diff --git a/src/eu/indigo/JenkinsDefinitions.groovy b/src/eu/indigo/JenkinsDefinitions.groovy
index c0694387..e7bb8f0d 100644
--- a/src/eu/indigo/JenkinsDefinitions.groovy
+++ b/src/eu/indigo/JenkinsDefinitions.groovy
@@ -23,6 +23,12 @@ class JenkinsDefinitions implements Serializable {
     */
     JenkinsDefinitions(steps) {
         this.steps = steps
+        if(_DEBUG_) {
+            this.logLevel = _LOGLEVELMAX_
+        }
+        else {
+            this.logLevel = steps.env.JPL_DEBUG ? steps.env.JPL_DEBUG as int : logLevel
+        }
     }
 
     void setLogLevel(int level) {
@@ -30,7 +36,7 @@ class JenkinsDefinitions implements Serializable {
             logLevel = _LOGLEVELMAX_
         }
         else {
-            logLevel = steps.env.JPL_DEBUG ? steps.env.JPL_DEBUG : logLevel
+            logLevel = steps.env.JPL_DEBUG ? steps.env.JPL_DEBUG as int : level
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/eu/indigo/compose/DockerCompose.groovy b/src/eu/indigo/compose/DockerCompose.groovy
index 113f2a52..f4ee2497 100644
--- a/src/eu/indigo/compose/DockerCompose.groovy
+++ b/src/eu/indigo/compose/DockerCompose.groovy
@@ -35,11 +35,11 @@ class DockerCompose extends JenkinsDefinitions implements Serializable {
     * @param block The expected logical block to be executed
     */
     def withCredentialsClosure(List credentials, Closure block) {
-        if (_DEBUG_) { steps.echo "** withCredentialsClosure() **" }
+        if (logTest(1)) { steps.echo "** withCredentialsClosure() **" }
         if (credentials) {
-            if (_DEBUG_) { steps.echo "credentials:\n${credentials}" }
+            if (logTest(1)) { steps.echo "credentials:\n${credentials}" }
             List credentialsStatements = credentialsToStep(credentials)
-            if (_DEBUG_) { steps.echo 'credentialsToStep: ' + credentialsStatements }
+            if (logTest(1)) { steps.echo 'credentialsToStep: ' + credentialsStatements }
             steps.withCredentials(credentialsStatements) {
                 block()
             }
@@ -55,12 +55,12 @@ class DockerCompose extends JenkinsDefinitions implements Serializable {
     */
     List credentialsToStep(List credentials) {
         credentialVariablesNames = []
-        if (_DEBUG_) { steps.echo "** credentialsToStep() **" }
-        if (_DEBUG_) { steps.echo "credentialVariablesNames(start):\n${credentialVariablesNames}" }
+        if (logTest(1)) { steps.echo "** credentialsToStep() **" }
+        if (logTest(1)) { steps.echo "credentialVariablesNames(start):\n${credentialVariablesNames}" }
 
         credentials.collect { credential ->
             def credType = credential.type
-            if (_DEBUG_) { steps.echo "credential: $credential\ncredType: $credType" }
+            if (logTest(1)) { steps.echo "credential: $credential\ncredType: $credType" }
             def credValue
             switch (credType) {
                 case 'string':
@@ -102,8 +102,8 @@ class DockerCompose extends JenkinsDefinitions implements Serializable {
                     break
             }
 
-            if (_DEBUG_) { steps.echo "credentialVariablesNames(end):\n${credentialVariablesNames}" }
-            if (_DEBUG_) { steps.echo "credValue: $credValue" }
+            if (logTest(1)) { steps.echo "credentialVariablesNames(end):\n${credentialVariablesNames}" }
+            if (logTest(1)) { steps.echo "credValue: $credValue" }
             credValue
         }
     }
@@ -148,8 +148,8 @@ class DockerCompose extends JenkinsDefinitions implements Serializable {
     String getCredsVars() {
         String res = ''
 
-        if (_DEBUG_) { steps.echo "** getCredsVars() **" }
-        if (_DEBUG_) { steps.echo "credentialVariablesNames:\n${credentialVariablesNames}" }
+        if (logTest(1)) { steps.echo "** getCredsVars() **" }
+        if (logTest(1)) { steps.echo "credentialVariablesNames:\n${credentialVariablesNames}" }
 
         if (! credentialVariablesNames?.isEmpty()) {
             credentialVariablesNames.each { v ->
@@ -265,11 +265,11 @@ class DockerCompose extends JenkinsDefinitions implements Serializable {
     * @see https://docs.docker.com/compose/reference/exec/
     */
     def composeToxRun(Map args, String service, String testenv, Tox tox) {
-        if (_DEBUG_) { steps.echo "** composeToxRun() **" }
+        if (logTest(1)) { steps.echo "** composeToxRun() **" }
 
