diff --git a/gRPC-C++.podspec b/gRPC-C++.podspec
index e02d48971..6e33842cc 100644
--- a/gRPC-C++.podspec
+++ b/gRPC-C++.podspec
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 Pod::Spec.new do |s|
   s.name     = 'gRPC-C++'
   # TODO (mxyan): use version that match gRPC version when pod is stabilized
-  version = '1.65.0-pre1'
+  version = '1.65.0-pre2'
   s.version  = version
   s.summary  = 'gRPC C++ library'
   s.homepage = 'https://grpc.io'
diff --git a/gRPC-Core.podspec b/gRPC-Core.podspec
index 1af308a43..2260c4413 100644
--- a/gRPC-Core.podspec
+++ b/gRPC-Core.podspec
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 
 Pod::Spec.new do |s|
   s.name     = 'gRPC-Core'
-  version = '1.65.0-pre1'
+  version = '1.65.0-pre2'
   s.version  = version
   s.summary  = 'Core cross-platform gRPC library, written in C'
   s.homepage = 'https://grpc.io'
diff --git a/gRPC-ProtoRPC.podspec b/gRPC-ProtoRPC.podspec
index 2610c0141..a0fd7d00e 100644
--- a/gRPC-ProtoRPC.podspec
+++ b/gRPC-ProtoRPC.podspec
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 
 Pod::Spec.new do |s|
   s.name     = 'gRPC-ProtoRPC'
-  version = '1.65.0-pre1'
+  version = '1.65.0-pre2'
   s.version  = version
   s.summary  = 'RPC library for Protocol Buffers, based on gRPC'
   s.homepage = 'https://grpc.io'
diff --git a/gRPC-RxLibrary.podspec b/gRPC-RxLibrary.podspec
index 48cf179ff..a28ed10f2 100644
--- a/gRPC-RxLibrary.podspec
+++ b/gRPC-RxLibrary.podspec
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 
 Pod::Spec.new do |s|
   s.name     = 'gRPC-RxLibrary'
-  version = '1.65.0-pre1'
+  version = '1.65.0-pre2'
   s.version  = version
   s.summary  = 'Reactive Extensions library for iOS/OSX.'
   s.homepage = 'https://grpc.io'
diff --git a/gRPC.podspec b/gRPC.podspec
index f053f78d1..0ea492a8a 100644
--- a/gRPC.podspec
+++ b/gRPC.podspec
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 
 Pod::Spec.new do |s|
   s.name     = 'gRPC'
-  version = '1.65.0-pre1'
+  version = '1.65.0-pre2'
   s.version  = version
   s.summary  = 'gRPC client library for iOS/OSX'
   s.homepage = 'https://grpc.io'
diff --git a/include/grpc/support/log.h b/include/grpc/support/log.h
index 575600296..30117dd53 100644
--- a/include/grpc/support/log.h
+++ b/include/grpc/support/log.h
@@ -28,15 +28,10 @@
 extern "C" {
 #endif
 
-/** GPR log API.
-
-   Usage (within grpc):
-
-   int argument1 = 3;
-   char* argument2 = "hello";
-   gpr_log(GPR_DEBUG, "format string %d", argument1);
-   gpr_log(GPR_INFO, "hello world");
-   gpr_log(GPR_ERROR, "%d %s!!", argument1, argument2); */
+/**
+ * Logging functions in this file are deprecated.
+ * Please use absl ABSL_LOG instead.
+ */
 
 /** The severity of a log message - use the #defines below when calling into
    gpr_log to additionally supply file and line data */
@@ -65,7 +60,7 @@ GPRAPI void gpr_log_message(const char* file, int line,
                             gpr_log_severity severity, const char* message);
 
 /** Set global log verbosity */
-GPRAPI void gpr_set_log_verbosity(gpr_log_severity min_severity_to_print);
+GPRAPI void gpr_set_log_verbosity(gpr_log_severity deprecated_setting);
 
 GPRAPI void gpr_log_verbosity_init(void);
 
