diff --git a/.wordlist.txt b/.wordlist.txt
index fd703f4..e872a38 100644
--- a/.wordlist.txt
+++ b/.wordlist.txt
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ DigitalOcean
 Docusaurus
 EDB
 EKS
+Enum
 EnvVar
 GCP
 GKE
diff --git a/api/v1/objectstore_types.go b/api/v1/objectstore_types.go
index d9ceb52..5eeadf0 100644
--- a/api/v1/objectstore_types.go
+++ b/api/v1/objectstore_types.go
@@ -41,8 +41,15 @@ type InstanceSidecarConfiguration struct {
 	// AdditionalContainerArgs is an optional list of command-line arguments
 	// to be passed to the sidecar container when it starts.
 	// The provided arguments are appended to the container’s default arguments.
+	// +kubebuilder:validation:XValidation:rule="!self.exists(a, a.startsWith('--log-level'))",reason="FieldValueForbidden",message="do not set --log-level in additionalContainerArgs; use spec.instanceSidecarConfiguration.logLevel"
 	// +optional
 	AdditionalContainerArgs []string `json:"additionalContainerArgs,omitempty"`
+
+	// The log level for PostgreSQL instances. Valid values are: `error`, `warning`, `info` (default), `debug`, `trace`
+	// +kubebuilder:default:=info
+	// +kubebuilder:validation:Enum:=error;warning;info;debug;trace
+	// +optional
+	LogLevel string `json:"logLevel,omitempty"`
 }
 
 // ObjectStoreSpec defines the desired state of ObjectStore.
diff --git a/config/crd/bases/barmancloud.cnpg.io_objectstores.yaml b/config/crd/bases/barmancloud.cnpg.io_objectstores.yaml
index 8c7f005..7d12b8c 100644
--- a/config/crd/bases/barmancloud.cnpg.io_objectstores.yaml
+++ b/config/crd/bases/barmancloud.cnpg.io_objectstores.yaml
@@ -399,6 +399,11 @@ spec:
                     items:
                       type: string
                     type: array
+                    x-kubernetes-validations:
+                    - message: do not set --log-level in additionalContainerArgs;
+                        use spec.instanceSidecarConfiguration.logLevel
+                      reason: FieldValueForbidden
+                      rule: '!self.exists(a, a.startsWith(''--log-level''))'
                   env:
                     description: The environment to be explicitly passed to the sidecar
                     items:
@@ -557,6 +562,17 @@ spec:
                       - name
                       type: object
                     type: array
+                  logLevel:
+                    default: info
+                    description: 'The log level for PostgreSQL instances. Valid values
+                      are: `error`, `warning`, `info` (default), `debug`, `trace`'
+                    enum:
+                    - error
+                    - warning
+                    - info
+                    - debug
+                    - trace
+                    type: string
                   resources:
                     description: Resources define cpu/memory requests and limits for
                       the sidecar that runs in the instance pods.
diff --git a/hack/examples/minio-store.yaml b/hack/examples/minio-store.yaml
index 26ed965..cb9eb65 100644
--- a/hack/examples/minio-store.yaml
+++ b/hack/examples/minio-store.yaml
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ metadata:
 spec:
   retentionPolicy: "1m"
   instanceSidecarConfiguration:
+    logLevel: "debug"
     retentionPolicyIntervalSeconds: 1800
     resources:
       requests:
@@ -13,8 +14,6 @@ spec:
       limits:
         memory: "512Mi"
         cpu: "500m"
-    additionalContainerArgs:
-    - --log-level=debug
   configuration:
     endpointCA:
       name: minio-server-tls
diff --git a/internal/cnpgi/operator/lifecycle.go b/internal/cnpgi/operator/lifecycle.go
index d7eba1f..a777aaf 100644
--- a/internal/cnpgi/operator/lifecycle.go
+++ b/internal/cnpgi/operator/lifecycle.go
@@ -236,6 +236,19 @@ func (impl LifecycleImplementation) collectAdditionalInstanceArgs(
 	ctx context.Context,
 	pluginConfiguration *config.PluginConfiguration,
 ) ([]string, error) {
+	collectTypedAdditionalArgs := func(store *barmancloudv1.ObjectStore) []string {
+		if store == nil {
+			return nil
+		}
+
+		var args []string
+		if len(store.Spec.InstanceSidecarConfiguration.LogLevel) > 0 {
+			args = append(args, fmt.Sprintf("--log-level=%s", store.Spec.InstanceSidecarConfiguration.LogLevel))
+		}
+
+		return args
+	}
+
 	// Prefer the cluster object store (backup/archive). If not set, fallback to the recovery object store.
 	// If neither is configured, no additional args are provided.
 	if len(pluginConfiguration.BarmanObjectName) > 0 {
@@ -244,7 +257,12 @@ func (impl LifecycleImplementation) collectAdditionalInstanceArgs(
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("while getting barman object store %s: %w",
 				pluginConfiguration.GetBarmanObjectKey().String(), err)
 		}
-		return barmanObjectStore.Spec.InstanceSidecarConfiguration.AdditionalContainerArgs, nil
+		args := barmanObjectStore.Spec.InstanceSidecarConfiguration.AdditionalContainerArgs
+		args = append(
+			args,
+			collectTypedAdditionalArgs(&barmanObjectStore)...,
+		)
+		return args, nil
 	}
 