         String credsVars = getCredsVars()
-        if (_DEBUG_) { steps.echo "service: ${service}\ntestenv: ${testenv}\ntoxFile: " + escapeWhitespace(args.toxFile) + "\ncredsVars: $credsVars" }
-        if (_DEBUG_) { steps.echo "tox command: " + tox.runEnv(testenv, toxFile: escapeWhitespace(args.toxFile)) }
+        if (logTest(1)) { steps.echo "service: ${service}\ntestenv: ${testenv}\ntoxFile: " + escapeWhitespace(args.toxFile) + "\ncredsVars: $credsVars" }
+        if (logTest(1)) { steps.echo "tox command: " + tox.runEnv(testenv, toxFile: escapeWhitespace(args.toxFile)) }
         String cmd = parseParam(_f, escapeWhitespace(args.composeFile)) + ' ' + parseParam(_w, escapeWhitespace(args.workdir)) + ' exec -T ' +
                      " $credsVars $service " + tox.runEnv(testenv, toxFile: escapeWhitespace(args.toxFile))
         steps.sh "docker-compose $cmd"
@@ -305,9 +305,9 @@ class DockerCompose extends JenkinsDefinitions implements Serializable {
      */
     def processStages(projectConfig) {
         String workspace = steps.env.WORKSPACE + '/'
-        if (_DEBUG_) { steps.echo "** processStages() **" }
-        if (_DEBUG_) { steps.echo "workspace path: $workspace" }
-        if (_DEBUG_) { steps.sh 'echo "before loading credentials:\n$(env)"' }
+        if (logTest(1)) { steps.echo "** processStages() **" }
+        if (logTest(1)) { steps.echo "workspace path: $workspace" }
+        if (logTest(1)) { steps.sh 'echo "before loading credentials:\n$(env)"' }
 
         // Load debug settings defined in JenkinsDefinitions before starting the scripted pipeline
         debugSettings()
@@ -333,7 +333,7 @@ class DockerCompose extends JenkinsDefinitions implements Serializable {
                 // Deploy the environment services using docker-compose
                 composeUp(composeFile: projectConfig.config.deploy_template, workdir: workspace, forceBuild: steps.env.JPL_DOCKERFORCEBUILD)
                 
-                if (_DEBUG_) { steps.sh 'echo "after loading credentials:\n$(env)"' }
+                if (logTest(1)) { steps.sh 'echo "after loading credentials:\n$(env)"' }
 
                 projectConfig.stagesList.each { stageMap ->
                     if (steps.env.JPL_KEEPGOING) {
diff --git a/src/eu/indigo/compose/parser/ConfigParser.groovy b/src/eu/indigo/compose/parser/ConfigParser.groovy
index d287383f..c8f61a84 100644
--- a/src/eu/indigo/compose/parser/ConfigParser.groovy
+++ b/src/eu/indigo/compose/parser/ConfigParser.groovy
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ class ConfigParser extends JenkinsDefinitions implements Serializable {
     ]
 
     ProjectConfiguration parse(yaml, env) {
-        if (_DEBUG_) { steps.echo "** parse(): ${yaml}**" }
+        if (logTest(1)) { steps.echo "** parse(): ${yaml}**" }
 
         new ProjectConfigurationBuilder()
             .setNodeAgentAux(getNodeAgent(yaml))
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ class ConfigParser extends JenkinsDefinitions implements Serializable {
     }
 
     Map merge(Map[] sources) {
-        if (_DEBUG_) { steps.echo "** merge(): ${sources}**" }
+        if (logTest(1)) { steps.echo "** merge(): ${sources}**" }
         switch (sources.length) {
             case 0:
                 return [:]
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ class ConfigParser extends JenkinsDefinitions implements Serializable {
         Map result = [:]
 
         (sources[0].entrySet() + sources[1].entrySet()).each { entry ->
-            if (_DEBUG_) { steps.echo "result = $result\nkey = ${entry.key}\nvalue = ${entry.value}" }
+            if (logTest(1)) { steps.echo "result = $result\nkey = ${entry.key}\nvalue = ${entry.value}" }
             result[entry.key] = result.containsKey(entry.key) && result[entry.key].getClass() == Map ?
                 [:] << result[entry.key] << entry.value
                 : entry.value
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ class ConfigParser extends JenkinsDefinitions implements Serializable {
     }
 