@@ -83,7 +78,7 @@ typedef struct gpr_log_func_args gpr_log_func_args;
 
 typedef void (*gpr_log_func)(gpr_log_func_args* args);
 
-GPRAPI void gpr_set_log_function(gpr_log_func func);
+GPRAPI void gpr_set_log_function(gpr_log_func deprecated_setting);
 
 GPRAPI void gpr_assertion_failed(const char* filename, int line,
                                  const char* message) GPR_ATTRIBUTE_NORETURN;
diff --git a/include/grpcpp/version_info.h b/include/grpcpp/version_info.h
index 96baedcc2..cef55c1a7 100644
--- a/include/grpcpp/version_info.h
+++ b/include/grpcpp/version_info.h
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 #define GRPC_CPP_VERSION_MAJOR 1
 #define GRPC_CPP_VERSION_MINOR 65
 #define GRPC_CPP_VERSION_PATCH 0
-#define GRPC_CPP_VERSION_TAG "pre1"
-#define GRPC_CPP_VERSION_STRING "1.65.0-pre1"
+#define GRPC_CPP_VERSION_TAG "pre2"
+#define GRPC_CPP_VERSION_STRING "1.65.0-pre2"
 
 #endif  // GRPCPP_VERSION_INFO_H
diff --git a/src/core/lib/config/config_vars.cc b/src/core/lib/config/config_vars.cc
index b3a919b11..c67f4463f 100644
--- a/src/core/lib/config/config_vars.cc
+++ b/src/core/lib/config/config_vars.cc
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 #include "src/core/lib/config/load_config.h"
 
 #ifndef GPR_DEFAULT_LOG_VERBOSITY_STRING
-#define GPR_DEFAULT_LOG_VERBOSITY_STRING "ERROR"
+#define GPR_DEFAULT_LOG_VERBOSITY_STRING ""
 #endif  // !GPR_DEFAULT_LOG_VERBOSITY_STRING
 
 #ifdef GRPC_ENABLE_FORK_SUPPORT
diff --git a/src/core/util/log.cc b/src/core/util/log.cc
index 77326f716..a57f67580 100644
--- a/src/core/util/log.cc
+++ b/src/core/util/log.cc
@@ -35,18 +35,9 @@
 #include "src/core/lib/gprpp/crash.h"
 #include "src/core/util/string.h"
 
-#ifndef GPR_DEFAULT_LOG_VERBOSITY_STRING
-#define GPR_DEFAULT_LOG_VERBOSITY_STRING "ERROR"
-#endif  // !GPR_DEFAULT_LOG_VERBOSITY_STRING
-
-static constexpr gpr_atm GPR_LOG_SEVERITY_UNSET = GPR_LOG_SEVERITY_ERROR + 10;
-static constexpr gpr_atm GPR_LOG_SEVERITY_NONE = GPR_LOG_SEVERITY_ERROR + 11;
-
 void gpr_default_log(gpr_log_func_args* args);
 void gpr_platform_log(gpr_log_func_args* args);
 static gpr_atm g_log_func = reinterpret_cast<gpr_atm>(gpr_default_log);
-static gpr_atm g_min_severity_to_print = GPR_LOG_SEVERITY_UNSET;
-static gpr_atm g_min_severity_to_print_stacktrace = GPR_LOG_SEVERITY_UNSET;
 
 void gpr_unreachable_code(const char* reason, const char* file, int line) {
   grpc_core::Crash(absl::StrCat("UNREACHABLE CODE: ", reason),
@@ -71,10 +62,22 @@ const char* gpr_log_severity_string(gpr_log_severity severity) {
 }
 
