diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 000c35cb..287602ec 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
    resulting in "400 Bad Request" from ntfy.
  * #1258: Fix a "codec can't decode byte" error when running commands that output multi-byte unicode
    characters.
+ * #1260: Fix for SSH warnings from Borg showing up as JSON logs even without the "--log-json" flag.
 
 2.1.1
  * #1241: For the "recreate" action, actually pass the "--dry-run" flag through to Borg instead of
diff --git a/borgmatic/execute.py b/borgmatic/execute.py
index e358f0d3..5fde85c7 100644
--- a/borgmatic/execute.py
+++ b/borgmatic/execute.py
@@ -29,6 +29,19 @@ class Exit_status(enum.Enum):
     ERROR = 4
 
 
+def command_is_borg(command, borg_local_path):
+    '''
+    Given a command as a sequence and the Borg local path, return whether that command is a call to
+    Borg.
+    '''
+    parsed_command = command.split(' ', 1) if isinstance(command, str) else command
+
+    if not parsed_command:
+        return False
+
+    return bool(borg_local_path and parsed_command[0] == borg_local_path)
+
+
 def interpret_exit_code(command, exit_code, borg_local_path=None, borg_exit_codes=None):  # noqa: PLR0911
     '''
     Return an Exit_status value (e.g. SUCCESS, ERROR, or WARNING) based on interpreting the given
@@ -42,9 +55,7 @@ def interpret_exit_code(command, exit_code, borg_local_path=None, borg_exit_code
     if exit_code == 0:
         return Exit_status.SUCCESS
 
-    parsed_command = command.split(' ', 1) if isinstance(command, str) else command
-
-    if borg_local_path and parsed_command[0] == borg_local_path:
+    if command_is_borg(command, borg_local_path):
         # First try looking for the exit code in the borg_exit_codes configuration.
         for entry in borg_exit_codes or ():
             if entry.get('code') == exit_code:
@@ -124,7 +135,7 @@ def borg_json_log_line_to_record(line, log_level):
 
         if log_type == 'log_message':
             borg_log_level = logging._nameToLevel.get(log_data.get('levelname'))
-            log_level_delta = log_level - borg_log_level
+            log_level_delta = 0 if log_level is None else log_level - borg_log_level
 
             if log_level_delta > 0 and log_level_delta < BORG_LOG_LEVEL_ELEVATION_THRESHOLD:
                 return logging.makeLogRecord(
@@ -188,9 +199,7 @@ def parse_log_line(line, log_level, elevate_stderr, borg_local_path, command):
     came from stderr and the string "warning:" appears at the start of the log line. In that case,
     just elevate the log level to a WARN.
     '''
-    parsed_command = command.split(' ', 1) if isinstance(command, str) else command
-
-    if borg_local_path and parsed_command[0] == borg_local_path:
+    if command_is_borg(command, borg_local_path):
         log_record = borg_json_log_line_to_record(line, log_level)
 
