diff --git a/bigchaindb/commands/bigchaindb.py b/bigchaindb/commands/bigchaindb.py
index e0c959da..ad02d33e 100644
--- a/bigchaindb/commands/bigchaindb.py
+++ b/bigchaindb/commands/bigchaindb.py
@@ -16,10 +16,11 @@ import bigchaindb
 from bigchaindb import backend
 from bigchaindb.backend import schema
 from bigchaindb.backend import query
-from bigchaindb.commands import utils
-from bigchaindb.commands.utils import (
-    configure_bigchaindb, start_logging_process, input_on_stderr)
 from bigchaindb.backend.query import VALIDATOR_UPDATE_ID, PRE_COMMIT_ID
+from bigchaindb.commands import utils
+from bigchaindb.commands.utils import (configure_bigchaindb,
+                                       input_on_stderr)
+from bigchaindb.log import setup_logging
 from bigchaindb.tendermint.lib import BigchainDB
 from bigchaindb.tendermint.utils import public_key_from_base64
 
@@ -159,11 +160,13 @@ def run_recover(b):
 
 
 @configure_bigchaindb
-@start_logging_process
 def run_start(args):
     """Start the processes to run the node"""
-    logger.info('BigchainDB Version %s', bigchaindb.__version__)
 
+    # Configure Logging
+    setup_logging()
+
+    logger.info('BigchainDB Version %s', bigchaindb.__version__)
     run_recover(BigchainDB())
 
     try:
diff --git a/bigchaindb/commands/utils.py b/bigchaindb/commands/utils.py
index ea035a80..3ce8ab7f 100644
--- a/bigchaindb/commands/utils.py
+++ b/bigchaindb/commands/utils.py
@@ -10,9 +10,7 @@ import sys
 
 import bigchaindb
 import bigchaindb.config_utils
-from bigchaindb.log import DEFAULT_LOGGING_CONFIG
 from bigchaindb.version import __version__
-from logging.config import dictConfig as set_logging_config
 
 
 def configure_bigchaindb(command):
@@ -48,51 +46,6 @@ def configure_bigchaindb(command):
     return configure
 
 
-def start_logging_process(command):
-    """Decorator to start the logging subscriber process.
-
-    Args:
-        command: The command to decorate.
-
-    Returns:
-        The command wrapper function.
-
-    .. important::
-
-        Configuration, if needed, should be applied before invoking this
-        decorator, as starting the subscriber process for logging will
-        configure the root logger for the child process based on the
-        state of :obj:`bigchaindb.config` at the moment this decorator
-        is invoked.
-
-    """
-    @functools.wraps(command)
-    def start_logging(args):
-        logging_configs = DEFAULT_LOGGING_CONFIG
-        new_logging_configs = bigchaindb.config['log']
-
-        # Update log file location
-        logging_configs['handlers']['file']['filename'] = new_logging_configs['file']
-        logging_configs['handlers']['errors']['filename'] = new_logging_configs['error_file']
-
-        # Update log levels
-        logging_configs['handlers']['console']['level'] = \
-            new_logging_configs['level_console'].upper()
-        logging_configs['handlers']['file']['level'] = new_logging_configs['level_logfile'].upper()
-
-        # Update log date format
-        logging_configs['formatters']['console']['datefmt'] = new_logging_configs['datefmt_console']
-        logging_configs['formatters']['file']['datefmt'] = new_logging_configs['datefmt_logfile']
-
-        # Update log string format
-        logging_configs['formatters']['console']['format'] = new_logging_configs['fmt_console']
-        logging_configs['formatters']['file']['format'] = new_logging_configs['fmt_console']
-
-        set_logging_config(logging_configs)
-        command(args)
-    return start_logging
-
-
 def _convert(value, default=None, convert=None):
     def convert_bool(value):
         if value.lower() in ('true', 't', 'yes', 'y'):
@@ -190,7 +143,7 @@ base_parser.add_argument('-c', '--config',
 # the environment variables provided to configure the logger.
 base_parser.add_argument('-l', '--log-level',
                          type=str.upper,  # convert to uppercase for comparison to choices
-                         choices=['DEBUG', 'INFO', 'WARNING', 'ERROR', 'CRITICAL'],
+                         choices=['DEBUG', 'BENCHMARK', 'INFO', 'WARNING', 'ERROR', 'CRITICAL'],
                          help='Log level')
 
 base_parser.add_argument('-y', '--yes', '--yes-please',
diff --git a/bigchaindb/log.py b/bigchaindb/log.py
index ffcbac98..47892509 100644
--- a/bigchaindb/log.py
+++ b/bigchaindb/log.py
@@ -1,8 +1,13 @@
+import bigchaindb
 import logging
+
+from bigchaindb.common.exceptions import ConfigurationError
+from logging.config import dictConfig as set_logging_config
 from os.path import expanduser, join
 
