diff --git a/accounts/pkg/command/root.go b/accounts/pkg/command/root.go
index 910a9240c1..19eae93b2f 100644
--- a/accounts/pkg/command/root.go
+++ b/accounts/pkg/command/root.go
@@ -63,8 +63,20 @@ func ParseConfig(c *cli.Context, cfg *config.Config) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
+	// provide with defaults for shared logging, since we need a valid destination address for BindEnv.
+	if cfg.Log == nil && cfg.Commons != nil && cfg.Commons.Log != nil {
+		cfg.Log = &shared.Log{
+			Level:  cfg.Commons.Log.Level,
+			Pretty: cfg.Commons.Log.Pretty,
+			Color:  cfg.Commons.Log.Color,
+			File:   cfg.Commons.Log.File,
+		}
+	} else if cfg.Log == nil && cfg.Commons == nil {
+		cfg.Log = &shared.Log{}
+	}
+
 	// load all env variables relevant to the config in the current context.
-	conf.LoadOSEnv(config.GetEnv(), false)
+	conf.LoadOSEnv(config.GetEnv(cfg), false)
 
 	bindings := config.StructMappings(cfg)
 	return ociscfg.BindEnv(conf, bindings)
@@ -77,9 +89,7 @@ type SutureService struct {
 
 // NewSutureService creates a new accounts.SutureService
 func NewSutureService(cfg *ociscfg.Config) suture.Service {
-	if (cfg.Accounts.Log == shared.Log{}) {
-		cfg.Accounts.Log = cfg.Log
-	}
+	cfg.Accounts.Commons = cfg.Commons
 	return SutureService{
 		cfg: cfg.Accounts,
 	}
diff --git a/accounts/pkg/command/server.go b/accounts/pkg/command/server.go
index bb820b921f..45298d2980 100644
--- a/accounts/pkg/command/server.go
+++ b/accounts/pkg/command/server.go
@@ -6,10 +6,6 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/owncloud/ocis/ocis-pkg/log"
 
-	gofig "github.com/gookit/config/v2"
-	ociscfg "github.com/owncloud/ocis/ocis-pkg/config"
-	"github.com/owncloud/ocis/ocis-pkg/shared"
-
 	"github.com/owncloud/ocis/ocis-pkg/sync"
 
 	"github.com/oklog/run"
@@ -29,8 +25,6 @@ func Server(cfg *config.Config) *cli.Command {
 		Usage:       "Start ocis accounts service",
 		Description: "uses an LDAP server as the storage backend",
 		Before: func(ctx *cli.Context) error {
-			// remember shared logging info to prevent empty overwrites
-			inLog := cfg.Log
 			if cfg.HTTP.Root != "/" {
 				cfg.HTTP.Root = strings.TrimSuffix(cfg.HTTP.Root, "/")
 			}
@@ -41,23 +35,10 @@ func Server(cfg *config.Config) *cli.Command {
 				return err
 			}
 
-			if (cfg.Log == shared.Log{}) && (inLog != shared.Log{}) {
-				// set the default to the parent config
-				cfg.Log = inLog
-
-				// and parse the environment
-				conf := &gofig.Config{}
-				conf.LoadOSEnv(config.GetEnv(), false)
-				bindings := config.StructMappings(cfg)
-				if err := ociscfg.BindEnv(conf, bindings); err != nil {
-					return err
-				}
-			}
-
 			return nil
 		},
 		Action: func(c *cli.Context) error {
-			logger := log.LoggerFromConfig("accounts", cfg.Log)
+			logger := log.LoggerFromConfig("accounts", *cfg.Log)
 			err := tracing.Configure(cfg)
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
diff --git a/accounts/pkg/config/config.go b/accounts/pkg/config/config.go
index e382cc9651..fbb299a632 100644
--- a/accounts/pkg/config/config.go
+++ b/accounts/pkg/config/config.go
@@ -125,12 +125,14 @@ type Tracing struct {
 
