diff --git a/src/modules/sdlog2/sdlog2.c b/src/modules/sdlog2/sdlog2.c
index ceef0cf29c..321ed227c0 100644
--- a/src/modules/sdlog2/sdlog2.c
+++ b/src/modules/sdlog2/sdlog2.c
@@ -1441,7 +1441,8 @@ int sdlog2_thread_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 		}
 
 		/* --- EKF2 REPLAY --- */
-		if(copy_if_updated(ORB_ID(ekf2_replay), &subs.replay_sub, &buf.replay)) {
+		if(record_replay_log) {
+			// we poll on the replay topic so we know that it was updated
 			log_msg.msg_type = LOG_RPL1_MSG;
 			log_msg.body.log_RPL1.time_ref = buf.replay.time_ref;
 			log_msg.body.log_RPL1.gyro_integral_dt = buf.replay.gyro_integral_dt;