diff --git a/src/cli/cli_config.h b/src/cli/cli_config.h
index aea25066f..c263bfb82 100644
--- a/src/cli/cli_config.h
+++ b/src/cli/cli_config.h
@@ -101,6 +101,18 @@
     (OPENTHREAD_POSIX && (OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_LOG_OUTPUT != OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_LOG_OUTPUT_APP))
 #endif
 
+/**
+ * @def OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_CLI_LOG_INPUT_OUTPUT_LEVEL
+ *
+ * Defines the log level to use when CLI emits its command input/output to the logs.
+ *
+ * This is used only when `OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_CLI_LOG_INPUT_OUTPUT_ENABLE` is enabled.
+ *
+ */
+#ifndef OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_CLI_LOG_INPUT_OUTPUT_LEVEL
+#define OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_CLI_LOG_INPUT_OUTPUT_LEVEL OT_LOG_LEVEL_DEBG
+#endif
+
 /**
  * @def OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_CLI_LOG_INPUT_OUTPUT_LOG_STRING_SIZE
  *
diff --git a/src/cli/cli_output.cpp b/src/cli/cli_output.cpp
index aa4ebd33b..bdc6e9fbb 100644
--- a/src/cli/cli_output.cpp
+++ b/src/cli/cli_output.cpp
@@ -307,7 +307,7 @@ void OutputImplementer::OutputV(const char *aFormat, va_list aArguments)
 
         if (lineEnd > mOutputString)
         {
-            otLogCli(OT_LOG_LEVEL_DEBG, "Output: %s", mOutputString);
+            otLogCli(OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_CLI_LOG_INPUT_OUTPUT_LEVEL, "Output: %s", mOutputString);
         }
 
         lineEnd++;
@@ -348,7 +348,7 @@ void OutputImplementer::OutputV(const char *aFormat, va_list aArguments)
 
     if (truncated)
     {
-        otLogCli(OT_LOG_LEVEL_DEBG, "Output: %s ...", mOutputString);
+        otLogCli(OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_CLI_LOG_INPUT_OUTPUT_LEVEL, "Output: %s ...", mOutputString);
         mOutputLength = 0;
     }
 
@@ -367,7 +367,7 @@ void Output::LogInput(const Arg *aArgs)
         inputString.Append(isFirst ? "%s" : " %s", aArgs->GetCString());
     }
 
-    otLogCli(OT_LOG_LEVEL_DEBG, "Input: %s", inputString.AsCString());
+    otLogCli(OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_CLI_LOG_INPUT_OUTPUT_LEVEL, "Input: %s", inputString.AsCString());
 }
 #endif