 // Config merges all Account config parameters.
 type Config struct {
+	*shared.Commons
+
 	LDAP         LDAP         `mapstructure:"ldap"`
 	HTTP         HTTP         `mapstructure:"http"`
 	GRPC         GRPC         `mapstructure:"grpc"`
 	Server       Server       `mapstructure:"server"`
 	Asset        Asset        `mapstructure:"asset"`
-	Log          shared.Log   `mapstructure:"log"`
+	Log          *shared.Log  `mapstructure:"log"`
 	TokenManager TokenManager `mapstructure:"token_manager"`
 	Repo         Repo         `mapstructure:"repo"`
 	Index        Index        `mapstructure:"index"`
@@ -171,7 +173,6 @@ func DefaultConfig() *Config {
 			DemoUsersAndGroups: true,
 		},
 		Asset: Asset{},
-		Log:   shared.Log{},
 		TokenManager: TokenManager{
 			JWTSecret: "Pive-Fumkiu4",
 		},
@@ -212,10 +213,10 @@ func DefaultConfig() *Config {
 
 // GetEnv fetches a list of known env variables for this extension. It is to be used by gookit, as it provides a list
 // with all the environment variables an extension supports.
-func GetEnv() []string {
-	var r = make([]string, len(structMappings(&Config{})))
-	for i := range structMappings(&Config{}) {
-		r = append(r, structMappings(&Config{})[i].EnvVars...)
+func GetEnv(cfg *Config) []string {
+	var r = make([]string, len(structMappings(cfg)))
+	for i := range structMappings(cfg) {
+		r = append(r, structMappings(cfg)[i].EnvVars...)
 	}
 
 	return r
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 8edb1d288a..d821d7072b 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ require (
 	google.golang.org/genproto v0.0.0-20211020151524-b7c3a969101a
 	google.golang.org/grpc v1.42.0
 	google.golang.org/protobuf v1.27.1
+	gopkg.in/yaml.v2 v2.4.0
 	gotest.tools/v3 v3.0.3
 	stash.kopano.io/kgol/rndm v1.1.1
 )
@@ -243,7 +244,6 @@ require (
 	gopkg.in/square/go-jose.v2 v2.6.0 // indirect
 	gopkg.in/tomb.v1 v1.0.0-20141024135613-dd632973f1e7 // indirect
 	gopkg.in/warnings.v0 v0.1.2 // indirect
-	gopkg.in/yaml.v2 v2.4.0 // indirect
 	gopkg.in/yaml.v3 v3.0.0-20210107192922-496545a6307b // indirect
 	stash.kopano.io/kgol/kcc-go/v5 v5.0.1 // indirect
 	stash.kopano.io/kgol/oidc-go v0.3.2 // indirect
diff --git a/ocis-pkg/config/config.go b/ocis-pkg/config/config.go
index dc08ec50ff..cbb79bcb33 100644
--- a/ocis-pkg/config/config.go
+++ b/ocis-pkg/config/config.go
@@ -70,6 +70,8 @@ type Runtime struct {
 
 // Config combines all available configuration parts.
 type Config struct {
+	*shared.Commons `mapstructure:"shared"`
+
 	Mode    Mode // DEPRECATED
 	File    string
 	OcisURL string `mapstructure:"ocis_url"`
@@ -119,9 +121,6 @@ func New() *Config {
 
 func DefaultConfig() *Config {
 	return &Config{
-		Log: shared.Log{
-			Level: "info",
-		},
 		Debug: Debug{
 			Addr:   "127.0.0.1:9010",
 			Token:  "",
diff --git a/ocis-pkg/shared/shared_types.go b/ocis-pkg/shared/shared_types.go
index 9a938d5533..fc655e73df 100644
--- a/ocis-pkg/shared/shared_types.go
+++ b/ocis-pkg/shared/shared_types.go
@@ -15,3 +15,10 @@ type Log struct {
 	Color  bool   `mapstructure:"color"`
 	File   string `mapstructure:"file"`
 }
+
+// Commons holds configuration that are common to all extensions. Each extension can then decide whether
+// to overwrite its values.
+type Commons struct {
+	*Log    `mapstructure:"log"`
+	OcisURL string `mapstructure:"ocis_url"`
+}
diff --git a/ocis/pkg/command/proxy.go b/ocis/pkg/command/proxy.go
index 3f327d8169..321298689b 100644
--- a/ocis/pkg/command/proxy.go
+++ b/ocis/pkg/command/proxy.go
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ package command
 
 import (
 	"github.com/owncloud/ocis/ocis-pkg/config"
-	"github.com/owncloud/ocis/ocis-pkg/shared"
 	"github.com/owncloud/ocis/ocis/pkg/register"
 	"github.com/owncloud/ocis/proxy/pkg/command"
 	"github.com/urfave/cli/v2"
@@ -13,8 +12,6 @@ import (
 