     Map getDefaultValue(String setting) {
-        if (_DEBUG_) { steps.echo "** getDefaultValue(): ${setting}**" }
+        if (logTest(1)) { steps.echo "** getDefaultValue(): ${setting}**" }
 
         defaultValues[setting].collectEntries { k, v ->
             v.getClass() == Map ?
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ class ConfigParser extends JenkinsDefinitions implements Serializable {
     }
 
     def getNodeAgent(yaml) {
-        if (_DEBUG_) { steps.echo "** getNodeAgent() **" }
+        if (logTest(1)) { steps.echo "** getNodeAgent() **" }
         configToClass[(yaml.config?.node_agent == null) ? DEFAULT_AGENT : yaml.config.node_agent]
     }
 
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ class ConfigParser extends JenkinsDefinitions implements Serializable {
     }
 
     Map getConfigSetting(Map config) {
-        if (_DEBUG_) { steps.echo "** getConfigSetting() **" }
+        if (logTest(1)) { steps.echo "** getConfigSetting() **" }
         def configBase = config ? merge(getDefaultValue('config'), config) : merge(getDefaultValue('config'))
         def configRepos = [
             project_repos: configBase['project_repos']
@@ -164,34 +164,34 @@ class ConfigParser extends JenkinsDefinitions implements Serializable {
         def configBaseRepos = merge(configBase, configRepos)
         def configMerged = merge(configBaseRepos, configCredentials)
 
-        if (_DEBUG_) { steps.echo 'configBase:\n' + configBase.toString() }
-        if (_DEBUG_) { steps.echo 'configRepos:\n' + configRepos.toString() }
-        if (_DEBUG_) { steps.echo 'configCredentials:\n' + configCredentials.toString() }
-        if (_DEBUG_) { steps.echo 'configBaseRepos:\n' + configBaseRepos.toString() }
-        if (_DEBUG_) { steps.echo 'configMerged:\n' + configMerged.toString() }
+        if (logTest(1)) { steps.echo 'configBase:\n' + configBase.toString() }
+        if (logTest(1)) { steps.echo 'configRepos:\n' + configRepos.toString() }
+        if (logTest(1)) { steps.echo 'configCredentials:\n' + configCredentials.toString() }
+        if (logTest(1)) { steps.echo 'configBaseRepos:\n' + configBaseRepos.toString() }
+        if (logTest(1)) { steps.echo 'configMerged:\n' + configMerged.toString() }
         return configMerged
     }
 
     Map getSQASetting(Map criteria) {
-        if (_DEBUG_) { steps.echo "** getSQASetting() **" }
-        if (_DEBUG_) { steps.echo "criteria:\n$criteria" }
+        if (logTest(1)) { steps.echo "** getSQASetting() **" }
+        if (logTest(1)) { steps.echo "criteria:\n$criteria" }
         def sqaCriteria = criteria.each { criterion, data ->
             supportedBuildTools.each { tool ->
-                if (_DEBUG_) { steps.echo "tool: $tool" }
-                if (_DEBUG_) { steps.echo "data:\n$data" }
+                if (logTest(1)) { steps.echo "tool: $tool" }
+                if (logTest(1)) { steps.echo "data:\n$data" }
                 def repoData = data[_repos].collectEntries { id, params ->
-                    if (_DEBUG_) { steps.echo "id: $id\nparams:\n$params" }
+                    if (logTest(1)) { steps.echo "id: $id\nparams:\n$params" }
                     params.containsKey(tool) ? [id, merge(getDefaultValue(tool), params)] : [id, params]
                 }
                 data[_repos] = repoData
             }
         }
-        if (_DEBUG_) { steps.echo "sqaCriteria:\n$sqaCriteria" }
+        if (logTest(1)) { steps.echo "sqaCriteria:\n$sqaCriteria" }
         return sqaCriteria
     }
 
