diff --git a/rollbar/__init__.py b/rollbar/__init__.py
index 357b200a..06508207 100644
--- a/rollbar/__init__.py
+++ b/rollbar/__init__.py
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ def init(access_token, environment='production', **kw):
             agent_log = _create_agent_log()
 
 
-def report_exc_info(exc_info=None, request=None, extra_data=None, payload_data=None, **kw):
+def report_exc_info(exc_info=None, request=None, extra_data=None, payload_data=None, level=None, **kw):
     """
     Reports an exception to Rollbar, using exc_info (from calling sys.exc_info())
 
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ def report_exc_info(exc_info=None, request=None, extra_data=None, payload_data=N
         exc_info = sys.exc_info()
 
     try:
-        return _report_exc_info(exc_info, request, extra_data, payload_data)
+        return _report_exc_info(exc_info, request, extra_data, payload_data, level=level)
     except Exception as e:
         log.exception("Exception while reporting exc_info to Rollbar. %r", e)
 
@@ -361,7 +361,7 @@ def _create_agent_log():
     return retval
 
 
-def _report_exc_info(exc_info, request, extra_data, payload_data):
+def _report_exc_info(exc_info, request, extra_data, payload_data, level=None):
     """
     Called by report_exc_info() wrapper
     """
@@ -379,6 +379,10 @@ def _report_exc_info(exc_info, request, extra_data, payload_data):
     if filtered_level:
         data['level'] = filtered_level
 
+    # explicitly override the level with provided level
+    if level:
+        data['level'] = level
+
     # exception info
     # most recent call last
     raw_frames = traceback.extract_tb(trace)
diff --git a/rollbar/test/test_rollbar.py b/rollbar/test/test_rollbar.py
index 471f446f..a855cc1a 100644
--- a/rollbar/test/test_rollbar.py
+++ b/rollbar/test/test_rollbar.py
@@ -226,3 +226,34 @@ def test_uuid(self, send_payload):
         payload = json.loads(send_payload.call_args[0][0])
 
         self.assertEqual(payload['data']['uuid'], uuid)
+
+    @mock.patch('rollbar.send_payload')
+    def test_report_exc_info_level(self, send_payload):
+
+        try:
+            raise Exception('level_error')
+        except:
+            rollbar.report_exc_info()
+
+        self.assertEqual(send_payload.called, True)
+        payload = json.loads(send_payload.call_args[0][0])
+        self.assertEqual(payload['data']['level'], 'error')
+
+        try:
+            raise Exception('level_info')
+        except:
+            rollbar.report_exc_info(level='info')
+
+        self.assertEqual(send_payload.called, True)
+        payload = json.loads(send_payload.call_args[0][0])
+        self.assertEqual(payload['data']['level'], 'info')
+
+        # payload takes precendence over 'level'
+        try:
+            raise Exception('payload_warn')
+        except:
+            rollbar.report_exc_info(level='info', payload_data={'level': 'warn'})
+
+        self.assertEqual(send_payload.called, True)
+        payload = json.loads(send_payload.call_args[0][0])
+        self.assertEqual(payload['data']['level'], 'warn')