         if log_record:
@@ -636,7 +645,9 @@ def execute_command_and_capture_output(
             command,
             stdin=input_file,
             stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
-            stderr=subprocess.PIPE if capture_stderr else None,
+            stderr=subprocess.PIPE
+            if capture_stderr or command_is_borg(command, borg_local_path)
+            else None,
             shell=shell,
             env=environment,
             cwd=working_directory,
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_execute.py b/tests/unit/test_execute.py
index afc9942c..4807002a 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_execute.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_execute.py
@@ -7,72 +7,80 @@ from borgmatic import execute as module
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
-    'command,exit_code,borg_local_path,borg_exit_codes,expected_result',
+    'command,borg_local_path,expected_result',
     (
-        (['grep'], 2, None, None, module.Exit_status.ERROR),
-        (['grep'], 2, 'borg', None, module.Exit_status.ERROR),
-        (['borg'], 2, 'borg', None, module.Exit_status.ERROR),
-        (['borg1'], 2, 'borg1', None, module.Exit_status.ERROR),
-        (['grep'], 1, None, None, module.Exit_status.ERROR),
-        (['grep'], 1, 'borg', None, module.Exit_status.ERROR),
-        (['borg'], 1, 'borg', None, module.Exit_status.WARNING),
-        (['borg1'], 1, 'borg1', None, module.Exit_status.WARNING),
-        (['grep'], 100, None, None, module.Exit_status.ERROR),
-        (['grep'], 100, 'borg', None, module.Exit_status.ERROR),
-        ('grep', 2, None, None, module.Exit_status.ERROR),
-        ('borg', 2, 'borg', None, module.Exit_status.ERROR),
-        (['borg'], 100, 'borg', None, module.Exit_status.WARNING),
-        (['borg1'], 100, 'borg1', None, module.Exit_status.WARNING),
-        ('borg', 100, 'borg', None, module.Exit_status.WARNING),
-        ('borg1', 100, 'borg1', None, module.Exit_status.WARNING),
-        (['grep'], 0, None, None, module.Exit_status.SUCCESS),
-        (['grep'], 0, 'borg', None, module.Exit_status.SUCCESS),
-        (['borg'], 0, 'borg', None, module.Exit_status.SUCCESS),
-        (['borg1'], 0, 'borg1', None, module.Exit_status.SUCCESS),
-        ('grep', 0, None, None, module.Exit_status.SUCCESS),
-        ('grep', 0, 'borg', None, module.Exit_status.SUCCESS),
+        (['foo', 'bar'], 'borg', False),
+        (['borg', 'list'], 'borg', True),
+        (['borg1', 'list'], 'borg', False),
+        (['borg', 'list'], 'borg1', False),
+        ([], 'borg', False),
+        ('foo bar', 'borg', False),
+        ('borg list', 'borg', True),
+        ('', 'borg', False),
+    ),
+)
+def test_command_is_borg_matches_local_path_to_command(command, borg_local_path, expected_result):
+    assert module.command_is_borg(command, borg_local_path) == expected_result
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    'command_is_borg,exit_code,borg_exit_codes,expected_result',
+    (
+        (False, 2, None, module.Exit_status.ERROR),
+        (True, 2, None, module.Exit_status.ERROR),
+        (False, 1, None, module.Exit_status.ERROR),
+        (True, 1, None, module.Exit_status.WARNING),
+        (False, 100, None, module.Exit_status.ERROR),
+        (False, 2, None, module.Exit_status.ERROR),
+        (True, 2, None, module.Exit_status.ERROR),
+        (True, 100, None, module.Exit_status.WARNING),
+        (False, 0, None, module.Exit_status.SUCCESS),
+        (True, 0, None, module.Exit_status.SUCCESS),
         # -9 exit code occurs when child process get SIGKILLed.
-        (['grep'], -9, None, None, module.Exit_status.ERROR),
-        (['grep'], -9, 'borg', None, module.Exit_status.ERROR),
-        (['borg'], -9, 'borg', None, module.Exit_status.ERROR),
-        (['borg1'], -9, 'borg1', None, module.Exit_status.ERROR),
-        (['borg'], None, None, None, module.Exit_status.STILL_RUNNING),
-        (['borg'], 1, 'borg', [], module.Exit_status.WARNING),
-        (['borg'], 1, 'borg', [{}], module.Exit_status.WARNING),
-        (['borg'], 1, 'borg', [{'code': 1}], module.Exit_status.WARNING),
-        (['grep'], 1, 'borg', [{'code': 100, 'treat_as': 'error'}], module.Exit_status.ERROR),
