_TIME: Result<String, env::VarError> =
+        env::var("STACKS_LOG_FORMAT_TIME");
 }
 struct TermFormat<D: Decorator> {
     decorator: D,
@@ -42,19 +44,22 @@ fn print_msg_header(mut rd: &mut dyn RecordDecorator, record: &Record) -> io::Re
 
     rd.start_timestamp()?;
     let system_time = SystemTime::now();
-    if env::var("BLOCKSTACK_FORMAT_TIME") != Ok("1".into()) {
-        let elapsed = system_time
-            .duration_since(SystemTime::UNIX_EPOCH)
-            .unwrap_or(Duration::from_secs(0));
-        write!(
-            rd,
-            "[{:5}.{:06}]",
-            elapsed.as_secs(),
-            elapsed.subsec_nanos() / 1000
-        )?;
-    } else {
-        let datetime: DateTime<Local> = system_time.into();
-        write!(rd, "[{}]", datetime.format("%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S"))?;
+    match &*STACKS_LOG_FORMAT_TIME {
+        Err(e) => {
+            let elapsed = system_time
+                .duration_since(SystemTime::UNIX_EPOCH)
+                .unwrap_or(Duration::from_secs(0));
+            write!(
+                rd,
+                "[{:5}.{:06}]",
+                elapsed.as_secs(),
+                elapsed.subsec_nanos() / 1000
+            )?;
+        }
+        Ok(ref format) => {
+            let datetime: DateTime<Local> = system_time.into();
+            write!(rd, "[{}]", datetime.format(format))?;
+        }
     }
     write!(rd, " ")?;
     write!(rd, "[{}:{}]", record.file(), record.line())?;