diff --git a/browser.js b/browser.js
index 97dcb49d9..a3f1cca9a 100644
--- a/browser.js
+++ b/browser.js
@@ -155,14 +155,14 @@ pino.levels = {
 pino.stdSerializers = stdSerializers
 
 function set (opts, logger, level, fallback) {
-  var val = logger.levelVal
-  logger[level] = val > pino.levels.values[level] ? noop
-    : (logger[level] ? logger[level] : (_console[level] || _console[fallback] || noop))
+  var proto = Object.getPrototypeOf(logger)
+  logger[level] = logger.levelVal > logger.levels.values[level] ? noop
+    : (proto[level] ? proto[level] : (_console[level] || _console[fallback] || noop))
 
-  wrap(opts, logger, logger.val, level)
+  wrap(opts, logger, level)
 }
 
-function wrap (opts, logger, val, level) {
+function wrap (opts, logger, level) {
   if (!opts.transmit && logger[level] === noop) return
 
   logger[level] = (function (write) {
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ function wrap (opts, logger, val, level) {
           transmitLevel: transmitLevel,
           transmitValue: pino.levels.values[opts.transmit.level || logger.level],
           send: opts.transmit.send,
-          val: val
+          val: logger.levelVal
         }, args)
       }
     }
diff --git a/test/browser.levels.test.js b/test/browser.levels.test.js
index 27f5efc6a..d63575ded 100644
--- a/test/browser.levels.test.js
+++ b/test/browser.levels.test.js
@@ -29,6 +29,66 @@ test('set the level by string', function (t) {
   t.end()
 })
 
+test('set the level by string. init with silent', function (t) {
+  t.plan(4)
+  var expected = [
+    {
+      level: 50,
+      msg: 'this is an error'
+    },
+    {
+      level: 60,
+      msg: 'this is fatal'
+    }
+  ]
+  var instance = pino({
+    level: 'silent',
+    browser: {
+      write: function (actual) {
+        checkLogObjects(t, actual, expected.shift())
+      }
+    }
+  })
+
+  instance.level = 'error'
+  instance.info('hello world')
+  instance.error('this is an error')
+  instance.fatal('this is fatal')
+  t.end()
+})
+
+test('set the level by string. init with silent and transmit', function (t) {
+  t.plan(4)
+  var expected = [
+    {
+      level: 50,
+      msg: 'this is an error'
+    },
+    {
+      level: 60,
+      msg: 'this is fatal'
+    }
+  ]
+  var instance = pino({
+    level: 'silent',
+    browser: {
+      write: function (actual) {
+        checkLogObjects(t, actual, expected.shift())
+      }
+    },
+    transmit: {
+      send: function () {
+      }
+    }
+  })
+
+  instance.level = 'error'
+  instance.info('hello world')
+  instance.error('this is an error')
+  instance.fatal('this is fatal')
+  t.end()
+})
+
 test('set the level via constructor', function (t) {
   t.plan(4)
   var expected = [