 
 DEFAULT_LOG_DIR = expanduser('~')
+BENCHMARK_LOG_LEVEL = 15
 
 
 DEFAULT_LOGGING_CONFIG = {
@@ -21,6 +26,11 @@ DEFAULT_LOGGING_CONFIG = {
                        '%(message)s (%(processName)-10s - pid: %(process)d)'),
             'datefmt': '%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S',
         },
+        'benchmark': {
+            'class': 'logging.Formatter',
+            'format': ('%(asctime)s, %(levelname)s, %(message)s'),
+            'datefmt': '%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S',
+        }
     },
     'handlers': {
         'console': {
@@ -46,10 +56,98 @@ DEFAULT_LOGGING_CONFIG = {
             'formatter': 'file',
             'level': logging.ERROR,
         },
+        'benchmark': {
+            'class': 'logging.handlers.RotatingFileHandler',
+            'filename': 'bigchaindb-benchmark.log',
+            'mode': 'w',
+            'maxBytes':  209715200,
+            'backupCount': 5,
+            'formatter': 'benchmark',
+            'level': BENCHMARK_LOG_LEVEL,
+        }
     },
     'loggers': {},
     'root': {
         'level': logging.DEBUG,
-        'handlers': ['console', 'file', 'errors'],
+        'handlers': ['console', 'file', 'errors', 'benchmark'],
     },
 }
+
+
+def benchmark(self, message, *args, **kws):
+    # Yes, logger takes its '*args' as 'args'.
+    if self.isEnabledFor(BENCHMARK_LOG_LEVEL):
+        self._log(BENCHMARK_LOG_LEVEL, message, args, **kws)
+
+
+def _normalize_log_level(level):
+    try:
+        return level.upper()
+    except AttributeError as exc:
+        raise ConfigurationError('Log level must be a string!') from exc
+
+
+def setup_logging():
+    """Function to configure log hadlers.
+
+    .. important::
+
+        Configuration, if needed, should be applied before invoking this
+        decorator, as starting the subscriber process for logging will
+        configure the root logger for the child process based on the
+        state of :obj:`bigchaindb.config` at the moment this decorator
+        is invoked.
+
+    """
+
+    # Add a new logging level for logging benchmark
+    logging.addLevelName(BENCHMARK_LOG_LEVEL, 'BENCHMARK')
+    logging.BENCHMARK = BENCHMARK_LOG_LEVEL
+    logging.Logger.benchmark = benchmark
+
+    logging_configs = DEFAULT_LOGGING_CONFIG
+    new_logging_configs = bigchaindb.config['log']
+
+    if 'file' in new_logging_configs:
+        filename = new_logging_configs['file']
+        logging_configs['handlers']['file']['filename'] = filename
+
+    if 'error_file' in new_logging_configs:
+        error_filename = new_logging_configs['error_file']
+        logging_configs['handlers']['errors']['filename'] = error_filename
+
+    if 'level_console' in new_logging_configs:
+        level = _normalize_log_level(new_logging_configs['level_console'])
+        logging_configs['handlers']['console']['level'] = level
+
+    if 'level_logfile' in new_logging_configs:
+        level = _normalize_log_level(new_logging_configs['level_logfile'])
+        logging_configs['handlers']['file']['level'] = level
+        logging_configs['handlers']['benchmark']['level'] = level
+
+    if 'fmt_console' in new_logging_configs:
+        fmt = new_logging_configs['fmt_console']
+        logging_configs['formatters']['console']['format'] = fmt
+
+    if 'fmt_logfile' in new_logging_configs:
+        fmt = new_logging_configs['fmt_logfile']
+        logging_configs['formatters']['file']['format'] = fmt
+
+    if 'datefmt_console' in new_logging_configs:
+        fmt = new_logging_configs['datefmt_console']
+        logging_configs['formatters']['console']['datefmt'] = fmt
+
+    if 'datefmt_logfile' in new_logging_configs:
+        fmt = new_logging_configs['datefmt_logfile']
+        logging_configs['formatters']['file']['datefmt'] = fmt
+
+    log_levels = new_logging_configs.get('granular_levels', {})
+
+    for logger_name, level in log_levels.items():
+        level = _normalize_log_level(level)
+        try:
+            logging_configs['loggers'][logger_name]['level'] = level
+        except KeyError:
+            logging_configs['loggers'][logger_name] = {'level': level}
+
+    set_logging_config(logging_configs)
diff --git a/bigchaindb/tendermint/core.py b/bigchaindb/tendermint/core.py
index f838457b..d82e0266 100644
--- a/bigchaindb/tendermint/core.py
+++ b/bigchaindb/tendermint/core.py
@@ -38,7 +38,6 @@ class App(BaseApplication):
 
