diff --git a/mopidy/__main__.py b/mopidy/__main__.py
index 32102b29..201c8826 100644
--- a/mopidy/__main__.py
+++ b/mopidy/__main__.py
@@ -21,12 +21,15 @@ from mopidy import commands, ext
 from mopidy.audio import Audio
 from mopidy import config as config_lib
 from mopidy.core import Core
-from mopidy.utils import deps, log, path, process
+from mopidy.utils import deps, log, path, process, versioning
 
 logger = logging.getLogger('mopidy.main')
 
 
 def main():
+    log.bootstrap_delayed_logging()
+    logger.info('Starting Mopidy %s', versioning.get_version())
+
     signal.signal(signal.SIGTERM, process.exit_handler)
     signal.signal(signal.SIGUSR1, pykka.debug.log_thread_tracebacks)
 
@@ -54,9 +57,14 @@ def main():
         # TODO: install extension subcommands.
 
         args = parser.parse_args(args=mopidy_args)
+        if args.command in ('deps', 'config'):
+            args.verbosity_level -= 1
+
         config, config_errors = config_lib.load(
             args.config_files, installed_extensions, args.config_overrides)
 
+        log.setup_logging(config, args.verbosity_level, args.save_debug_log)
+
         enabled_extensions = []
         for extension in installed_extensions:
             if not ext.validate_extension(extension):
@@ -92,7 +100,6 @@ def main():
         # Read-only config from here on, please.
         proxied_config = config_lib.Proxy(config)
 
-        log.setup_log_levels(proxied_config)
         ext.register_gstreamer_elements(enabled_extensions)
 
         # Anything that wants to exit after this point must use
diff --git a/mopidy/utils/log.py b/mopidy/utils/log.py
index 9f3c973d..f7877614 100644
--- a/mopidy/utils/log.py
+++ b/mopidy/utils/log.py
@@ -4,14 +4,40 @@ import logging
 import logging.config
 import logging.handlers
 
-from . import versioning
+
+class DelayedHandler(logging.Handler):
+    def __init__(self):
+        logging.Handler.__init__(self)
+        self._released = False
+        self._buffer = []
+
+    def handle(self, record):
+        if not self._released:
+            self._buffer.append(record)
+
+    def release(self):
+        self._released = True
+        root = logging.getLogger('')
+        while self._buffer:
+            root.handle(self._buffer.pop(0))
+
+
+_delayed_handler = DelayedHandler()
+
+
+def bootstrap_delayed_logging():
+    root = logging.getLogger('')
+    root.setLevel(logging.DEBUG)
+    root.addHandler(_delayed_handler)
 
 
 def setup_logging(config, verbosity_level, save_debug_log):
-    setup_root_logger()
     setup_console_logging(config, verbosity_level)
+    setup_log_levels(config)
+
     if save_debug_log:
         setup_debug_logging_to_file(config)
+
     if hasattr(logging, 'captureWarnings'):
         # New in Python 2.7
         logging.captureWarnings(True)
@@ -19,8 +45,7 @@ def setup_logging(config, verbosity_level, save_debug_log):
     if config['logging']['config_file']:
         logging.config.fileConfig(config['logging']['config_file'])
 
-    logger = logging.getLogger('mopidy.utils.log')
-    logger.info('Starting Mopidy %s', versioning.get_version())
+    _delayed_handler.release()
 
 
 def setup_log_levels(config):
@@ -28,11 +53,6 @@ def setup_log_levels(config):
         logging.getLogger(name).setLevel(level)
 
 
-def setup_root_logger():
-    root = logging.getLogger('')
-    root.setLevel(logging.DEBUG)
-
-
 def setup_console_logging(config, verbosity_level):
     if verbosity_level < 0:
         log_level = logging.WARNING