diff --git a/config/default.yaml b/config/default.yaml
index 8a2b2958..f31f1ee0 100644
--- a/config/default.yaml
+++ b/config/default.yaml
@@ -74,10 +74,6 @@ verboseLogging: false
 # This should be at INFO or DEBUG in order to get support for Draupnir problems.
 logLevel: "INFO"
 
-# Whether or not Draupnir should synchronize policy lists immediately after startup.
-# Equivalent to running '!draupnir sync'.
-syncOnStartup: true
-
 # Whether or not Draupnir should check moderation permissions in all protected rooms on startup.
 # Equivalent to running `!draupnir verify`.
 verifyPermissionsOnStartup: true
diff --git a/config/harness.yaml b/config/harness.yaml
index 2d488352..beb2fc32 100644
--- a/config/harness.yaml
+++ b/config/harness.yaml
@@ -57,10 +57,6 @@ verboseLogging: false
 # This should be at INFO or DEBUG in order to get support for Mjolnir problems.
 logLevel: "DEBUG"
 
-# Set to false to disable synchronizing the ban lists on startup. If true, this
-# is the same as running !mjolnir sync immediately after startup.
-syncOnStartup: true
-
 # Set to false to prevent Mjolnir from checking its permissions on startup. This
 # is recommended to be left as "true" to catch room permission problems (state
 # resets, etc) before Mjolnir is needed.
diff --git a/src/config.ts b/src/config.ts
index f566aa44..8e47fae0 100644
--- a/src/config.ts
+++ b/src/config.ts
@@ -70,10 +70,8 @@ export interface IConfig {
   acceptInvitesFromSpace: string | undefined;
   recordIgnoredInvites: boolean;
   managementRoom: string;
-  verboseLogging: boolean;
   logLevel: "DEBUG" | "INFO" | "WARN" | "ERROR";
   logMutedModules: string[];
-  syncOnStartup: boolean;
   verifyPermissionsOnStartup: boolean;
   disableServerACL: boolean;
   noop: boolean;
@@ -188,10 +186,8 @@ const defaultConfig: IConfig = {
   autojoinOnlyIfManager: true,
   recordIgnoredInvites: false,
   managementRoom: "!noop:example.org",
-  verboseLogging: false,
   logLevel: "INFO",
   logMutedModules: ["MatrixHttpClient", "MatrixClientLite"],
-  syncOnStartup: true,
   verifyPermissionsOnStartup: true,
   noop: false,
   disableServerACL: false,
@@ -373,9 +369,7 @@ export function getProvisionedMjolnirConfig(managementRoomId: string): IConfig {
   // on every created Draupnir, which would result in very confusing error messages.
   const allowedKeys = [
     "commands",
-    "verboseLogging",
     "logLevel",
-    "syncOnStartup",
     "verifyPermissionsOnStartup",
     "automaticallyRedactForReasons",
     "protectAllJoinedRooms",
diff --git a/src/managementroom/ManagementRoomOutput.ts b/src/managementroom/ManagementRoomOutput.ts
index e6244de3..79c64cc9 100644
--- a/src/managementroom/ManagementRoomOutput.ts
+++ b/src/managementroom/ManagementRoomOutput.ts
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ export interface ManagementRoomOutput {
   managementRoomID: StringRoomID;
   /**
    * Log a message to the management room and the console, replaces any room ids in additionalRoomIds with pills.
-   * @param level Used to determine whether to hide the message or not depending on `config.verboseLogging`.
+   * @param level Used to determine whether to hide the message or not depending on `config.logLevel`.
    * @param module Used to help find where in the source the message is coming from (when logging to the console).
    * @param message The message we want to log.
    * @param additionalRoomIds The roomIds in the message that we want to be replaced by room pills.
@@ -173,7 +173,8 @@ export default class StandardManagementRoomOutput
     if (!Array.isArray(additionalRoomIds))
       additionalRoomIds = [additionalRoomIds];
 
-    if (this.config.verboseLogging || LogLevel.INFO.includes(level)) {
+    const levelsIncluded = LogLevel[this.config.logLevel];
+    if (levelsIncluded.includes(level)) {
       let clientMessage = message;
       if (level === LogLevel.WARN) clientMessage = `⚠ | ${message}`;
       if (level === LogLevel.ERROR) clientMessage = `‼ | ${message}`;
diff --git a/src/utils.ts b/src/utils.ts
index 4c1cba78..9d79e3e8 100644
--- a/src/utils.ts
+++ b/src/utils.ts
@@ -18,12 +18,13 @@ import {
 } from "matrix-bot-sdk";
 import { ClientRequest, IncomingMessage } from "http";
 import * as Sentry from "@sentry/node";
-
 import ManagementRoomOutput from "./managementroom/ManagementRoomOutput";
 import { IConfig } from "./config";
 import { Gauge } from "prom-client";
 import { MatrixSendClient } from "matrix-protection-suite-for-matrix-bot-sdk";
-import { RoomEvent } from "matrix-protection-suite";
+import { Logger, RoomEvent } from "matrix-protection-suite";
+
+const log = new Logger("utils");
 
 export function htmlEscape(input: string): string {
   // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/restrict-plus-operands
@@ -103,9 +104,7 @@ export async function redactUserMessagesIn(
   noop = false
 ) {
   for (const targetRoomId of targetRoomIds) {
-    await managementRoom.logMessage(
-      LogLevel.DEBUG,
-      "utils#redactUserMessagesIn",
+    log.debug(
       `Fetching sent messages for ${userIdOrGlob} in ${targetRoomId} to redact...`,
       targetRoomId
     );
@@ -118,9 +117,7 @@ export async function redactUserMessagesIn(
         limit,
         async (eventsToRedact) => {
           for (const victimEvent of eventsToRedact) {
-            await managementRoom.logMessage(
-              LogLevel.DEBUG,
-              "utils#redactUserMessagesIn",
+            log.debug(
               `Redacting ${victimEvent["event_id"]} in ${targetRoomId}`,
               targetRoomId
             );
@@ -128,8 +125,7 @@ export async function redactUserMessagesIn(
               await client
                 .redactEvent(targetRoomId, victimEvent["event_id"])
                 .catch((error: unknown) => {
-                  LogService.error(
-                    "utils#redactUserMessagesIn",
+                  log.error(
                     `Error while trying to redact messages for ${userIdOrGlob} in ${targetRoomId}:`,
                     error,
                     targetRoomId