diff --git a/libraries/AP_Logger/AP_Logger_File.cpp b/libraries/AP_Logger/AP_Logger_File.cpp
index bdec58e0cb..a03f6c320f 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Logger/AP_Logger_File.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_Logger/AP_Logger_File.cpp
@@ -815,7 +815,7 @@ uint16_t AP_Logger_File::get_num_logs()
 void AP_Logger_File::stop_logging(void)
 {
     // best-case effort to avoid annoying the IO thread
-    const bool have_sem = write_fd_semaphore.take(1);
+    const bool have_sem = write_fd_semaphore.take(hal.util->get_soft_armed()?1:20);
     if (_write_fd != -1) {
         int fd = _write_fd;
         _write_fd = -1;
@@ -823,8 +823,6 @@ void AP_Logger_File::stop_logging(void)
     }
     if (have_sem) {
         write_fd_semaphore.give();
-    } else {
-        AP::internalerror().error(AP_InternalError::error_t::logger_stopping_without_sem);
     }
 }