diff --git a/include/spdlog/common.h b/include/spdlog/common.h
index 5bc9a02e..e71007b2 100644
--- a/include/spdlog/common.h
+++ b/include/spdlog/common.h
@@ -173,9 +173,9 @@ enum class log_level
 };
 
 #if defined(SPDLOG_NO_ATOMIC_LEVELS)
-    using level_t = details::null_atomic_log_level;
+    using atomic_level_t = details::null_atomic<log_level>;
 #else
-    using level_t = std::atomic<log_level>;
+    using atomic_level_t = std::atomic<log_level>;
 #endif
 
 #if !defined(SPDLOG_LEVEL_NAMES)
diff --git a/include/spdlog/details/null_mutex.h b/include/spdlog/details/null_mutex.h
index cd0ceed0..91b216b6 100644
--- a/include/spdlog/details/null_mutex.h
+++ b/include/spdlog/details/null_mutex.h
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@
 // null, no cost dummy "mutex" and dummy "atomic" log level
 
 namespace spdlog {
-enum class log_level; // forward declaration
 
 namespace details {
 struct null_mutex
@@ -18,25 +17,26 @@ struct null_mutex
     void unlock() const {}
 };
 
-struct null_atomic_log_level
+template<typename T>
+struct null_atomic
 {
-    spdlog::log_level value;
+    T value;
 
-    explicit null_atomic_log_level(spdlog::log_level new_value)
+    explicit null_atomic(T new_value)
         : value(new_value)
     {}
 
-    [[nodiscard]] log_level load(std::memory_order = std::memory_order_relaxed) const
+    [[nodiscard]] T load(std::memory_order = std::memory_order_relaxed) const
     {
         return value;
     }
 
-    void store(log_level new_value, std::memory_order = std::memory_order_relaxed)
+    void store(T new_value, std::memory_order = std::memory_order_relaxed)
     {
         value = new_value;
     }
 
-    log_level exchange(log_level new_value, std::memory_order = std::memory_order_relaxed)
+    T exchange(T new_value, std::memory_order = std::memory_order_relaxed)
     {
         std::swap(new_value, value);
         return new_value; // return value before the call
diff --git a/include/spdlog/logger.h b/include/spdlog/logger.h
index 59b200b5..407d604a 100644
--- a/include/spdlog/logger.h
+++ b/include/spdlog/logger.h
@@ -310,8 +310,8 @@ public:
 protected:
     std::string name_;
     std::vector<sink_ptr> sinks_;
-    spdlog::level_t level_{log_level::info};
-    spdlog::level_t flush_level_{log_level::off};
+    spdlog::atomic_level_t level_{log_level::info};
+    spdlog::atomic_level_t flush_level_{log_level::off};
     err_handler custom_err_handler_{nullptr};
 
     // common implementation for after templated public api has been resolved to format string and args
diff --git a/include/spdlog/sinks/sink.h b/include/spdlog/sinks/sink.h
index 68cd8524..c8d3005c 100644
--- a/include/spdlog/sinks/sink.h
+++ b/include/spdlog/sinks/sink.h
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ public:
 
 protected:
     // sink log level - default is all
-    level_t level_{log_level::trace};
+    atomic_level_t level_{log_level::trace};
 };
 
 } // namespace sinks