diff --git a/core/java/src/net/i2p/util/LogWriter.java b/core/java/src/net/i2p/util/LogWriter.java
index 51108e18b..c141cc243 100644
--- a/core/java/src/net/i2p/util/LogWriter.java
+++ b/core/java/src/net/i2p/util/LogWriter.java
@@ -77,7 +77,8 @@ class LogWriter implements Runnable {
                     writeRecord(rec);
                 }
                 try {
-                    _currentOut.flush();
+                    if (_currentOut != null)
+                        _currentOut.flush();
                 } catch (IOException ioe) {
                     if (++_diskFullMessageCount < MAX_DISKFULL_MESSAGES)
                         System.err.println("Error writing the router log - disk full? " + ioe);
@@ -180,7 +181,8 @@ class LogWriter implements Runnable {
         try {
             _currentOut = new BufferedWriter(new OutputStreamWriter(new SecureFileOutputStream(f), "UTF-8"));
         } catch (IOException ioe) {
-            System.err.println("Error rotating into [" + f.getAbsolutePath() + "]" + ioe);
+            if (++_diskFullMessageCount < MAX_DISKFULL_MESSAGES)
+                System.err.println("Error creating log file [" + f.getAbsolutePath() + "]" + ioe);
         }
     }