     List formatStages(Map criteria) {
-        if (_DEBUG_) { steps.echo "** formatStages() **" }
+        if (logTest(1)) { steps.echo "** formatStages() **" }
         List stagesList = []
         criteria.each { criterion, data ->
             data[_repos].each { repo, params ->
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ class ConfigParser extends JenkinsDefinitions implements Serializable {
                 stagesList.add(stageMap)
             }
         }
-        if (_DEBUG_) { steps.echo "stagesList:\n$stagesList" }
+        if (logTest(1)) { steps.echo "stagesList:\n$stagesList" }
         return stagesList
     }
 
diff --git a/src/eu/indigo/scm/Git.groovy b/src/eu/indigo/scm/Git.groovy
index 6a7827a1..fcdd9331 100644
--- a/src/eu/indigo/scm/Git.groovy
+++ b/src/eu/indigo/scm/Git.groovy
@@ -26,12 +26,12 @@ class Git extends JenkinsDefinitions implements Serializable {
     }
 
     def checkoutRepository() {
-        if (_DEBUG_) { steps.echo "** Git.checkoutRepository() **" }
+        if (logTest(1)) { steps.echo "** Git.checkoutRepository() **" }
         steps.checkout steps.scm
     }
 
-    def checkoutRepository(String repository, String branch='master', String credentialsId) {
-        if (_DEBUG_) { steps.echo "** Git.checkoutRepository($repository, $branch, $credentialsId) **" }
+    def checkoutRepository(String repository, String credentialsId, String name='origin', String refspec='+refs/heads/*:refs/remotes/origin/*', String branch='master', String relativeTargetDir='.') {
+        if (logTest(1)) { steps.echo "** Git.checkoutRepository($repository, $branch, $name, $refspec, $relativeTargetDir, $credentialsId) **" }
         steps.checkout transformGitSCM([
                 branches: [[name: "*/${branch}"]],
                 extensions: steps.scm.extensions + [$class: 'RelativeTargetDirectory', relativeTargetDir: '.'],
diff --git a/src/eu/indigo/scm/GitLocalBranch.groovy b/src/eu/indigo/scm/GitLocalBranch.groovy
index a3ba51c8..c337d443 100644
--- a/src/eu/indigo/scm/GitLocalBranch.groovy
+++ b/src/eu/indigo/scm/GitLocalBranch.groovy
@@ -14,23 +14,29 @@ class GitLocalBranch extends Git implements Serializable {
 
     @Override
     def checkoutRepository() {
-        if (_DEBUG_) { steps.echo "** GitLocalBranch.checkoutRepository() **" }
+        if (logTest(1)) {
+            steps.echo """** GitLocalBranch.checkoutRepository() default values:
+            credentialsId: ${steps.scm.userRemoteConfigs[0].credentialsId}
+            url: ${steps.scm.userRemoteConfigs[0].url}
+            name: ${steps.scm.userRemoteConfigs[0].name}
+            refspec: ${steps.scm.userRemoteConfigs[0].refspec} **"""
+            }
         steps.checkout transformGitSCM([
                 branches: steps.scm.branches,
                 extensions: steps.scm.extensions + [$class: 'LocalBranch', localBranch: '**'],
-                userRemoteConfigs: steps.scm.userRemoteConfigs
+                userRemoteConfigs: [[credentialsId: steps.scm.userRemoteConfigs[0].credentialsId, url: steps.scm.userRemoteConfigs[0].url, name: steps.scm.userRemoteConfigs[0].name, refspec: steps.scm.userRemoteConfigs[0].refspec]]
             ])
     }
 
     @Override
-    def checkoutRepository(String repository, String branch='master', String credentialsId) {
-        if (_DEBUG_) { steps.echo "** Git.checkoutRepository($repository, $branch, $credentialsId) **" }
+    def checkoutRepository(String repository, String credentialsId, String name='origin', String refspec='+refs/heads/*:refs/remotes/origin/*', String branch='master', String relativeTargetDir='.') {
+        if (logTest(1)) { steps.echo "** GitLocalBranch.checkoutRepository($repository, $branch, $name, $refspec, $relativeTargetDir, $credentialsId) **" }
         steps.checkout transformGitSCM([
                 branches: [[name: "*/${branch}"]],
                 extensions: steps.scm.extensions +
-                            [$class: 'RelativeTargetDirectory', relativeTargetDir: '.'] +
+                            [$class: 'RelativeTargetDirectory', relativeTargetDir: relativeTargetDir] +
                             [$class: 'LocalBranch', localBranch: '**'],
-                userRemoteConfigs: [[url: repository, credentialsId: credentialsId]]
+                userRemoteConfigs: [[url: repository, credentialsId: credentialsId, name: name, refspec: refspec]]
             ])
     }