diff --git a/news/4842f4c6-2f77-4cc9-b5ee-5f764fd286bb.trivial.rst b/news/4842f4c6-2f77-4cc9-b5ee-5f764fd286bb.trivial.rst
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e69de29bb2
diff --git a/news/60a24bb6-1a57-4eb6-b302-b62b7a05f40e.trivial.rst b/news/60a24bb6-1a57-4eb6-b302-b62b7a05f40e.trivial.rst
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e69de29bb2
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index fe6b39913d..08a97f63f4 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ test = [
     "pytest-subket",
     "scripttest",
     "setuptools",
-    "virtualenv >= 20.0",
+    "virtualenv >= 20.0.28",
     "werkzeug",
     "tomli-w",
     "proxy.py",
diff --git a/tests/lib/test_lib.py b/tests/lib/test_lib.py
index d2b06c19fd..71db687c20 100644
--- a/tests/lib/test_lib.py
+++ b/tests/lib/test_lib.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 """Test the test support."""
 
 import filecmp
+import logging
 import pathlib
 import re
 import sys
@@ -18,6 +19,7 @@
     create_basic_wheel_for_package,
     create_test_package_with_setup,
 )
+from tests.lib.venv import VirtualEnvironment
 
 
 @contextmanager
@@ -33,6 +35,19 @@ def assert_error_startswith(
     assert str(err.value).startswith(expected_start), f"full message: {err.value}"
 
 
+def test_virtualenv_creation_preserves_logging(tmp_path: pathlib.Path) -> None:
+    logger = logging.getLogger()
+    level = logger.level
+    handlers = logger.handlers[:]
+    try:
+        VirtualEnvironment(tmp_path / "venv")
+        assert logger.level == level
+        assert logger.handlers == handlers
+    finally:
+        logger.setLevel(level)
+        logger.handlers[:] = handlers
+
+
 def test_tmp_dir_exists_in_env(script: PipTestEnvironment) -> None:
     """
     Test that $TMPDIR == env.temp_path and path exists and env.assert_no_temp()
diff --git a/tests/lib/venv.py b/tests/lib/venv.py
index a5d8704b23..ab7df511f8 100644
--- a/tests/lib/venv.py
+++ b/tests/lib/venv.py
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ def _create(self, clear: bool = False) -> None:
                         "--no-setuptools",
                         os.fspath(self.location),
                     ],
+                    setup_logging=False,
                 )
             elif self._venv_type == "venv":
                 builder = _venv.EnvBuilder()
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_base_command.py b/tests/unit/test_base_command.py
index 10cefd2d5f..5c180fc091 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_base_command.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_base_command.py
@@ -26,6 +26,15 @@
 from pip._internal.utils.temp_dir import TempDirectory
 
 
+@pytest.fixture(autouse=True)
+def restore_logging_level() -> Iterator[None]:
+    """Restore the root level after a command configures logging."""
+    logger = logging.getLogger()
+    level = logger.level
+    yield
+    logger.setLevel(level)
+
+
 @pytest.fixture
 def fixed_time() -> Iterator[None]:
     # Patch time so logs contain a constant timestamp. time.time_ns is used by
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_utils.py b/tests/unit/test_utils.py
index 01a337e403..e3ac677fc3 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_utils.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_utils.py
@@ -286,11 +286,11 @@ def test_rmtree_skips_nonexistent_directory() -> None:
 
 class Failer:
     def __init__(self, duration: int = 1) -> None:
-        self.succeed_after = time.time() + duration
+        self.succeed_after = time.perf_counter() + duration
 
     def call(self, *args: Any, **kw: Any) -> None:
-        """Fail with OSError self.max_fails times"""
-        if time.time() < self.succeed_after:
+        """Fail until the retry fixture's deadline."""
+        if time.perf_counter() < self.succeed_after:
             raise OSError("Failed")