diff --git a/IPA.Loader/Config/SelfConfig.cs b/IPA.Loader/Config/SelfConfig.cs
index d9df479e..e2fbd1ab 100644
--- a/IPA.Loader/Config/SelfConfig.cs
+++ b/IPA.Loader/Config/SelfConfig.cs
@@ -59,6 +59,9 @@ namespace IPA.Config
                         CommandLineValues.Updates.AutoCheckUpdates = false;
                         CommandLineValues.Updates.AutoUpdate = false;
                         break;
+                    case "--trace":
+                        CommandLineValues.Debug.ShowTrace = true;
+                        break;
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -118,6 +121,11 @@ namespace IPA.Config
             public int HideLogThreshold = 512;
             // LINE: ignore
             public static int HideLogThreshold_ => SelfConfigRef.Value.Debug.HideLogThreshold;
+
+            public bool ShowTrace = false;
+            // LINE: ignore 2
+            public static bool ShowTrace_ => SelfConfigRef.Value.Debug.ShowTrace
+                                          ||   CommandLineValues.Debug.ShowTrace;
         }
 
         public Debug_ Debug = new Debug_();
diff --git a/IPA.Loader/Logging/Logger.cs b/IPA.Loader/Logging/Logger.cs
index 69fd3b64..1a030c9c 100644
--- a/IPA.Loader/Logging/Logger.cs
+++ b/IPA.Loader/Logging/Logger.cs
@@ -56,6 +56,11 @@ namespace IPA.Logging
             /// </summary>
             None = 0,
 
+            /// <summary>
+            /// A trace message. These are ignored *incredibly* early.
+            /// </summary>
+            Trace = 32,
+
             /// <summary>
             /// A debug message.
             /// </summary>
@@ -98,6 +103,8 @@ namespace IPA.Logging
             /// </summary>
             None = Level.None,
 
+            TraceOnly = Level.Trace,
+
             /// <summary>
             /// Only shows Debug messages.
             /// </summary>
@@ -148,10 +155,15 @@ namespace IPA.Logging
             /// </summary>
             InfoUp = InfoOnly | NoticeUp,
 
+            /// <summary>
+            /// Shows all messages debug and up.
+            /// </summary>
+            DebugUp = DebugOnly | InfoUp,
+
             /// <summary>
             /// Shows all messages.
             /// </summary>
-            All = DebugOnly | InfoUp,
+            All = TraceOnly | DebugUp,
 
             /// <summary>
             /// Used for when the level is undefined.
@@ -173,6 +185,22 @@ namespace IPA.Logging
         /// <param name="e">the exception to log</param>
         public virtual void Log(Level level, Exception e) => Log(level, e.ToString());
 
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Sends a trace message.
+        /// Equivalent to `Log(Level.Trace, message);`
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <seealso cref="Log(Level, string)"/>
+        /// <param name="message">the message to log</param>
+        public virtual void Trace(string message) => Log(Level.Trace, message);
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Sends an exception as a trace message.
+        /// Equivalent to `Log(Level.Trace, e);`
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <seealso cref="Log(Level, Exception)"/>
+        /// <param name="e">the exception to log</param>
+        public virtual void Trace(Exception e) => Log(Level.Trace, e);
+
         /// <summary>
         /// Sends a debug message.
         /// Equivalent to `Log(Level.Debug, message);`
diff --git a/IPA.Loader/Logging/StandardLogger.cs b/IPA.Loader/Logging/StandardLogger.cs
index a4a80b71..18df65ee 100644
--- a/IPA.Loader/Logging/StandardLogger.cs
+++ b/IPA.Loader/Logging/StandardLogger.cs
@@ -112,8 +112,8 @@ namespace IPA.Logging
         /// <param name="cfg"></param>
         internal static void Configure(SelfConfig cfg)
         {
-            showSourceClass = cfg.Debug.ShowCallSource;
-            PrintFilter = cfg.Debug.ShowDebug ? LogLevel.All : LogLevel.InfoUp;
+            showSourceClass = SelfConfig.Debug_.ShowCallSource_;
+            PrintFilter = SelfConfig.Debug_.ShowDebug_ ? LogLevel.All : LogLevel.InfoUp;
         }
 
         private StandardLogger(StandardLogger parent, string subName)
@@ -187,6 +187,8 @@ namespace IPA.Logging
             if (message == null)
                 throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(message));
 
+            if (!SelfConfig.Debug_.ShowTrace_ && level == Level.Trace) return;
+
             // make sure that the queue isn't being cleared
             logWaitEvent.Wait();
             logQueue.Add(new LogMessage
diff --git a/docs/articles/command-line.md b/docs/articles/command-line.md
index 454739c1..92937647 100644
--- a/docs/articles/command-line.md
+++ b/docs/articles/command-line.md
@@ -33,6 +33,14 @@ Here's a quick list of what they are and what they do.
   > This overrides the config settings `Debug.ShowDebug` and `Debug.ShowCallSource`.
   >
 
+- `--trace`
+  
+  > Enables trace level messages. By default, they do not ever enter the message queue, and thus cost almost nothing.
+  > When this or the config option is used, they are added and logged with the same rules as Debug messages.
+  >
+  > This overrides the config setting `Debug.ShowTrace`.
+  >
+
 - `--mono-debug`
 
   > Enables the built-in Mono soft debugger engine.