 // ProxyCommand is the entry point for the proxy command.
 func ProxyCommand(cfg *config.Config) *cli.Command {
-	var globalLog shared.Log
-
 	return &cli.Command{
 		Name:     "proxy",
 		Usage:    "Start proxy server",
@@ -26,15 +23,14 @@ func ProxyCommand(cfg *config.Config) *cli.Command {
 			if err := ParseConfig(ctx, cfg); err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
-			globalLog = cfg.Log
+
+			if cfg.Commons != nil {
+				cfg.Proxy.Commons = cfg.Commons
+			}
+
 			return nil
 		},
 		Action: func(c *cli.Context) error {
-			// if proxy logging is empty in ocis.yaml
-			if (cfg.Proxy.Log == shared.Log{}) && (globalLog != shared.Log{}) {
-				// we can safely inherit the global logging values.
-				cfg.Proxy.Log = globalLog
-			}
 			origCmd := command.Server(cfg.Proxy)
 			return handleOriginalAction(c, origCmd)
 		},
diff --git a/proxy/pkg/command/root.go b/proxy/pkg/command/root.go
index 924461ea6c..caad7d3477 100644
--- a/proxy/pkg/command/root.go
+++ b/proxy/pkg/command/root.go
@@ -4,10 +4,9 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"os"
 
-	"github.com/owncloud/ocis/ocis-pkg/shared"
-
 	ociscfg "github.com/owncloud/ocis/ocis-pkg/config"
 	"github.com/owncloud/ocis/ocis-pkg/log"
+	"github.com/owncloud/ocis/ocis-pkg/shared"
 	"github.com/owncloud/ocis/ocis-pkg/version"
 	"github.com/owncloud/ocis/proxy/pkg/config"
 	"github.com/thejerf/suture/v4"
@@ -51,17 +50,6 @@ func Execute(cfg *config.Config) error {
 	return app.Run(os.Args)
 }
 
-// NewLogger initializes a service-specific logger instance.
-func NewLogger(cfg *config.Config) log.Logger {
-	return log.NewLogger(
-		log.Name("proxy"),
-		log.Level(cfg.Log.Level),
-		log.Pretty(cfg.Log.Pretty),
-		log.Color(cfg.Log.Color),
-		log.File(cfg.Log.File),
-	)
-}
-
 // ParseConfig loads proxy configuration. Loading will first attempt to parse config files in the expected locations
 // and then parses environment variables. In the context of oCIS env variables will always overwrite values set
 // in a config file.
@@ -75,7 +63,20 @@ func ParseConfig(c *cli.Context, cfg *config.Config) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	conf.LoadOSEnv(config.GetEnv(), false)
+	// provide with defaults for shared logging, since we need a valid destination address for BindEnv.
+	if cfg.Log == nil && cfg.Commons != nil && cfg.Commons.Log != nil {
+		cfg.Log = &shared.Log{
+			Level:  cfg.Commons.Log.Level,
+			Pretty: cfg.Commons.Log.Pretty,
+			Color:  cfg.Commons.Log.Color,
+			File:   cfg.Commons.Log.File,
+		}
+	} else if cfg.Log == nil && cfg.Commons == nil {
+		cfg.Log = &shared.Log{}
+	}
+
+	conf.LoadOSEnv(config.GetEnv(cfg), false)
+
 	bindings := config.StructMappings(cfg)
 	return ociscfg.BindEnv(conf, bindings)
 }
@@ -87,9 +88,8 @@ type SutureService struct {
 
 // NewSutureService creates a new proxy.SutureService
 func NewSutureService(cfg *ociscfg.Config) suture.Service {
-	if (cfg.Proxy.Log == shared.Log{}) {
-		cfg.Proxy.Log = cfg.Log
-	}
+	// inherit common configuration from ocis config parsing.
+	cfg.Proxy.Commons = cfg.Commons
 	return SutureService{
 		cfg: cfg.Proxy,
 	}
@@ -103,3 +103,14 @@ func (s SutureService) Serve(ctx context.Context) error {
 
