diff --git a/src/cli_util.rs b/src/cli_util.rs
index 57858564a..051f3fa2d 100644
--- a/src/cli_util.rs
+++ b/src/cli_util.rs
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ use jujutsu_lib::working_copy::{
 use jujutsu_lib::workspace::{Workspace, WorkspaceInitError, WorkspaceLoadError};
 use jujutsu_lib::{dag_walk, file_util, git, revset};
 use thiserror::Error;
+use tracing_subscriber::prelude::*;
 
 use crate::formatter::Formatter;
 use crate::merge_tools::{ConflictResolveError, DiffEditError};
@@ -218,6 +219,45 @@ impl From<clap::Error> for CommandError {
     }
 }
 
+/// Handle to initialize or change tracing subscription.
+#[derive(Clone, Debug)]
+pub struct TracingSubscription {
+    reload_log_filter: tracing_subscriber::reload::Handle<
+        tracing_subscriber::EnvFilter,
+        tracing_subscriber::Registry,
+    >,
+}
+
+impl TracingSubscription {
+    /// Initializes tracing with the default configuration. This should be
+    /// called as early as possible.
+    pub fn init() -> Self {
+        let filter = tracing_subscriber::EnvFilter::builder()
+            .with_default_directive(tracing::metadata::LevelFilter::INFO.into())
+            .from_env_lossy();
+        let (filter, reload_log_filter) = tracing_subscriber::reload::Layer::new(filter);
+        tracing_subscriber::registry()
+            .with(filter)
+            .with(tracing_subscriber::fmt::Layer::default().with_writer(std::io::stderr))
+            .init();
+        TracingSubscription { reload_log_filter }
+    }
+
+    pub fn enable_verbose_logging(&self) -> Result<(), CommandError> {
+        self.reload_log_filter
+            .modify(|filter| {
+                *filter = tracing_subscriber::EnvFilter::builder()
+                    .with_default_directive(tracing::metadata::LevelFilter::DEBUG.into())
+                    .from_env_lossy()
+            })
+            .map_err(|err| {
+                CommandError::InternalError(format!("failed to enable verbose logging: {err:?}"))
+            })?;
+        tracing::debug!("verbose logging enabled");
+        Ok(())
+    }
+}
+
 pub struct CommandHelper {
     app: clap::Command,
     string_args: Vec<String>,
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index a50395dae..ed9f178e2 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -12,33 +12,17 @@
 // See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 // limitations under the License.
 
-use jujutsu::cli_util::{handle_command_result, parse_args, CommandError};
+use jujutsu::cli_util::{handle_command_result, parse_args, CommandError, TracingSubscription};
 use jujutsu::commands::{default_app, run_command};
 use jujutsu::config::read_config;
 use jujutsu::ui::Ui;
-use tracing::metadata::LevelFilter;
-use tracing_subscriber::prelude::*;
-use tracing_subscriber::reload::Handle;
-use tracing_subscriber::EnvFilter;
 
-fn run(
-    ui: &mut Ui,
-    reload_log_filter: Handle<EnvFilter, impl tracing::Subscriber>,
-) -> Result<(), CommandError> {
+fn run(ui: &mut Ui, tracing_subscription: &TracingSubscription) -> Result<(), CommandError> {
     ui.reset(read_config()?);
     let app = default_app();
     let (command_helper, matches) = parse_args(ui, app, std::env::args_os())?;
     if command_helper.global_args().verbose {
-        reload_log_filter
-            .modify(|filter| {
-                *filter = EnvFilter::builder()
-                    .with_default_directive(LevelFilter::DEBUG.into())
-                    .from_env_lossy()
-            })
-            .map_err(|err| {
-                CommandError::InternalError(format!("failed to enable verbose logging: {err:?}"))
-            })?;
-        tracing::debug!("verbose logging enabled");
+        tracing_subscription.enable_verbose_logging()?;
     }
     run_command(ui, &command_helper, &matches)
 }
@@ -48,18 +32,10 @@ fn main() {
     // having verbose logging set up as early as possible, and to support
     // custom commands. See discussion on:
     // https://github.com/martinvonz/jj/pull/771
-    let filter = EnvFilter::builder()
-        .with_default_directive(LevelFilter::INFO.into())
-        .from_env_lossy();
-    let (filter, reload_log_filter) = tracing_subscriber::reload::Layer::new(filter);
-    tracing_subscriber::registry()
-        .with(filter)
-        .with(tracing_subscriber::fmt::Layer::default().with_writer(std::io::stderr))
-        .init();
-
+    let tracing_subscription = TracingSubscription::init();
     jujutsu::cleanup_guard::init();
     let mut ui = Ui::new();
-    let result = run(&mut ui, reload_log_filter);
+    let result = run(&mut ui, &tracing_subscription);
     let exit_code = handle_command_result(&mut ui, result);
     ui.finalize_writes();
     std::process::exit(exit_code);
diff --git a/tests/test_global_opts.rs b/tests/test_global_opts.rs
index 435948bb6..a483fcdfe 100644
--- a/tests/test_global_opts.rs
+++ b/tests/test_global_opts.rs
@@ -305,5 +305,5 @@ fn test_verbose_logging_enabled() {
         .split_at(36);
     // The log format is currently Pretty so we include the terminal markup.
     // Luckily, insta will print this in colour when reviewing.
-    insta::assert_snapshot!(log_line, @"\u{1b}[34mDEBUG\u{1b}[0m \u{1b}[2mjj\u{1b}[0m\u{1b}[2m:\u{1b}[0m verbose logging enabled");
+    insta::assert_snapshot!(log_line, @"DEBUG jujutsu::cli_util: verbose logging enabled");
 }