 	if len(pluginConfiguration.RecoveryBarmanObjectName) > 0 {
@@ -253,7 +271,12 @@ func (impl LifecycleImplementation) collectAdditionalInstanceArgs(
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("while getting recovery barman object store %s: %w",
 				pluginConfiguration.GetRecoveryBarmanObjectKey().String(), err)
 		}
-		return barmanObjectStore.Spec.InstanceSidecarConfiguration.AdditionalContainerArgs, nil
+		args := barmanObjectStore.Spec.InstanceSidecarConfiguration.AdditionalContainerArgs
+		args = append(
+			args,
+			collectTypedAdditionalArgs(&barmanObjectStore)...,
+		)
+		return args, nil
 	}
 
 	return nil, nil
diff --git a/internal/cnpgi/operator/lifecycle_test.go b/internal/cnpgi/operator/lifecycle_test.go
index 675d657..48692ff 100644
--- a/internal/cnpgi/operator/lifecycle_test.go
+++ b/internal/cnpgi/operator/lifecycle_test.go
@@ -313,6 +313,60 @@ var _ = Describe("LifecycleImplementation", func() {
 			Expect(err.Error()).To(ContainSubstring(ns + "/" + pc.RecoveryBarmanObjectName))
 			Expect(args).To(BeNil())
 		})
+
+		It("includes --log-level from primary object store when set", func(ctx SpecContext) {
+			ns := "test-ns"
+			cluster := &cnpgv1.Cluster{ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{Name: "c", Namespace: ns}}
+			pc := &config.PluginConfiguration{
+				Cluster:          cluster,
+				BarmanObjectName: "primary-store",
+			}
+			store := &barmancloudv1.ObjectStore{
+				TypeMeta:   metav1.TypeMeta{Kind: "ObjectStore", APIVersion: barmancloudv1.GroupVersion.String()},
+				ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{Name: pc.BarmanObjectName, Namespace: ns},
+				Spec: barmancloudv1.ObjectStoreSpec{
+					InstanceSidecarConfiguration: barmancloudv1.InstanceSidecarConfiguration{
+						AdditionalContainerArgs: []string{"--alpha"},
+						LogLevel:                "debug",
+					},
+				},
+			}
+			s := runtime.NewScheme()
+			_ = barmancloudv1.AddToScheme(s)
+			cli := fake.NewClientBuilder().WithScheme(s).WithRuntimeObjects(store).Build()
+
+			impl := LifecycleImplementation{Client: cli}
+			args, err := impl.collectAdditionalInstanceArgs(ctx, pc)
+			Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+			Expect(args).To(Equal([]string{"--alpha", "--log-level=debug"}))
+		})
+
+		It("includes --log-level from recovery object store when primary not set", func(ctx SpecContext) {
+			ns := "test-ns"
+			cluster := &cnpgv1.Cluster{ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{Name: "c", Namespace: ns}}
+			pc := &config.PluginConfiguration{
+				Cluster:                  cluster,
+				BarmanObjectName:         "",
+				RecoveryBarmanObjectName: "reco-store",
+			}
+			store := &barmancloudv1.ObjectStore{
+				TypeMeta:   metav1.TypeMeta{Kind: "ObjectStore", APIVersion: barmancloudv1.GroupVersion.String()},
+				ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{Name: pc.RecoveryBarmanObjectName, Namespace: ns},
+				Spec: barmancloudv1.ObjectStoreSpec{
+					InstanceSidecarConfiguration: barmancloudv1.InstanceSidecarConfiguration{
+						LogLevel: "info",
+					},
+				},
+			}
+			s := runtime.NewScheme()
+			_ = barmancloudv1.AddToScheme(s)
+			cli := fake.NewClientBuilder().WithScheme(s).WithRuntimeObjects(store).Build()
+
+			impl := LifecycleImplementation{Client: cli}
+			args, err := impl.collectAdditionalInstanceArgs(ctx, pc)
+			Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+			Expect(args).To(Equal([]string{"--log-level=info"}))
+		})
 	})
 })
 
