diff --git a/src/blueapi/log.py b/src/blueapi/log.py
index df1a17d40..b33431deb 100644
--- a/src/blueapi/log.py
+++ b/src/blueapi/log.py
@@ -139,34 +139,25 @@ class IBMColorBlindSafeColors(enum.Enum):
 class ColorFormatter(logging.Formatter):
     """Colors level_name of log using IBM color blind safe palette."""
 
-    def color_level_name(self, level_name: str, level_no: int) -> str:
+    def _level_colour(self, level_no: int) -> tuple[int, int, int] | None:
         match level_no:
             case logging.DEBUG:
-                return click.style(
-                    str(level_name), fg=IBMColorBlindSafeColors.ultramarine.value
-                )
+                return IBMColorBlindSafeColors.ultramarine.value
             case logging.INFO:
-                return click.style(
-                    str(level_name), fg=IBMColorBlindSafeColors.indigo.value
-                )
+                return IBMColorBlindSafeColors.indigo.value
             case logging.WARNING:
-                return click.style(
-                    str(level_name), fg=IBMColorBlindSafeColors.gold.value
-                )
+                return IBMColorBlindSafeColors.gold.value
             case logging.ERROR:
-                return click.style(
-                    str(level_name), fg=IBMColorBlindSafeColors.magenta.value
-                )
+                return IBMColorBlindSafeColors.magenta.value
             case logging.CRITICAL:
-                return click.style(
-                    str(level_name), fg=IBMColorBlindSafeColors.orange.value
-                )
-        return level_name
+                return IBMColorBlindSafeColors.orange.value
+            case _:
+                return None
 
     def formatMessage(self, record: logging.LogRecord) -> str:  # noqa: N802
         # Copy record to avoid modifying for other handlers etc.
         recordcopy = copy(record)
-        recordcopy.levelname = self.color_level_name(
-            recordcopy.levelname, recordcopy.levelno
+        recordcopy.levelname = click.style(
+            f"{recordcopy.levelname:>8}", fg=self._level_colour(recordcopy.levelno)
         )
         return super().formatMessage(recordcopy)
diff --git a/tests/unit_tests/test_log.py b/tests/unit_tests/test_log.py
index 83a1faabf..ba3325b15 100644
--- a/tests/unit_tests/test_log.py
+++ b/tests/unit_tests/test_log.py
@@ -142,43 +142,52 @@ def foo_record():
 
 
 class TestColorFormatter:
+    def _update_record(self, record: logging.LogRecord, level: int):
+        record.levelno = level
+        record.levelname = logging.getLevelName(level)
+
     def test_debug(self, color_formatter, foo_record):
-        foo_record.levelno = logging.DEBUG
+        self._update_record(foo_record, logging.DEBUG)
 
         assert (
             color_formatter.format(foo_record)
-            == "\x1b[38;2;100;143;255mINFO\x1b[0m foo"
+            == "\x1b[38;2;100;143;255m   DEBUG\x1b[0m foo"
         )
 
     def test_info(self, color_formatter, foo_record):
-        foo_record.levelno = logging.INFO
+        self._update_record(foo_record, logging.INFO)
 
         assert (
-            color_formatter.format(foo_record) == "\x1b[38;2;120;94;240mINFO\x1b[0m foo"
+            color_formatter.format(foo_record)
+            == "\x1b[38;2;120;94;240m    INFO\x1b[0m foo"
         )
 
     def test_warning(self, color_formatter, foo_record):
-        foo_record.levelno = logging.WARNING
+        self._update_record(foo_record, logging.WARNING)
 
         assert (
-            color_formatter.format(foo_record) == "\x1b[38;2;255;176;0mINFO\x1b[0m foo"
+            color_formatter.format(foo_record)
+            == "\x1b[38;2;255;176;0m WARNING\x1b[0m foo"
         )
 
     def test_error(self, color_formatter, foo_record):
-        foo_record.levelno = logging.ERROR
+        self._update_record(foo_record, logging.ERROR)
 
         assert (
-            color_formatter.format(foo_record) == "\x1b[38;2;220;38;127mINFO\x1b[0m foo"
+            color_formatter.format(foo_record)
+            == "\x1b[38;2;220;38;127m   ERROR\x1b[0m foo"
         )
 
     def test_critical(self, color_formatter, foo_record):
-        foo_record.levelno = logging.CRITICAL
+        self._update_record(foo_record, logging.CRITICAL)
 
         assert (
-            color_formatter.format(foo_record) == "\x1b[38;2;254;97;0mINFO\x1b[0m foo"
+            color_formatter.format(foo_record)
+            == "\x1b[38;2;254;97;0mCRITICAL\x1b[0m foo"
         )
 
     def test_other(self, color_formatter, foo_record):
         foo_record.levelno = -1
+        foo_record.levelname = "UNKNOWN"
 
-        assert color_formatter.format(foo_record) == "INFO foo"
+        assert color_formatter.format(foo_record) == " UNKNOWN\x1b[0m foo"