diff --git a/cmd/config.go b/cmd/config.go
index 2966d3fef99..8f4c7cdec13 100644
--- a/cmd/config.go
+++ b/cmd/config.go
@@ -362,7 +362,7 @@ func validateConfig(c *Config) error {
 	}
 
 	for _, i := range c.Chains {
-		if err := i.Init(homePath, to, debug); err != nil {
+		if err := i.Init(homePath, to, nil, debug); err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("did you remember to run 'rly config init' error:%w", err)
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/relayer/chain.go b/relayer/chain.go
index 0d4ac41993e..044a5e5151c 100644
--- a/relayer/chain.go
+++ b/relayer/chain.go
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ func (c *Chain) listenLoop(doneChan chan struct{}, tx, block, data bool) {
 
 // Init initializes the pieces of a chain that aren't set when it parses a config
 // NOTE: All validation of the chain should happen here.
-func (c *Chain) Init(homePath string, timeout time.Duration, debug bool) error {
+func (c *Chain) Init(homePath string, timeout time.Duration, logger log.Logger, debug bool) error {
 	keybase, err := keys.New(c.ChainID, "test", keysDir(homePath, c.ChainID), nil)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -222,10 +222,15 @@ func (c *Chain) Init(homePath string, timeout time.Duration, debug bool) error {
 	c.Client = client
 	c.HomePath = homePath
 	c.Encoding = encodingConfig
-	c.logger = defaultChainLogger()
+	c.logger = logger
 	c.timeout = timeout
 	c.debug = debug
 	c.faucetAddrs = make(map[string]time.Time)
+
+	if c.logger == nil {
+		c.logger = defaultChainLogger()
+	}
+
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/test/test_setup.go b/test/test_setup.go
index 173e51ed4d6..ed4565b4bad 100644
--- a/test/test_setup.go
+++ b/test/test_setup.go
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ func spinUpTestContainer(t *testing.T, rchan chan<- *dockertest.Resource,
 	}
 
 	// initialize the chain
-	require.NoError(t, c.Init(dir, tc.t.timeout, debug))
+	require.NoError(t, c.Init(dir, tc.t.timeout, nil, debug))
 
 	// create the test key
 	require.NoError(t, c.CreateTestKey())