     def info(self):
         """Return height of the latest committed block."""
-
         r = ResponseInfo()
         block = self.bigchaindb.get_latest_block()
         if block:
@@ -55,13 +54,17 @@ class App(BaseApplication):
 
         Args:
             raw_tx: a raw string (in bytes) transaction."""
+
+        logger.benchmark('CHECK_TX_INIT')
         logger.debug('check_tx: %s', raw_transaction)
         transaction = decode_transaction(raw_transaction)
         if self.bigchaindb.is_valid_transaction(transaction):
             logger.debug('check_tx: VALID')
+            logger.benchmark('CHECK_TX_END, tx_id:%s', transaction['id'])
             return Result.ok()
         else:
             logger.debug('check_tx: INVALID')
+            logger.benchmark('CHECK_TX_END, tx_id:%s', transaction['id'])
             return Result.error()
 
     def begin_block(self, req_begin_block):
@@ -70,6 +73,9 @@ class App(BaseApplication):
             req_begin_block: block object which contains block header
             and block hash.
         """
+        logger.benchmark('BEGIN BLOCK, height:%s, num_txs:%s',
+                         req_begin_block.header.height,
+                         req_begin_block.header.num_txs)
 
         self.block_txn_ids = []
         self.block_transactions = []
@@ -98,7 +104,6 @@ class App(BaseApplication):
 
         Args:
             height (int): new height of the chain."""
-
         self.new_height = height
         block_txn_hash = calculate_hash(self.block_txn_ids)
         block = self.bigchaindb.get_latest_block()
@@ -130,7 +135,6 @@ class App(BaseApplication):
 
     def commit(self):
         """Store the new height and along with block hash."""
-
         data = self.block_txn_hash.encode('utf-8')
 
         # register a new block only when new transactions are received
@@ -146,6 +150,7 @@ class App(BaseApplication):
         logger.debug('Commit-ing new block with hash: apphash=%s ,'
                      'height=%s, txn ids=%s', data, self.new_height,
                      self.block_txn_ids)
+        logger.benchmark('COMMIT_BLOCK, height:%s', self.new_height)
         return data
 
 
diff --git a/docs/server/source/server-reference/configuration.md b/docs/server/source/server-reference/configuration.md
index daa685a3..3bc1ca31 100644
--- a/docs/server/source/server-reference/configuration.md
+++ b/docs/server/source/server-reference/configuration.md
@@ -289,7 +289,7 @@ defined by [Python](https://docs.python.org/3.6/library/logging.html#levels),
 but case insensitive for convenience's sake:
 
 ```
-"critical", "error", "warning", "info", "debug", "notset"
+"critical", "error", "warning", "info", "benchmark", "debug", "notset"
 ```
 
 **Example**:
@@ -311,7 +311,7 @@ defined by [Python](https://docs.python.org/3.6/library/logging.html#levels),
 but case insensitive for convenience's sake:
 
 ```
-"critical", "error", "warning", "info", "debug", "notset"
+"critical", "error", "warning", "info", "benchmark", "debug", "notset"
 ```
 
