diff --git a/swh/journal/tests/conftest.py b/swh/journal/tests/conftest.py
--- a/swh/journal/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/swh/journal/tests/conftest.py
@@ -168,6 +168,9 @@
 
 # Those defines fixtures
 zookeeper_proc = make_zookeeper_process(ZOOKEEPER_BIN)
+os.environ['KAFKA_LOG4J_OPTS'] = \
+    '-Dlog4j.configuration=file:%s/log4j.properties' % \
+    os.path.dirname(__file__)
 kafka_server = make_kafka_server(KAFKA_BIN, 'zookeeper_proc')
 
 logger = logging.getLogger('kafka')
diff --git a/swh/journal/tests/log4j.properties b/swh/journal/tests/log4j.properties
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/swh/journal/tests/log4j.properties
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+# Set root logger level to DEBUG and its only appender to A1.
+log4j.rootLogger=DEBUG, A1
+
+# A1 is set to be a ConsoleAppender.
+log4j.appender.A1=org.apache.log4j.ConsoleAppender
+
+# A1 uses PatternLayout.
+log4j.appender.A1.layout=org.apache.log4j.PatternLayout
+log4j.appender.A1.layout.ConversionPattern=%-4r [%t] %-5p %c %x - %m%n
+
+log4j.logger.org.apache.log4j=WARN
+log4j.logger.org.apache.kafka=WARN
+log4j.logger.kafka=WARN
+log4j.logger.org.apache.zookeeper=WARN