 int gpr_should_log(gpr_log_severity severity) {
-  return static_cast<gpr_atm>(severity) >=
-                 gpr_atm_no_barrier_load(&g_min_severity_to_print)
-             ? 1
-             : 0;
+  switch (severity) {
+    case GPR_LOG_SEVERITY_ERROR:
+      return absl::MinLogLevel() <= absl::LogSeverityAtLeast::kError;
+    case GPR_LOG_SEVERITY_INFO:
+      // There is no documentation about how expensive or inexpensive
+      // MinLogLevel is. We could have saved this in a static const variable.
+      // But decided against it just in case anyone programatically sets absl
+      // min log level settings after this has been initialized.
+      // Same holds for VLOG_IS_ON(2).
+      return absl::MinLogLevel() <= absl::LogSeverityAtLeast::kInfo;
+    case GPR_LOG_SEVERITY_DEBUG:
+      return VLOG_IS_ON(2);
+    default:
+      DLOG(ERROR) << "Invalid gpr_log_severity.";
+      return true;
+  }
 }
 
 void gpr_default_log(gpr_log_func_args* args) {
@@ -111,25 +114,21 @@ void gpr_log_message(const char* file, int line, gpr_log_severity severity,
   reinterpret_cast<gpr_log_func>(gpr_atm_no_barrier_load(&g_log_func))(&lfargs);
 }
 
-void gpr_set_log_verbosity(gpr_log_severity min_severity_to_print) {
-  gpr_atm_no_barrier_store(&g_min_severity_to_print,
-                           (gpr_atm)min_severity_to_print);
-}
-
-static gpr_atm parse_log_severity(absl::string_view str, gpr_atm error_value) {
-  if (absl::EqualsIgnoreCase(str, "DEBUG")) return GPR_LOG_SEVERITY_DEBUG;
-  if (absl::EqualsIgnoreCase(str, "INFO")) return GPR_LOG_SEVERITY_INFO;
-  if (absl::EqualsIgnoreCase(str, "ERROR")) return GPR_LOG_SEVERITY_ERROR;
-  if (absl::EqualsIgnoreCase(str, "NONE")) return GPR_LOG_SEVERITY_NONE;
-  return error_value;
+void gpr_set_log_verbosity(
+    [[maybe_unused]] gpr_log_severity deprecated_setting) {
+  LOG(ERROR)
+      << "This will not be set. Please set this via absl log level settings.";
 }
 
-void gpr_to_absl_verbosity_setting_init(void) {
+void gpr_log_verbosity_init(void) {
 // This is enabled in Github only.
 // This ifndef is converted to ifdef internally by copybara.
 // Internally grpc verbosity is managed using absl settings.
 // So internally we avoid setting it like this.
 #ifndef GRPC_VERBOSITY_MACRO
+  // SetMinLogLevel sets the value for the entire binary, not just gRPC.
+  // This setting will change things for other libraries/code that is unrelated
+  // to grpc.
   absl::string_view verbosity = grpc_core::ConfigVars::Get().Verbosity();
   DVLOG(2) << "Log verbosity: " << verbosity;
   if (absl::EqualsIgnoreCase(verbosity, "INFO")) {
@@ -150,50 +149,17 @@ void gpr_to_absl_verbosity_setting_init(void) {
   } else if (absl::EqualsIgnoreCase(verbosity, "NONE")) {
     absl::SetVLogLevel("*grpc*/*", -1);
     absl::SetMinLogLevel(absl::LogSeverityAtLeast::kInfinity);
+  } else if (verbosity.empty()) {
+    // Do not alter absl settings if GRPC_VERBOSITY flag is not set.
   } else {
     LOG(ERROR) << "Unknown log verbosity: " << verbosity;
   }
 #endif  // GRPC_VERBOSITY_MACRO
 }
 