 	return nil
 }
+
+// NewLogger initializes a service-specific logger instance.
+func NewLogger(cfg *config.Config) log.Logger {
+	return log.NewLogger(
+		log.Name("proxy"),
+		log.Level(cfg.Log.Level),
+		log.Pretty(cfg.Log.Pretty),
+		log.Color(cfg.Log.Color),
+		log.File(cfg.Log.File),
+	)
+}
diff --git a/proxy/pkg/command/server.go b/proxy/pkg/command/server.go
index 4853149589..521d2f07db 100644
--- a/proxy/pkg/command/server.go
+++ b/proxy/pkg/command/server.go
@@ -8,11 +8,6 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
-	gofig "github.com/gookit/config/v2"
-	ociscfg "github.com/owncloud/ocis/ocis-pkg/config"
-
-	"github.com/owncloud/ocis/ocis-pkg/shared"
-
 	"github.com/coreos/go-oidc/v3/oidc"
 	"github.com/cs3org/reva/pkg/token/manager/jwt"
 	chimiddleware "github.com/go-chi/chi/v5/middleware"
@@ -45,26 +40,10 @@ func Server(cfg *config.Config) *cli.Command {
 		Name:  "server",
 		Usage: "Start integrated server",
 		Before: func(ctx *cli.Context) error {
-			// remember shared logging info to prevent empty overwrites
-			inLog := cfg.Log
-
 			if err := ParseConfig(ctx, cfg); err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
 
-			if (cfg.Log == shared.Log{}) && (inLog != shared.Log{}) {
-				// set the default to the parent config
-				cfg.Log = inLog
-
-				// and parse the environment
-				conf := &gofig.Config{}
-				conf.LoadOSEnv(config.GetEnv(), false)
-				bindings := config.StructMappings(cfg)
-				if err := ociscfg.BindEnv(conf, bindings); err != nil {
-					return err
-				}
-			}
-
 			if cfg.HTTP.Root != "/" {
 				cfg.HTTP.Root = strings.TrimSuffix(cfg.HTTP.Root, "/")
 			}
@@ -73,14 +52,6 @@ func Server(cfg *config.Config) *cli.Command {
 				cfg.PreSignedURL.AllowedHTTPMethods = ctx.StringSlice("presignedurl-allow-method")
 			}
 
-			// we need a starting point to compare the default config values to determine if the outcome of ParseConfig
-			// modified a value that should be shared just because it is present in the ocis.yaml file.
-			defaultConfig := config.DefaultConfig()
-
-			if cfg.OcisURL != "" && cfg.OIDC.Issuer == defaultConfig.OIDC.Issuer {
-				cfg.OIDC.Issuer = cfg.OcisURL
-			}
-
 			if err := loadUserAgent(ctx, cfg); err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
diff --git a/proxy/pkg/config/config.go b/proxy/pkg/config/config.go
index 9e858a0eed..18a20ba1da 100644
--- a/proxy/pkg/config/config.go
+++ b/proxy/pkg/config/config.go
@@ -106,9 +106,9 @@ type Cache struct {
 
 // Config combines all available configuration parts.
 type Config struct {
-	OcisURL string
+	*shared.Commons
 
-	Log                   shared.Log      `mapstructure:"log"`
+	Log                   *shared.Log     `mapstructure:"log"`
 	Debug                 Debug           `mapstructure:"debug"`
 	HTTP                  HTTP            `mapstructure:"http"`
 	Service               Service         `mapstructure:"service"`
@@ -199,10 +199,9 @@ func New() *Config {
 	}
 }
 
-// DefaultConfig are values stored in the flag set, but moved to a struct.
+// DefaultConfig provides with a working local configuration for a proxy service.
 func DefaultConfig() *Config {
 	return &Config{
-		Log: shared.Log{}, // logging config is inherited.
 		Debug: Debug{
 			Addr:  "0.0.0.0:9205",
 			Token: "",
diff --git a/proxy/pkg/config/mappings.go b/proxy/pkg/config/mappings.go
index a13fedf37d..106f16d6bd 100644
--- a/proxy/pkg/config/mappings.go
+++ b/proxy/pkg/config/mappings.go
@@ -4,10 +4,10 @@ import "github.com/owncloud/ocis/ocis-pkg/shared"
 
 // GetEnv fetches a list of known env variables for this extension. It is to be used by gookit, as it provides a list
 // with all the environment variables an extension supports.
-func GetEnv() []string {
-	var r = make([]string, len(structMappings(&Config{})))
-	for i := range structMappings(&Config{}) {
-		r = append(r, structMappings(&Config{})[i].EnvVars...)
+func GetEnv(cfg *Config) []string {
+	var r = make([]string, len(structMappings(cfg)))
+	for i := range structMappings(cfg) {
+		r = append(r, structMappings(cfg)[i].EnvVars...)
 	}
 
 	return r