diff --git a/core/api.go b/core/api.go
index 2ddee37..c660c08 100644
--- a/core/api.go
+++ b/core/api.go
@@ -160,15 +160,24 @@ type Result struct {
 // In developer mode all names queries are saved into a file `allow.list` and in production mode only
 // queries from this file can be run.
 func (sg *SuperGraph) GraphQL(c context.Context, query string, vars json.RawMessage) (*Result, error) {
-	// try to use the sg.Engine to execute introspection queries...
-	res := sg.Engine.ExecuteOne(&graphql.EngineRequest{ Query: query})
-	if res.Error()==nil {
-		r := &Result{}
-		r.Data = res.Data
-		return r, nil
+	var res Result
+
+	res.op = qcode.GetQType(query)
+	res.name = allow.QueryName(query)
+
+	// use the chirino/graphql library for introspection queries
+	// disabled when allow list is enforced
+	if !sg.conf.UseAllowList &&
+		res.op == qcode.QTQuery &&
+		res.name == "IntrospectionQuery" {
+
+		r := sg.Engine.ExecuteOne(&graphql.EngineRequest{Query: query})
+		res.Data = r.Data
+
+		return &res, r.Error()
 	}
 
-	ct := scontext{Context: c, sg: sg, query: query, vars: vars}
+	ct := scontext{Context: c, sg: sg, query: query, vars: vars, res: res}
 
 	if len(vars) <= 2 {
 		ct.vars = nil
@@ -180,9 +189,6 @@ func (sg *SuperGraph) GraphQL(c context.Context, query string, vars json.RawMess
 		ct.role = "anon"
 	}
 
-	ct.res.op = qcode.GetQType(query)
-	ct.res.name = allow.QueryName(query)
-
 	data, err := ct.execQuery()
 	if err != nil {
 		return &ct.res, err
diff --git a/internal/serv/http.go b/internal/serv/http.go
index 54afef9..f73430d 100644
--- a/internal/serv/http.go
+++ b/internal/serv/http.go
@@ -74,9 +74,14 @@ func apiV1(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		return
 	}
 
+	doLog := true
 	res, err := sg.GraphQL(ct, req.Query, req.Vars)
 
-	if logLevel >= LogLevelDebug {
+	if !conf.Production && res.QueryName() == "IntrospectionQuery" {
+		doLog = false
+	}
+
+	if doLog && logLevel >= LogLevelDebug {
 		log.Printf("DBG query %s: %s", res.QueryName(), res.SQL())
 	}
 
@@ -87,7 +92,7 @@ func apiV1(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 
 	json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(res)
 
-	if logLevel >= LogLevelInfo {
+	if doLog && logLevel >= LogLevelInfo {
 		zlog.Info("success",
 			zap.String("op", res.Operation()),
 			zap.String("name", res.QueryName()),