-void gpr_log_verbosity_init() {
-  // init verbosity when it hasn't been set
-  if ((gpr_atm_no_barrier_load(&g_min_severity_to_print)) ==
-      GPR_LOG_SEVERITY_UNSET) {
-    auto verbosity = grpc_core::ConfigVars::Get().Verbosity();
-    gpr_atm min_severity_to_print = GPR_LOG_SEVERITY_ERROR;
-    if (!verbosity.empty()) {
-      min_severity_to_print =
-          parse_log_severity(verbosity, min_severity_to_print);
-    }
-    gpr_atm_no_barrier_store(&g_min_severity_to_print, min_severity_to_print);
-  }
-  // init stacktrace_minloglevel when it hasn't been set
-  if ((gpr_atm_no_barrier_load(&g_min_severity_to_print_stacktrace)) ==
-      GPR_LOG_SEVERITY_UNSET) {
-    auto stacktrace_minloglevel =
-        grpc_core::ConfigVars::Get().StacktraceMinloglevel();
-    gpr_atm min_severity_to_print_stacktrace = GPR_LOG_SEVERITY_NONE;
-    if (!stacktrace_minloglevel.empty()) {
-      min_severity_to_print_stacktrace = parse_log_severity(
-          stacktrace_minloglevel, min_severity_to_print_stacktrace);
-    }
-    gpr_atm_no_barrier_store(&g_min_severity_to_print_stacktrace,
-                             min_severity_to_print_stacktrace);
-  }
-  gpr_to_absl_verbosity_setting_init();
-}
-
-void gpr_set_log_function(gpr_log_func f) {
+void gpr_set_log_function([[maybe_unused]] gpr_log_func deprecated_setting) {
   LOG(ERROR)
-      << "This function is in the process of being deprecated. Your "
-         "gpr_log_func will not work as expected. This is because only few "
-         "instances of gpr_log remain in our code base. All instances of "
-         "gpr_log will log via this custom function. Many of the gpr_log "
-         "statements have been converted to ABSL_LOG statements. These will "
-         "log to the default absl log sink. The gpr_set_log_function function "
-         "will be deleted in the next gRPC release. We strongly advice against "
-         "using this function. You may create a new absl LogSink with similar "
+      << "This function is deprecated. This function will be deleted in the "
+         "next gRPC release. You may create a new absl LogSink with similar "
          "functionality. gRFC: https://github.com/grpc/proposal/pull/425 ";
-  gpr_atm_no_barrier_store(&g_log_func, (gpr_atm)(f ? f : gpr_default_log));
 }
diff --git a/src/objective-c/!ProtoCompiler-gRPCCppPlugin.podspec b/src/objective-c/!ProtoCompiler-gRPCCppPlugin.podspec
index 3a8acb482..281af1c94 100644
--- a/src/objective-c/!ProtoCompiler-gRPCCppPlugin.podspec
+++ b/src/objective-c/!ProtoCompiler-gRPCCppPlugin.podspec
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ Pod::Spec.new do |s|
   # exclamation mark ensures that other "regular" pods will be able to find it as it'll be installed
   # before them.
   s.name     = '!ProtoCompiler-gRPCCppPlugin'
-  v = '1.65.0-pre1'
+  v = '1.65.0-pre2'
   s.version  = v
   s.summary  = 'The gRPC ProtoC plugin generates C++ files from .proto services.'
   s.description = <<-DESC
diff --git a/src/objective-c/!ProtoCompiler-gRPCPlugin.podspec b/src/objective-c/!ProtoCompiler-gRPCPlugin.podspec
index 0d88ff988..8efcc3ff4 100644
--- a/src/objective-c/!ProtoCompiler-gRPCPlugin.podspec
+++ b/src/objective-c/!ProtoCompiler-gRPCPlugin.podspec
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ Pod::Spec.new do |s|
   # exclamation mark ensures that other "regular" pods will be able to find it as it'll be installed
   # before them.
   s.name     = '!ProtoCompiler-gRPCPlugin'
-  v = '1.65.0-pre1'
+  v = '1.65.0-pre2'
   s.version  = v
   s.summary  = 'The gRPC ProtoC plugin generates Objective-C files from .proto services.'
   s.description = <<-DESC
diff --git a/src/objective-c/GRPCClient/version.h b/src/objective-c/GRPCClient/version.h
index 6a735382c..aa088439e 100644
--- a/src/objective-c/GRPCClient/version.h
+++ b/src/objective-c/GRPCClient/version.h
@@ -22,4 +22,4 @@
 // instead. This file can be regenerated from the template by running
 // `tools/buildgen/generate_projects.sh`.
 
-#define GRPC_OBJC_VERSION_STRING @"1.65.0-pre1"
+#define GRPC_OBJC_VERSION_STRING @"1.65.0-pre2"