diff --git a/apps/nescope/src/main.rs b/apps/nescope/src/main.rs
index eef9469f..ea72abe0 100644
--- a/apps/nescope/src/main.rs
+++ b/apps/nescope/src/main.rs
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
 //! | `PROTON_ENABLE_WAYLAND` | Set to `1` always, so Proton renders through Wayland |
 //! | `XCURSOR_THEME`   | XCursor theme name for the software cursor   |
 //! | `XCURSOR_SIZE`    | XCursor size in pixels                       |
-//! | `RUST_LOG`        | Tracing filter (e.g. `nescope=debug`)        |
+//! | `RUST_LOG`        | Tracing filter, default `info` (e.g. `nescope=debug`) |
 //!
 //! # Ctrl+C / shutdown
 //!
@@ -193,9 +193,20 @@ struct Args {
 // Entry point
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+/// Filter from `RUST_LOG`, or `info` when it is unset or unparsable.
+///
+/// `EnvFilter::from_default_env` alone defaults to ERROR, which hid every
+/// info/warn line from the host journal (nesinit only forwards `RUST_LOG` if
+/// it has it itself). Same fallback as neshub, nesinit and nesgamepad.
+fn log_filter(rust_log: Option<&str>) -> tracing_subscriber::EnvFilter {
+    rust_log
+        .and_then(|v| tracing_subscriber::EnvFilter::try_new(v).ok())
+        .unwrap_or_else(|| "info".into())
+}
+
 fn main() {
     tracing_subscriber::fmt()
-        .with_env_filter(tracing_subscriber::EnvFilter::from_default_env())
+        .with_env_filter(log_filter(std::env::var("RUST_LOG").ok().as_deref()))
         .init();
 
     let args = Args::parse();
@@ -857,3 +868,38 @@ fn kill_all_children_sigkill() {
         }
     }
 }
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod log_filter_tests {
+    use super::log_filter;
+    use tracing::Level;
+    use tracing_subscriber::filter::LevelFilter;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn unset_defaults_to_info_so_warn_is_visible() {
+        let f = log_filter(None);
+        assert_eq!(f.max_level_hint(), Some(LevelFilter::INFO));
+        assert!(Level::WARN <= Level::INFO);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn debug_stays_out_of_the_default() {
+        assert_ne!(log_filter(None).max_level_hint(), Some(LevelFilter::DEBUG));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn explicit_rust_log_wins() {
+        assert_eq!(
+            log_filter(Some("debug")).max_level_hint(),
+            Some(LevelFilter::DEBUG)
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn garbage_falls_back_to_info() {
+        assert_eq!(
+            log_filter(Some("=== not a filter ===")).max_level_hint(),
+            Some(LevelFilter::INFO)
+        );
+    }
+}
diff --git a/apps/neswire/src/main.rs b/apps/neswire/src/main.rs
index 86699804..6cd1022c 100644
--- a/apps/neswire/src/main.rs
+++ b/apps/neswire/src/main.rs
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ struct Args {
 
 fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
     tracing_subscriber::fmt()
-        .with_env_filter(tracing_subscriber::EnvFilter::from_default_env())
+        .with_env_filter(tracing_subscriber::EnvFilter::try_from_default_env().unwrap_or_else(|_| "info".into()))
         .init();
 
     let args = Args::parse();
diff --git a/apps/neswire/src/sink.rs b/apps/neswire/src/sink.rs
index e9cd1b9c..69483110 100644
--- a/apps/neswire/src/sink.rs
+++ b/apps/neswire/src/sink.rs
@@ -83,6 +83,9 @@ pub fn run(sample_rate: u32, channels: u32, frame_size: u32, tx: Sender<Packet>)
         /// Where the accumulator ends when the graph gives no position: a count
         /// of the frames received, so packets still carry a continuous timeline.
         counted_end: u64,
+        /// Frames dropped because the encoder was behind. A stalled encoder
+        /// drops ~50 a second, so only the first and every 250th are logged.
+        dropped: u64,
     }
 
     let state = State {
@@ -93,6 +96,7 @@ pub fn run(sample_rate: u32, channels: u32, frame_size: u32, tx: Sender<Packet>)
         sample_rate,
         next_ticks: None,
         counted_end: 0,
+        dropped: 0,
     };
 
     let _listener = stream
@@ -174,7 +178,10 @@ pub fn run(sample_rate: u32, channels: u32, frame_size: u32, tx: Sender<Packet>)
                             };
 
                             if state.tx.try_send(packet).is_err() {
-                                tracing::warn!("encoder falling behind, dropping frame");
+                                state.dropped += 1;
+                                if state.dropped % 250 == 1 {
+                                    tracing::warn!(dropped = state.dropped, "encoder falling behind, dropping frames");
+                                }
                             }
                         }
                     }