diff --git a/changelog/unreleased/kong/dynamic-log-level-rpc.yml b/changelog/unreleased/kong/dynamic-log-level-rpc.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index 69096eb0afe1..000000000000
--- a/changelog/unreleased/kong/dynamic-log-level-rpc.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,6 +0,0 @@
-message: |
-  Dynamic log level over Hybrid mode RPC which allows setting DP log level
-  to a different level for specified duration before reverting back
-  to the `kong.conf` configured value.
-type: feature
-scope: Clustering
diff --git a/kong-3.9.0-0.rockspec b/kong-3.9.0-0.rockspec
index 1b5f5f4e95ad..b86e9c85658d 100644
--- a/kong-3.9.0-0.rockspec
+++ b/kong-3.9.0-0.rockspec
@@ -98,7 +98,6 @@ build = {
     ["kong.clustering.rpc.utils"] = "kong/clustering/rpc/utils.lua",
     ["kong.clustering.rpc.concentrator"] = "kong/clustering/rpc/concentrator.lua",
 
-    ["kong.clustering.services.debug"] = "kong/clustering/services/debug.lua",
     ["kong.clustering.services.sync"] = "kong/clustering/services/sync/init.lua",
     ["kong.clustering.services.sync.rpc"] = "kong/clustering/services/sync/rpc.lua",
     ["kong.clustering.services.sync.hooks"] = "kong/clustering/services/sync/hooks.lua",
diff --git a/kong/clustering/services/debug.lua b/kong/clustering/services/debug.lua
deleted file mode 100644
index 387b19e62a1f..000000000000
--- a/kong/clustering/services/debug.lua
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,70 +0,0 @@
-local _M = {}
-
-
-local resty_log = require("resty.kong.log")
-local constants = require("kong.constants")
-
-
-local tostring = tostring
-
-
-local function rpc_set_log_level(_node_id, new_log_level, timeout)
-  if not constants.LOG_LEVELS[new_log_level] then
-    return nil, "unknown log level: " .. tostring(new_log_level)
-  end
-
-  if type(new_log_level) == "string" then
-    new_log_level = constants.LOG_LEVELS[new_log_level]
-  end
-
-  local timeout = math.ceil(timeout or constants.DYN_LOG_LEVEL_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT)
-
-  local _, _, original_level = resty_log.get_log_level()
-  if new_log_level == original_level then
-    timeout = 0
-  end
-
-  -- this function should not fail, if it throws exception, let RPC framework handle it
-  resty_log.set_log_level(new_log_level, timeout)
-
-  local data = {
-    log_level = new_log_level,
-    timeout = timeout,
-  }
-  -- broadcast to all workers in a node
-  local ok, err = kong.worker_events.post("debug", "log_level", data)
-  if not ok then
-    return nil, err
-  end
-
-  -- store in shm so that newly spawned workers can update their log levels
-  ok, err = ngx.shared.kong:set(constants.DYN_LOG_LEVEL_KEY, new_log_level, timeout)
-  if not ok then
-    return nil, err
-  end
-
-  ok, err = ngx.shared.kong:set(constants.DYN_LOG_LEVEL_TIMEOUT_AT_KEY, ngx.time() + timeout, timeout)
-  if not ok then
-    return nil, err
-  end
-
-  return true
-end
-
-
-local function rpc_get_log_level(_node_id)
-  local current_level, timeout, original_level = resty_log.get_log_level()
-  return { current_level = constants.LOG_LEVELS[current_level],
-           timeout = timeout,
-           original_level = constants.LOG_LEVELS[original_level],
-         }
-end
-
-
-function _M.init(manager)
-  manager.callbacks:register("kong.debug.log_level.v1.get_log_level", rpc_get_log_level)
-  manager.callbacks:register("kong.debug.log_level.v1.set_log_level", rpc_set_log_level)
-end
-
-
-return _M
diff --git a/kong/init.lua b/kong/init.lua
index e76f67e3f9d7..0313e8aa0855 100644
--- a/kong/init.lua
+++ b/kong/init.lua
@@ -699,10 +699,6 @@ function Kong.init()
         kong.sync = require("kong.clustering.services.sync").new(db, is_control_plane(config))
         kong.sync:init(kong.rpc)
       end
-
-      if is_data_plane(config) then
-        require("kong.clustering.services.debug").init(kong.rpc)
-      end
     end
   end
 
diff --git a/spec/02-integration/18-hybrid_rpc/01-rpc_spec.lua b/spec/02-integration/18-hybrid_rpc/01-rpc_spec.lua
index 21eda945c6d7..0acd509fc0a7 100644
--- a/spec/02-integration/18-hybrid_rpc/01-rpc_spec.lua
+++ b/spec/02-integration/18-hybrid_rpc/01-rpc_spec.lua
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 local helpers = require "spec.helpers"
 local cjson = require("cjson.safe")
 