 **Example**:
diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
index 6b5be367..64ded511 100644
--- a/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import pytest
 from pymongo import MongoClient
 
 from bigchaindb.common import crypto
+from bigchaindb.log import setup_logging
 from bigchaindb.tendermint.lib import Block
 
 TEST_DB_NAME = 'bigchain_test'
@@ -111,6 +112,10 @@ def _configure_bigchaindb(request):
     config = config_utils.env_config(config)
     config_utils.set_config(config)
 
+    # NOTE: since we use a custom log level
+    # for benchmark logging we need to setup logging
+    setup_logging()
+
 
 @pytest.fixture(scope='session')
 def _setup_database(_configure_bigchaindb):
diff --git a/tests/tendermint/test_core.py b/tests/tendermint/test_core.py
index 165f69f9..ef34d4b6 100644
--- a/tests/tendermint/test_core.py
+++ b/tests/tendermint/test_core.py
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 import json
-
 import pytest
 
+from abci.types_pb2 import RequestBeginBlock
+
 
 pytestmark = [pytest.mark.tendermint, pytest.mark.bdb]
 
@@ -57,8 +58,10 @@ def test_deliver_tx__valid_create_updates_db(b):
                     .sign([alice.private_key])
 
     app = App(b)
+
+    begin_block = RequestBeginBlock()
     app.init_chain(['ignore'])
-    app.begin_block('ignore')
+    app.begin_block(begin_block)
 
     result = app.deliver_tx(encode_tx_to_bytes(tx))
     assert result.is_ok()
@@ -89,7 +92,9 @@ def test_deliver_tx__double_spend_fails(b):
 
     app = App(b)
     app.init_chain(['ignore'])
-    app.begin_block('ignore')
+
+    begin_block = RequestBeginBlock()
+    app.begin_block(begin_block)
 
     result = app.deliver_tx(encode_tx_to_bytes(tx))
     assert result.is_ok()
@@ -109,7 +114,9 @@ def test_deliver_transfer_tx__double_spend_fails(b):
 
     app = App(b)
     app.init_chain(['ignore'])
-    app.begin_block('ignore')
+
+    begin_block = RequestBeginBlock()
+    app.begin_block(begin_block)
 
     alice = generate_key_pair()
     bob = generate_key_pair()
@@ -152,7 +159,9 @@ def test_end_block_return_validator_updates(b):
 
     app = App(b)
     app.init_chain(['ignore'])
-    app.begin_block('ignore')
+
+    begin_block = RequestBeginBlock()
+    app.begin_block(begin_block)
 
     validator = {'pub_key': {'type': 'ed25519',
                              'data': 'B0E42D2589A455EAD339A035D6CE1C8C3E25863F268120AA0162AD7D003A4014'},
@@ -182,7 +191,8 @@ def test_store_pre_commit_state_in_end_block(b, alice):
     app = App(b)
     app.init_chain(['ignore'])
 
-    app.begin_block('ignore')
+    begin_block = RequestBeginBlock()
+    app.begin_block(begin_block)
     app.deliver_tx(encode_tx_to_bytes(tx))
     app.end_block(99)
 
@@ -191,7 +201,7 @@ def test_store_pre_commit_state_in_end_block(b, alice):
     assert resp['height'] == 99
     assert resp['transactions'] == [tx.id]
 
-    app.begin_block('ignore')
+    app.begin_block(begin_block)
     app.deliver_tx(encode_tx_to_bytes(tx))
     app.end_block(100)
     resp = query.get_pre_commit_state(b.connection, PRE_COMMIT_ID)
diff --git a/tests/tendermint/test_integration.py b/tests/tendermint/test_integration.py
index 6f1644ea..c1d86684 100644
--- a/tests/tendermint/test_integration.py
+++ b/tests/tendermint/test_integration.py
@@ -1,12 +1,13 @@
-import json
-from copy import deepcopy
-
-import pytest
-from abci.server import ProtocolHandler
-from io import BytesIO
 import abci.types_pb2 as types
+import json
+import pytest
+
+
+from abci.server import ProtocolHandler
 from abci.encoding import read_message
 from abci.messages import to_request_deliver_tx, to_request_check_tx
+from copy import deepcopy
+from io import BytesIO
 
 
 @pytest.mark.tendermint