diff --git a/gtk/MessageLogWindow.cc b/gtk/MessageLogWindow.cc
index 656bab723..e9717d896 100644
--- a/gtk/MessageLogWindow.cc
+++ b/gtk/MessageLogWindow.cc
@@ -141,13 +141,19 @@ void MessageLogWindow::Impl::scroll_to_bottom()
 
 void MessageLogWindow::Impl::level_combo_init(Gtk::ComboBox* level_combo) const
 {
+    auto const pref_level = static_cast<tr_log_level>(gtr_pref_int_get(TR_KEY_message_level));
+    auto const default_level = TR_LOG_INFO;
+
+    auto has_pref_level = false;
     auto items = std::vector<std::pair<Glib::ustring, int>>{};
     for (auto const& [level, name] : level_names_)
     {
         items.emplace_back(name, level);
+        has_pref_level |= level == pref_level;
     }
+
     gtr_combo_box_set_enum(*level_combo, items);
-    gtr_combo_box_set_active_enum(*level_combo, gtr_pref_int_get(TR_KEY_message_level));
+    gtr_combo_box_set_active_enum(*level_combo, has_pref_level ? pref_level : default_level);
 }
 
 void MessageLogWindow::Impl::level_combo_changed_cb(Gtk::ComboBox* combo_box)
@@ -461,7 +467,6 @@ MessageLogWindow::Impl::Impl(
           { TR_LOG_WARN, C_("Logging level", "Warning") },
           { TR_LOG_INFO, C_("Logging level", "Information") },
           { TR_LOG_DEBUG, C_("Logging level", "Debug") },
-          { TR_LOG_TRACE, C_("Logging level", "Trace") },
       } }
 {
     /**
@@ -508,5 +513,7 @@ MessageLogWindow::Impl::Impl(
     appendColumn(view_, message_log_cols.name);
     appendColumn(view_, message_log_cols.message);
 
+    level_combo_changed_cb(level_combo);
+
     scroll_to_bottom();
 }
diff --git a/libtransmission/session.cc b/libtransmission/session.cc
index b1f7110d8..309235ba4 100644
--- a/libtransmission/session.cc
+++ b/libtransmission/session.cc
@@ -369,6 +369,9 @@ void tr_sessionGetSettings(tr_session const* session, tr_variant* setme_dictiona
     session->settings_.save(setme_dictionary);
     session->alt_speeds_.save(setme_dictionary);
     session->rpc_server_->save(setme_dictionary);
+
+    tr_variantDictRemove(setme_dictionary, TR_KEY_message_level);
+    tr_variantDictAddInt(setme_dictionary, TR_KEY_message_level, tr_logGetLevel());
 }
 
 static void getSettingsFilename(tr_pathbuf& setme, char const* config_dir, char const* appname)
diff --git a/libtransmission/variant-converters.cc b/libtransmission/variant-converters.cc
index ec6280ef1..12b6f0c7c 100644
--- a/libtransmission/variant-converters.cc
+++ b/libtransmission/variant-converters.cc
@@ -101,16 +101,7 @@ std::optional<tr_encryption_mode> VariantConverter::load<tr_encryption_mode>(tr_
 template<>
 void VariantConverter::save<tr_encryption_mode>(tr_variant* tgt, tr_encryption_mode const& val)
 {
-    using namespace EncryptionHelpers;
-
-    for (auto const& [key, value] : Keys)
-    {
-        if (value == val)
-        {
-            tr_variantInitStrView(tgt, key);
-            return;
-        }
-    }
+    tr_variantInitInt(tgt, val);
 }
 
 ///
@@ -165,16 +156,7 @@ std::optional<tr_log_level> VariantConverter::load<tr_log_level>(tr_variant* src
 template<>
 void VariantConverter::save<tr_log_level>(tr_variant* tgt, tr_log_level const& val)
 {
-    using namespace LogLevelHelpers;
-
-    for (auto const& [key, value] : Keys)
-    {
-        if (value == val)
-        {
-            tr_variantInitStrView(tgt, key);
-            return;
-        }
-    }
+    tr_variantInitInt(tgt, val);
 }
 
 ///
@@ -273,16 +255,7 @@ std::optional<tr_preallocation_mode> VariantConverter::load<tr_preallocation_mod
 template<>
 void VariantConverter::save<tr_preallocation_mode>(tr_variant* tgt, tr_preallocation_mode const& val)
 {
-    using namespace PreallocationModeHelpers;
-
-    for (auto const& [key, value] : Keys)
-    {
-        if (value == val)
-        {
-            tr_variantInitStrView(tgt, key);
-            return;
-        }
-    }
+    tr_variantInitInt(tgt, val);
 }
 
 ///
diff --git a/tests/libtransmission/settings-test.cc b/tests/libtransmission/settings-test.cc
index b514cd7b6..ade4f1c5f 100644
--- a/tests/libtransmission/settings-test.cc
+++ b/tests/libtransmission/settings-test.cc
@@ -128,9 +128,9 @@ TEST_F(SettingsTest, canSaveEncryptionMode)
     auto dict = tr_variant{};
     tr_variantInitDict(&dict, 100);
     settings.save(&dict);
-    auto val = std::string_view{};
-    EXPECT_TRUE(tr_variantDictFindStrView(&dict, Key, &val));
-    EXPECT_EQ("required"sv, val);
+    auto val = int64_t{};
+    EXPECT_TRUE(tr_variantDictFindInt(&dict, Key, &val));
+    EXPECT_EQ(ExpectedValue, val);
     tr_variantClear(&dict);
 }
 
@@ -171,9 +171,9 @@ TEST_F(SettingsTest, canSaveLogLevel)
     tr_variantInitDict(&dict, 100);
     settings.log_level = ExpectedValue;
     settings.save(&dict);
-    auto val = std::string_view{};
-    EXPECT_TRUE(tr_variantDictFindStrView(&dict, Key, &val));
-    EXPECT_EQ("debug", val);
+    auto val = int64_t{};
+    EXPECT_TRUE(tr_variantDictFindInt(&dict, Key, &val));
+    EXPECT_EQ(ExpectedValue, val);
     tr_variantClear(&dict);
 }
 
@@ -293,9 +293,9 @@ TEST_F(SettingsTest, canSavePreallocation)
     tr_variantInitDict(&dict, 100);
     settings.preallocation_mode = ExpectedValue;
     settings.save(&dict);
-    auto val = std::string_view{};
-    EXPECT_TRUE(tr_variantDictFindStrView(&dict, Key, &val));
-    EXPECT_EQ("full", val);
+    auto val = int64_t{};
+    EXPECT_TRUE(tr_variantDictFindInt(&dict, Key, &val));
+    EXPECT_EQ(ExpectedValue, val);
     tr_variantClear(&dict);
 }