diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/ml/server/client/log.js b/x-pack/plugins/ml/server/client/log.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 0ef5e3f292ee..000000000000
--- a/x-pack/plugins/ml/server/client/log.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,11 +0,0 @@
-/*
- * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
- * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License;
- * you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
- */
-
-export let mlLog = () => {};
-
-export function initMlServerLog(log) {
-  mlLog = (level, message) => log(['ml', level], message);
-}
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/ml/server/client/log.ts b/x-pack/plugins/ml/server/client/log.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..8ee5882f6c2c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/ml/server/client/log.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License;
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
+ */
+
+import { Logger } from '../../../../../src/core/server';
+
+export interface LogInitialization {
+  log: Logger;
+}
+
+interface MlLog {
+  fatal: (message: string) => void;
+  error: (message: string) => void;
+  warn: (message: string) => void;
+  info: (message: string) => void;
+  debug: (message: string) => void;
+  trace: (message: string) => void;
+}
+
+export let mlLog: MlLog;
+
+export function initMlServerLog(logInitialization: LogInitialization) {
+  mlLog = {
+    fatal: (message: string) => logInitialization.log.fatal(message),
+    error: (message: string) => logInitialization.log.error(message),
+    warn: (message: string) => logInitialization.log.warn(message),
+    info: (message: string) => logInitialization.log.info(message),
+    debug: (message: string) => logInitialization.log.debug(message),
+    trace: (message: string) => logInitialization.log.trace(message),
+  };
+}
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/ml/server/lib/check_annotations/index.js b/x-pack/plugins/ml/server/lib/check_annotations/index.js
index efcd6ef54bde..6878ef6464aa 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/ml/server/lib/check_annotations/index.js
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/ml/server/lib/check_annotations/index.js
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ export async function isAnnotationsFeatureAvailable(callWithRequest) {
     if (!annotationsWriteAliasExists) return false;
 
   } catch (err) {
-    mlLog('info', 'Disabling ML annotations feature because the index/alias integrity check failed.');
+    mlLog.info('Disabling ML annotations feature because the index/alias integrity check failed.');
     return false;
   }
 
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/ml/server/models/data_recognizer/data_recognizer.js b/x-pack/plugins/ml/server/models/data_recognizer/data_recognizer.js
index 15b4e86ceafa..02128ae7ed5f 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/ml/server/models/data_recognizer/data_recognizer.js
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/ml/server/models/data_recognizer/data_recognizer.js
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ export class DataRecognizer {
       try {
         file = await this.readFile(`${this.modulesDir}/${dir}/manifest.json`);
       } catch (error) {
-        mlLog('warning', `Data recognizer skipping folder ${dir} as manifest.json cannot be read`);
+        mlLog.warn(`Data recognizer skipping folder ${dir} as manifest.json cannot be read`);
       }
 
       if (file !== undefined) {
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ export class DataRecognizer {
             json: JSON.parse(file)
           });
         } catch (error) {
-          mlLog('warning', `Data recognizer error parsing ${dir}/manifest.json. ${error}`);
+          mlLog.warn(`Data recognizer error parsing ${dir}/manifest.json. ${error}`);
         }
       }
 
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ export class DataRecognizer {
       try {
         match = await this.searchForFields(moduleConfig, indexPattern);
       } catch (error) {
-        mlLog('warning', `Data recognizer error running query defined for module ${moduleConfig.id}. ${error}`);
+        mlLog.warn(`Data recognizer error running query defined for module ${moduleConfig.id}. ${error}`);
       }
 
       if (match === true) {
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ export class DataRecognizer {
           config: JSON.parse(jobConfig)
         });
       } catch (error) {
-        mlLog('warning', `Data recognizer error loading config for job ${job.id} for module ${id}. ${error}`);
+        mlLog.warn(`Data recognizer error loading config for job ${job.id} for module ${id}. ${error}`);
       }
     }));
 
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ export class DataRecognizer {
           config
         });
       } catch (error) {
-        mlLog('warning', `Data recognizer error loading config for datafeed ${datafeed.id} for module ${id}. ${error}`);
+        mlLog.warn(`Data recognizer error loading config for datafeed ${datafeed.id} for module ${id}. ${error}`);
       }
     }));
 
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ export class DataRecognizer {
               config
             });
           } catch (error) {
-            mlLog('warning', `Data recognizer error loading config for ${key} ${obj.id} for module ${id}. ${error}`);
+            mlLog.warn(`Data recognizer error loading config for ${key} ${obj.id} for module ${id}. ${error}`);
           }
         }));
       }));
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/ml/server/new_platform/plugin.ts b/x-pack/plugins/ml/server/new_platform/plugin.ts
index 4644c86dff72..9cbe145804b7 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/ml/server/new_platform/plugin.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/ml/server/new_platform/plugin.ts
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ import { jobAuditMessagesRoutes } from '../routes/job_audit_messages';
 // @ts-ignore: could not find declaration file for module
 import { fileDataVisualizerRoutes } from '../routes/file_data_visualizer';
 // @ts-ignore: could not find declaration file for module
-import { initMlServerLog } from '../client/log';
+import { initMlServerLog, LogInitialization } from '../client/log';
 
 export interface MlHttpServiceSetup extends HttpServiceSetup {
   route(route: ServerRoute | ServerRoute[]): void;
@@ -108,9 +108,7 @@ export interface UsageInitialization {
   };
   savedObjects: SavedObjectsService;
 }
-export interface LogInitialization {
-  log: Logger;
-}
+
 export class Plugin {
   private readonly pluginId: string = 'ml';
   private config: any;
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/ml/server/routes/system.js b/x-pack/plugins/ml/server/routes/system.js
index 174921a0c98d..169cca1c99d1 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/ml/server/routes/system.js
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/ml/server/routes/system.js
@@ -54,9 +54,9 @@ export function systemRoutes({ commonRouteConfig, elasticsearchPlugin, route, xp
           // most likely they do not have the ml_user role and therefore will be blocked from using
           // ML at all. However, we need to catch this error so the privilege check doesn't fail.
           if (error.status === 403) {
-            mlLog('info', 'Unable to determine whether upgrade is being performed due to insufficient user privileges');
+            mlLog.info('Unable to determine whether upgrade is being performed due to insufficient user privileges');
           } else {
-            mlLog('warning', 'Unable to determine whether upgrade is being performed');
+            mlLog.warn('Unable to determine whether upgrade is being performed');
           }
         }