-        (['borg'], 1, 'borg', [{'code': 100, 'treat_as': 'error'}], module.Exit_status.WARNING),
-        (['borg'], 1, 'borg', [{'code': 1, 'treat_as': 'error'}], module.Exit_status.ERROR),
-        (['borg'], 2, 'borg', [{'code': 99, 'treat_as': 'warning'}], module.Exit_status.ERROR),
-        (['borg'], 2, 'borg', [{'code': 2, 'treat_as': 'warning'}], module.Exit_status.WARNING),
-        (['borg'], 100, 'borg', [{'code': 1, 'treat_as': 'error'}], module.Exit_status.WARNING),
-        (['borg'], 100, 'borg', [], module.Exit_status.WARNING),
-        (['borg'], 100, 'borg', [{'code': 100, 'treat_as': 'error'}], module.Exit_status.ERROR),
-        (['borg'], 101, 'borg', [], module.Exit_status.ERROR),
-        (['borg'], 101, 'borg', [{'code': 101, 'treat_as': 'warning'}], module.Exit_status.WARNING),
-        (['borg'], 102, 'borg', [], module.Exit_status.ERROR),
-        (['borg'], 102, 'borg', [{'code': 102, 'treat_as': 'warning'}], module.Exit_status.WARNING),
-        (['borg'], 103, 'borg', [], module.Exit_status.WARNING),
-        (['borg'], 103, 'borg', [{'code': 103, 'treat_as': 'error'}], module.Exit_status.ERROR),
-        (['borg'], 104, 'borg', [], module.Exit_status.ERROR),
-        (['borg'], 104, 'borg', [{'code': 104, 'treat_as': 'warning'}], module.Exit_status.WARNING),
-        (['borg'], 105, 'borg', [], module.Exit_status.ERROR),
-        (['borg'], 105, 'borg', [{'code': 105, 'treat_as': 'warning'}], module.Exit_status.WARNING),
-        (['borg'], 106, 'borg', [], module.Exit_status.ERROR),
-        (['borg'], 106, 'borg', [{'code': 106, 'treat_as': 'warning'}], module.Exit_status.WARNING),
-        (['borg'], 107, 'borg', [], module.Exit_status.ERROR),
-        (['borg'], 107, 'borg', [{'code': 107, 'treat_as': 'warning'}], module.Exit_status.WARNING),
+        (False, -9, None, module.Exit_status.ERROR),
+        (True, -9, None, module.Exit_status.ERROR),
+        (True, None, None, module.Exit_status.STILL_RUNNING),
+        (True, 1, [], module.Exit_status.WARNING),
+        (True, 1, [{'code': 1}], module.Exit_status.WARNING),
+        (False, 1, [{'code': 100, 'treat_as': 'error'}], module.Exit_status.ERROR),
+        (True, 1, [{'code': 100, 'treat_as': 'error'}], module.Exit_status.WARNING),
+        (True, 1, [{'code': 1, 'treat_as': 'error'}], module.Exit_status.ERROR),
+        (True, 2, [{'code': 99, 'treat_as': 'warning'}], module.Exit_status.ERROR),
+        (True, 2, [{'code': 2, 'treat_as': 'warning'}], module.Exit_status.WARNING),
+        (True, 100, [{'code': 1, 'treat_as': 'error'}], module.Exit_status.WARNING),
+        (True, 100, [], module.Exit_status.WARNING),
+        (True, 100, [{'code': 100, 'treat_as': 'error'}], module.Exit_status.ERROR),
+        (True, 101, [], module.Exit_status.ERROR),
+        (True, 101, [{'code': 101, 'treat_as': 'warning'}], module.Exit_status.WARNING),
+        (True, 102, [], module.Exit_status.ERROR),
+        (True, 102, [{'code': 102, 'treat_as': 'warning'}], module.Exit_status.WARNING),
+        (True, 103, [], module.Exit_status.WARNING),
+        (True, 103, [{'code': 103, 'treat_as': 'error'}], module.Exit_status.ERROR),
+        (True, 104, [], module.Exit_status.ERROR),
+        (True, 104, [{'code': 104, 'treat_as': 'warning'}], module.Exit_status.WARNING),
+        (True, 105, [], module.Exit_status.ERROR),
+        (True, 105, [{'code': 105, 'treat_as': 'warning'}], module.Exit_status.WARNING),
+        (True, 106, [], module.Exit_status.ERROR),
+        (True, 106, [{'code': 106, 'treat_as': 'warning'}], module.Exit_status.WARNING),
+        (True, 107, [], module.Exit_status.ERROR),
+        (True, 107, [{'code': 107, 'treat_as': 'warning'}], module.Exit_status.WARNING),
     ),
 )
 def test_interpret_exit_code_respects_exit_code_and_borg_local_path(
-    command,
+    command_is_borg,
     exit_code,
-    borg_local_path,
     borg_exit_codes,
     expected_result,
 ):
+    flexmock(module).should_receive('command_is_borg').and_return(command_is_borg)
+
     assert (
-        module.interpret_exit_code(command, exit_code, borg_local_path, borg_exit_codes)
+        module.interpret_exit_code(
+            command=flexmock(),
+            exit_code=exit_code,
+            borg_local_path=flexmock(),
+            borg_exit_codes=borg_exit_codes,
+        )
         is expected_result
     )
 
