diff --git a/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/ontology/update/OntologyUpdater.java b/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/ontology/update/OntologyUpdater.java
index ff23d2b15..dc4c05a27 100644
--- a/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/ontology/update/OntologyUpdater.java
+++ b/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/ontology/update/OntologyUpdater.java
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ public class OntologyUpdater {
 	
 	public OntologyUpdater(OntologyUpdateSettings settings) {
 		this.settings = settings;
-		this.logger = new SimpleOntologyChangeLogger(settings.getLogFile(),	settings.getErrorLogFile());
+		this.logger = null;
 		this.record = new SimpleOntologyChangeRecord(settings.getAddedDataFile(), settings.getRemovedDataFile());
 	}
 	
@@ -55,6 +55,10 @@ public class OntologyUpdater {
 		boolean updateRequired = updateRequired();
 		if (updateRequired) {
 			
+			if (this.logger == null) {
+				this.logger = new SimpleOntologyChangeLogger(settings.getLogFile(),	settings.getErrorLogFile());
+			}
+			
 			try {
 			     performUpdate();
 			} catch (Exception e) {