-for _, inc_sync in ipairs { "on", "off"  } do
+-- we need incremental sync to verify rpc
+for _, inc_sync in ipairs { "on" } do
 for _, strategy in helpers.each_strategy() do
   describe("Hybrid Mode RPC #" .. strategy .. " inc_sync=" .. inc_sync, function()
 
@@ -50,12 +51,15 @@ for _, strategy in helpers.each_strategy() do
           local body = assert.res_status(200, res)
           local json = cjson.decode(body)
 
+          assert(json)
+
+          -- TODO: perhaps need a new test method
           for _, v in pairs(json.data) do
             if v.ip == "127.0.0.1" and v.rpc_capabilities and #v.rpc_capabilities ~= 0 then
               table.sort(v.rpc_capabilities)
               assert.near(14 * 86400, v.ttl, 3)
-              -- kong.debug.log_level.v1 should be the first rpc service
-              assert.same("kong.debug.log_level.v1", v.rpc_capabilities[1])
+              -- check the available rpc service
+              assert.same("kong.sync.v2", v.rpc_capabilities[1])
               return true
             end
           end
diff --git a/spec/02-integration/18-hybrid_rpc/02-log-level_spec.lua b/spec/02-integration/18-hybrid_rpc/02-log-level_spec.lua
deleted file mode 100644
index d53fc541dec0..000000000000
--- a/spec/02-integration/18-hybrid_rpc/02-log-level_spec.lua
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,185 +0,0 @@
-local helpers = require "spec.helpers"
-local cjson = require("cjson.safe")
-
-
-local function obtain_dp_node_id()
-  local dp_node_id
-
-  helpers.wait_until(function()
-    local admin_client = helpers.admin_client()
-    finally(function()
-      admin_client:close()
-    end)
-
-    local res = assert(admin_client:get("/clustering/data-planes"))
-    local body = assert.res_status(200, res)
-    local json = cjson.decode(body)
-
-    for _, v in pairs(json.data) do
-      if v.ip == "127.0.0.1" and ngx.time() - v.last_seen < 3 then
-        dp_node_id = v.id
-        return true
-      end
-    end
-  end, 10)
-
-  return dp_node_id
-end
-
-
-for _, inc_sync in ipairs { "on", "off"  } do
-for _, strategy in helpers.each_strategy() do
-  describe("Hybrid Mode RPC #" .. strategy .. " inc_sync=" .. inc_sync, function()
-
-    lazy_setup(function()
-      helpers.get_db_utils(strategy, {
-        "clustering_data_planes",
-      }) -- runs migrations
-
-      assert(helpers.start_kong({
-        role = "control_plane",
-        cluster_cert = "spec/fixtures/kong_clustering.crt",
-        cluster_cert_key = "spec/fixtures/kong_clustering.key",
-        database = strategy,
-        cluster_listen = "127.0.0.1:9005",
-        nginx_conf = "spec/fixtures/custom_nginx.template",
-        cluster_incremental_sync = inc_sync, -- incremental sync
-      }))
-
-      assert(helpers.start_kong({
-        role = "data_plane",
-        database = "off",
-        prefix = "servroot2",
-        cluster_cert = "spec/fixtures/kong_clustering.crt",
-        cluster_cert_key = "spec/fixtures/kong_clustering.key",
-        cluster_control_plane = "127.0.0.1:9005",
-        proxy_listen = "0.0.0.0:9002",
-        nginx_conf = "spec/fixtures/custom_nginx.template",
-        cluster_incremental_sync = inc_sync, -- incremental sync
-      }))
-    end)
-
-    lazy_teardown(function()
-      helpers.stop_kong("servroot2")
-      helpers.stop_kong()
-    end)
-
-    describe("Dynamic log level over RPC", function()
-      it("can get the current log level", function()
-        local dp_node_id = obtain_dp_node_id()
-
-        local admin_client = helpers.admin_client()
-        finally(function()
-          admin_client:close()
-        end)
-
-        local res = assert(admin_client:get("/clustering/data-planes/" .. dp_node_id .. "/log-level"))
-        local body = assert.res_status(200, res)
-        local json = cjson.decode(body)
-        assert.equal(0, json.timeout)
-        assert.equal("debug", json.current_level)
-        assert.equal("debug", json.original_level)
-      end)
-
-      it("can set the current log level", function()
-        local dp_node_id = obtain_dp_node_id()
-
-        local admin_client = helpers.admin_client()
-        finally(function()
-          admin_client:close()
-        end)
-
-        local res = assert(admin_client:put("/clustering/data-planes/" .. dp_node_id .. "/log-level",
-                                            {
-                                              headers = {
-                                                ["Content-Type"] = "application/json",
-                                              },
-                                              body = {
-                                                current_level = "info",
-                                                timeout = 10,
-                                              },
-                                            }))
-        assert.res_status(201, res)
-
-        local res = assert(admin_client:get("/clustering/data-planes/" .. dp_node_id .. "/log-level"))
-        local body = assert.res_status(200, res)
-        local json = cjson.decode(body)
-        assert.near(10, json.timeout, 3)
-        assert.equal("info", json.current_level)
-        assert.equal("debug", json.original_level)
-      end)
-
-      it("set current log level to original_level turns off feature", function()
-        local dp_node_id = obtain_dp_node_id()
-
-        local admin_client = helpers.admin_client()
-        finally(function()
-          admin_client:close()
-        end)
-
-        local res = assert(admin_client:put("/clustering/data-planes/" .. dp_node_id .. "/log-level",
-                                            {
-                                              headers = {
-                                                ["Content-Type"] = "application/json",
-                                              },
-                                              body = {
-                                                current_level = "info",
-                                                timeout = 10,
-                                              },
-                                            }))
-        assert.res_status(201, res)
-
-        local res = assert(admin_client:put("/clustering/data-planes/" .. dp_node_id .. "/log-level",
-                                            {
-                                              headers = {
-                                                ["Content-Type"] = "application/json",
-                                              },
-                                              body = {
-                                                current_level = "debug",
-                                                timeout = 10,
-                                              },
-                                            }))
-        assert.res_status(201, res)
-
-        local res = assert(admin_client:get("/clustering/data-planes/" .. dp_node_id .. "/log-level"))
-        local body = assert.res_status(200, res)
-        local json = cjson.decode(body)
-        assert.equal(0, json.timeout)
-        assert.equal("debug", json.current_level)
-        assert.equal("debug", json.original_level)
-      end)
-
-      it("DELETE turns off feature", function()
-        local dp_node_id = obtain_dp_node_id()
-
-        local admin_client = helpers.admin_client()
-        finally(function()
-          admin_client:close()
-        end)
-
-        local res = assert(admin_client:put("/clustering/data-planes/" .. dp_node_id .. "/log-level",
-                                            {
-                                              headers = {
-                                                ["Content-Type"] = "application/json",
-                                              },
-                                              body = {
-                                                current_level = "info",
-                                                timeout = 10,
-                                              },
-                                            }))
-        assert.res_status(201, res)
-
-        local res = assert(admin_client:delete("/clustering/data-planes/" .. dp_node_id .. "/log-level"))
-        assert.res_status(204, res)
-
-        local res = assert(admin_client:get("/clustering/data-planes/" .. dp_node_id .. "/log-level"))
-        local body = assert.res_status(200, res)
-        local json = cjson.decode(body)
-        assert.equal(0, json.timeout)
-        assert.equal("debug", json.current_level)
-        assert.equal("debug", json.original_level)
-      end)
-    end)
-  end)
-end -- for _, strategy
-end -- for inc_sync
diff --git a/spec/02-integration/18-hybrid_rpc/04-concentrator_spec.lua b/spec/02-integration/18-hybrid_rpc/04-concentrator_spec.lua
index 51c7a3b8a1a4..763d7a383474 100644
--- a/spec/02-integration/18-hybrid_rpc/04-concentrator_spec.lua
+++ b/spec/02-integration/18-hybrid_rpc/04-concentrator_spec.lua
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@ local helpers = require "spec.helpers"
 local cjson = require("cjson.safe")
 
