diff --git a/lib/log4js.js b/lib/log4js.js
index cb7d8fe..7109d3c 100644
--- a/lib/log4js.js
+++ b/lib/log4js.js
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ const Configuration = require('./configuration');
 const connectModule = require('./connect-logger');
 const logger = require('./logger');
 const layouts = require('./layouts');
+const levels = require('./levels');
 
 let cluster;
 try {
@@ -49,7 +50,6 @@ const defaultConfig = {
 let Logger;
 let LoggingEvent;
 let config;
-let connectLogger;
 let enabled = false;
 
 function configForCategory(category) {
@@ -284,7 +284,8 @@ const log4js = {
   getLogger,
   configure,
   shutdown,
-  connectLogger,
+  connectLogger: connectModule(levels()).connectLogger,
+  levels: levels(),
   addLayout: layouts.addLayout
 };
 
diff --git a/test/tap/levels-before-configure-test.js b/test/tap/levels-before-configure-test.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..74be261
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/tap/levels-before-configure-test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+const test = require('tap').test;
+
+test('Accessing things setup in configure before configure is called', (batch) => {
+  batch.test('should work', (t) => {
+    const log4js = require('../../lib/log4js');
+    t.ok(log4js.levels);
+    t.ok(log4js.connectLogger);
+    t.end();
+  });
+
+  batch.end();
+});