@@ -146,6 +154,18 @@ def test_borg_json_log_line_to_record_does_not_elevate_log_message_info_level_to
     assert record.name == 'borg.something'
 
 
+def test_borg_json_log_line_with_none_log_level_parses_log_message_line():
+    line = '{"type": "log_message", "levelname": "INFO", "time": 12345, "message": "All done", "name": "borg.something"}'
+
+    record = module.borg_json_log_line_to_record(line, None)
+
+    assert record.levelno == module.logging.INFO
+    assert record.created == 12345
+    assert record.msg == 'All done'
+    assert record.levelname == 'INFO'
+    assert record.name == 'borg.something'
+
+
 def test_borg_json_log_line_to_record_parses_file_status_line():
     flexmock(module.time).should_receive('time').and_return(12345)
     line = '{"type": "file_status", "status": "-", "path": "/foo/bar"}'
@@ -1404,6 +1424,7 @@ def test_execute_command_without_run_to_completion_returns_process():
 def test_execute_command_and_capture_output_returns_stdout():
     full_command = ['foo', 'bar']
     flexmock(module).should_receive('log_command')
+    flexmock(module).should_receive('command_is_borg').and_return(False)
     process = flexmock()
     flexmock(module.subprocess).should_receive('Popen').with_args(
         full_command,
@@ -1423,8 +1444,10 @@ def test_execute_command_and_capture_output_returns_stdout():
     assert output_lines == ('out',)
 
 
-def test_execute_command_and_capture_output_with_capture_stderr_returns_stderr():
+def test_execute_command_and_capture_output_with_capture_stderr_popens_stderr():
     full_command = ['foo', 'bar']
+    flexmock(module).should_receive('log_command')
+    flexmock(module).should_receive('command_is_borg').and_return(False)
     process = flexmock()
     flexmock(module.subprocess).should_receive('Popen').with_args(
         full_command,
@@ -1446,10 +1469,34 @@ def test_execute_command_and_capture_output_with_capture_stderr_returns_stderr()
     assert output_lines == ('out',)
 
 
+def test_execute_command_and_capture_output_with_borg_command_popens_stderr():
+    full_command = ['borg', 'list']
+    flexmock(module).should_receive('log_command')
+    flexmock(module).should_receive('command_is_borg').and_return(True)
+    process = flexmock()
+    flexmock(module.subprocess).should_receive('Popen').with_args(
+        full_command,
+        stdin=None,
+        stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
+        stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
+        shell=False,
+        env=None,
+        cwd=None,
+        close_fds=False,
+    ).and_return(process).once()
+    flexmock(module.borgmatic.logger).should_receive('Log_prefix').and_return(flexmock())
+    flexmock(module).should_receive('log_outputs').and_yield('out')
+
+    output_lines = tuple(module.execute_command_and_capture_output(full_command))
+
+    assert output_lines == ('out',)
+
+
 def test_execute_command_and_capture_output_returns_output_when_process_error_is_not_considered_an_error():
     full_command = ['foo', 'bar']
     err_output = b'[]'
     flexmock(module).should_receive('log_command')
+    flexmock(module).should_receive('command_is_borg').and_return(False)
     flexmock(module.subprocess).should_receive('Popen').with_args(
         full_command,
         stdin=None,
@@ -1472,6 +1519,7 @@ def test_execute_command_and_capture_output_returns_output_when_process_error_is
 def test_execute_command_and_capture_output_raises_when_command_errors():
     full_command = ['foo', 'bar']
     flexmock(module).should_receive('log_command')
+    flexmock(module).should_receive('command_is_borg').and_return(False)
     flexmock(module.subprocess).should_receive('Popen').with_args(
         full_command,
         stdin=None,
@@ -1493,6 +1541,7 @@ def test_execute_command_and_capture_output_raises_when_command_errors():
 def test_execute_command_and_capture_output_with_shell_returns_output():
     full_command = ['foo', 'bar']
     flexmock(module).should_receive('log_command')
+    flexmock(module).should_receive('command_is_borg').and_return(False)
     process = flexmock()
     flexmock(module.subprocess).should_receive('Popen').with_args(
         'foo bar',
@@ -1515,6 +1564,7 @@ def test_execute_command_and_capture_output_with_shell_returns_output():
 def test_execute_command_and_capture_output_with_enviroment_returns_output():
     full_command = ['foo', 'bar']
     flexmock(module).should_receive('log_command')
+    flexmock(module).should_receive('command_is_borg').and_return(False)
     process = flexmock()
     flexmock(module.subprocess).should_receive('Popen').with_args(
         full_command,
@@ -1543,6 +1593,7 @@ def test_execute_command_and_capture_output_with_enviroment_returns_output():
 def test_execute_command_and_capture_output_returns_output_with_working_directory():
     full_command = ['foo', 'bar']
     flexmock(module).should_receive('log_command')
+    flexmock(module).should_receive('command_is_borg').and_return(False)
     process = flexmock()
     flexmock(module.subprocess).should_receive('Popen').with_args(
         full_command,