diff --git a/python/understack-workflows/understack_workflows/helpers.py b/python/understack-workflows/understack_workflows/helpers.py
index c62f28805..b63d42e21 100644
--- a/python/understack-workflows/understack_workflows/helpers.py
+++ b/python/understack-workflows/understack_workflows/helpers.py
@@ -8,16 +8,21 @@
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
-def setup_logger(name):
-    logger = logging.getLogger(name)
-    handler = logging.StreamHandler()
-    formatter = logging.Formatter(
-        "%(asctime)s - %(name)s - %(levelname)s - %(message)s"
+def setup_logger(name: str | None = None, level: int = logging.DEBUG):
+    """Standardize our logging.
+
+    Configures the root logger to prefix messages with a timestamp
+    and to output the log level we want to see by default.
+
+    params:
+    name: logger hierarchy or root logger
+    level: default log level (DEBUG)
+    """
+    logging.basicConfig(
+        format="%(asctime)s - %(name)s - %(levelname)s - %(message)s",
+        level=logging.DEBUG,
     )
-    handler.setFormatter(formatter)
-    logger.addHandler(handler)
-    logger.setLevel(logging.DEBUG)
-    return logger
+    return logging.getLogger(name)
 
 
 def arg_parser(name):
diff --git a/python/understack-workflows/understack_workflows/main/synchronize_interfaces.py b/python/understack-workflows/understack_workflows/main/synchronize_interfaces.py
index 84147546a..58f2eb586 100644
--- a/python/understack-workflows/understack_workflows/main/synchronize_interfaces.py
+++ b/python/understack-workflows/understack_workflows/main/synchronize_interfaces.py
@@ -6,14 +6,11 @@
 import pynautobot
 from ironicclient.v1.port import Port
 
+from understack_workflows.helpers import setup_logger
 from understack_workflows.ironic.client import IronicClient
 from understack_workflows.port_configuration import PortConfiguration
 
-logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
-handler = logging.StreamHandler()
-formatter = logging.Formatter("%(asctime)s - %(name)s - %(levelname)s - %(message)s")
-handler.setFormatter(formatter)
-logger.addHandler(handler)
+logger = setup_logger(__name__)
 
 
 def get_nautobot_interfaces(device_id: UUID) -> list[PortConfiguration]:
diff --git a/python/understack-workflows/understack_workflows/main/synchronize_obm_creds.py b/python/understack-workflows/understack_workflows/main/synchronize_obm_creds.py
index cf9bc1ade..0fb46ed3a 100644
--- a/python/understack-workflows/understack_workflows/main/synchronize_obm_creds.py
+++ b/python/understack-workflows/understack_workflows/main/synchronize_obm_creds.py
@@ -1,17 +1,14 @@
 import json
-import logging
 import sys
 
 import ironicclient.common.apiclient.exceptions
 
+from understack_workflows.helpers import setup_logger
 from understack_workflows.ironic.client import IronicClient
 from understack_workflows.ironic.secrets import read_secret
 from understack_workflows.node_configuration import IronicNodeConfiguration
 
-logging.basicConfig(
-    format="%(asctime)s - %(name)s - %(levelname)s - %(message)s", level=logging.DEBUG
-)
-logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+logger = setup_logger(__name__)
 
 
 def event_to_node_configuration(event: dict) -> IronicNodeConfiguration:
diff --git a/python/understack-workflows/understack_workflows/main/synchronize_server.py b/python/understack-workflows/understack_workflows/main/synchronize_server.py
index 0ef1657ec..65969200a 100644
--- a/python/understack-workflows/understack_workflows/main/synchronize_server.py
+++ b/python/understack-workflows/understack_workflows/main/synchronize_server.py
@@ -1,19 +1,14 @@
 import json
-import logging
 import sys
 
 import ironicclient.common.apiclient.exceptions
 
+from understack_workflows.helpers import setup_logger
 from understack_workflows.ironic.client import IronicClient
 from understack_workflows.ironic.secrets import read_secret
 from understack_workflows.node_configuration import IronicNodeConfiguration
 
-logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
-handler = logging.StreamHandler()
-formatter = logging.Formatter("%(asctime)s - %(name)s - %(levelname)s - %(message)s")
-handler.setFormatter(formatter)
-logger.addHandler(handler)
-logger.setLevel(logging.DEBUG)
+logger = setup_logger(__name__)
 
 
 def replace_or_add_field(path, current_val, expected_val):