 
-local function obtain_dp_node_id()
+-- keep it for future usage
+local function obtain_dp_node_id()  -- luacheck: ignore
   local dp_node_id
 
   helpers.wait_until(function()
@@ -27,7 +28,8 @@ local function obtain_dp_node_id()
 end
 
 
-for _, inc_sync in ipairs { "on", "off"  } do
+-- we need incremental sync to verify rpc
+for _, inc_sync in ipairs { "on" } do
 for _, strategy in helpers.each_strategy() do
   describe("Hybrid Mode RPC over DB concentrator #" .. strategy .. " inc_sync=" .. inc_sync, function()
 
@@ -77,35 +79,9 @@ for _, strategy in helpers.each_strategy() do
       helpers.stop_kong()
     end)
 
-    describe("Dynamic log level over RPC", function()
-      it("can get the current log level", function()
-        local dp_node_id = obtain_dp_node_id()
-
-        -- this sleep is *not* needed for the below wait_until to succeed,
-        -- but it makes the wait_until tried succeed sooner because this
-        -- extra time gives the concentrator enough time to report the node is
-        -- online inside the DB. Without it, the first call to "/log-level"
-        -- will always timeout after 5 seconds
-        ngx.sleep(1)
-
-        helpers.wait_until(function()
-          local admin_client = helpers.admin_client()
-          finally(function()
-            admin_client:close()
-          end)
-
-          local res = assert(admin_client:get("/clustering/data-planes/" .. dp_node_id .. "/log-level"))
-          if res.status == 200 then
-            local body = assert.res_status(200, res)
-            local json = cjson.decode(body)
-            assert.equal(0, json.timeout)
-            assert.equal("debug", json.current_level)
-            assert.equal("debug", json.original_level)
-            return true
-          end
-        end, 10)
-      end)
-    end)
+    -- TODO: test with other rpc
+    --describe("XXX over RPC", function()
+    --end)
   end)
 end -- for _, strategy
 end -- for inc_sync