diff --git a/manifest.yaml b/manifest.yaml
index 5641fed..f2d601d 100644
--- a/manifest.yaml
+++ b/manifest.yaml
@@ -398,6 +398,11 @@ spec:
                     items:
                       type: string
                     type: array
+                    x-kubernetes-validations:
+                    - message: do not set --log-level in additionalContainerArgs;
+                        use spec.instanceSidecarConfiguration.logLevel
+                      reason: FieldValueForbidden
+                      rule: '!self.exists(a, a.startsWith(''--log-level''))'
                   env:
                     description: The environment to be explicitly passed to the sidecar
                     items:
@@ -556,6 +561,17 @@ spec:
                       - name
                       type: object
                     type: array
+                  logLevel:
+                    default: info
+                    description: 'The log level for PostgreSQL instances. Valid values
+                      are: `error`, `warning`, `info` (default), `debug`, `trace`'
+                    enum:
+                    - error
+                    - warning
+                    - info
+                    - debug
+                    - trace
+                    type: string
                   resources:
                     description: Resources define cpu/memory requests and limits for
                       the sidecar that runs in the instance pods.
diff --git a/web/docs/plugin-barman-cloud.v1.md b/web/docs/plugin-barman-cloud.v1.md
index ea50bd9..7bd607c 100644
--- a/web/docs/plugin-barman-cloud.v1.md
+++ b/web/docs/plugin-barman-cloud.v1.md
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ _Appears in:_
 | `retentionPolicyIntervalSeconds` _integer_ | The retentionCheckInterval defines the frequency at which the<br />system checks and enforces retention policies. |  | 1800 |  |
 | `resources` _[ResourceRequirements](https://kubernetes.io/docs/reference/generated/kubernetes-api/v1.32/#resourcerequirements-v1-core)_ | Resources define cpu/memory requests and limits for the sidecar that runs in the instance pods. |  |  |  |
 | `additionalContainerArgs` _string array_ | AdditionalContainerArgs is an optional list of command-line arguments<br />to be passed to the sidecar container when it starts.<br />The provided arguments are appended to the container’s default arguments. |  |  |  |
+| `logLevel` _string_ | The log level for PostgreSQL instances. Valid values are: `error`, `warning`, `info` (default), `debug`, `trace` |  | info | Enum: [error warning info debug trace] <br /> |
 
 
 #### ObjectStore