diff --git a/src/ape/cli/options.py b/src/ape/cli/options.py
index e100ab6396..4331b7d151 100644
--- a/src/ape/cli/options.py
+++ b/src/ape/cli/options.py
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ def abort(msg: str, base_error: Optional[Exception] = None) -> NoReturn:
 
 
 def verbosity_option(
-    cli_logger: Optional[ApeLogger] = None, default: str = DEFAULT_LOG_LEVEL
+    cli_logger: Optional[ApeLogger] = None, default: Union[str, LogLevel] = DEFAULT_LOG_LEVEL
 ) -> Callable:
     """A decorator that adds a `--verbosity, -v` option to the decorated
     command.
@@ -67,12 +67,12 @@ def verbosity_option(
 
 
 def _create_verbosity_kwargs(
-    _logger: Optional[ApeLogger] = None, default: str = DEFAULT_LOG_LEVEL
+    _logger: Optional[ApeLogger] = None, default: Union[str, LogLevel] = DEFAULT_LOG_LEVEL
 ) -> dict:
     cli_logger = _logger or logger
 
     def set_level(ctx, param, value):
-        cli_logger._load_from_sys_argv(default=value.upper())
+        cli_logger._load_from_sys_argv(default=value.upper() if isinstance(value, str) else value)
 
     level_names = [lvl.name for lvl in LogLevel]
     names_str = f"{', '.join(level_names[:-1])}, or {level_names[-1]}"
@@ -87,7 +87,8 @@ def set_level(ctx, param, value):
 
 
 def ape_cli_context(
-    default_log_level: str = DEFAULT_LOG_LEVEL, obj_type: type = ApeCliContextObject
+    default_log_level: Union[str, LogLevel] = DEFAULT_LOG_LEVEL,
+    obj_type: type = ApeCliContextObject,
 ) -> Callable:
     """
     A ``click`` context object with helpful utilities.
@@ -95,8 +96,8 @@ def ape_cli_context(
     such as logging or accessing managers.
 
     Args:
-        default_log_level (str): The log-level value to pass to
-          :meth:`~ape.cli.options.verbosity_option`.
+        default_log_level (Union[str, :class:`~ape.logging.LogLevel`]): The log-level
+          value to pass to :meth:`~ape.cli.options.verbosity_option`.
         obj_type (Type): The context object type. Defaults to
           :class:`~ape.cli.options.ApeCliContextObject`. Sub-class
           the context to extend its functionality in your CLIs,
diff --git a/src/ape/logging.py b/src/ape/logging.py
index 4d9e943de5..76d223f3c0 100644
--- a/src/ape/logging.py
+++ b/src/ape/logging.py
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ def format(self, fmt: Optional[str] = None):
         fmt = fmt or DEFAULT_LOG_FORMAT
         _format_logger(self._logger, fmt)
 
-    def _load_from_sys_argv(self, default: Optional[Union[str, int]] = None):
+    def _load_from_sys_argv(self, default: Optional[Union[str, int, LogLevel]] = None):
         """
         Load from sys.argv to beat race condition with `click`.
         """
diff --git a/src/ape_test/_cli.py b/src/ape_test/_cli.py
index 2c2bc160f7..7ede439617 100644
--- a/src/ape_test/_cli.py
+++ b/src/ape_test/_cli.py
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 from watchdog.observers import Observer
 
 from ape.cli import ape_cli_context
+from ape.logging import LogLevel
 from ape.utils import ManagerAccessMixin, cached_property
 
 # Copied from https://github.com/olzhasar/pytest-watcher/blob/master/pytest_watcher/watcher.py
@@ -79,7 +80,7 @@ def _run_main_loop(delay: float, pytest_args: Sequence[str]) -> None:
     short_help="Launches pytest and runs the tests for a project",
     context_settings=dict(ignore_unknown_options=True),
 )
-@ape_cli_context()
+@ape_cli_context(default_log_level=LogLevel.WARNING)
 @click.option(
     "-w",
     "--watch",