diff --git a/libraries/DataFlash/DataFlash_File.cpp b/libraries/DataFlash/DataFlash_File.cpp
index 8ea2898633e..853cc0991ae 100644
--- a/libraries/DataFlash/DataFlash_File.cpp
+++ b/libraries/DataFlash/DataFlash_File.cpp
@@ -269,7 +269,8 @@ int16_t DataFlash_File::get_log_data(uint16_t log_num, uint16_t page, uint32_t o
         if (fname == NULL) {
             return -1;
         }
-        _read_fd = open(fname, O_RDONLY);
+        stop_logging();
+        _read_fd = ::open(fname, O_RDONLY);
         free(fname);
         if (_read_fd == -1) {
             return -1;            
@@ -314,17 +315,26 @@ uint16_t DataFlash_File::get_num_logs(void)
     return ret;
 }
 
-
 /*
-  start writing to a new log file
+  stop logging
  */
-uint16_t DataFlash_File::start_new_log(void)
+void DataFlash_File::stop_logging(void)
 {
     if (_write_fd != -1) {
         int fd = _write_fd;
         _write_fd = -1;
         ::close(fd);
     }
+}
+
+
+/*
+  start writing to a new log file
+ */
+uint16_t DataFlash_File::start_new_log(void)
+{
+    stop_logging();
+
     if (_read_fd != -1) {
         ::close(_read_fd);
         _read_fd = -1;
@@ -515,7 +525,7 @@ void DataFlash_File::_io_timer(void)
     assert(_writebuf_head+nbytes <= _writebuf_size);
     ssize_t nwritten = ::write(_write_fd, &_writebuf[_writebuf_head], nbytes);
     if (nwritten <= 0) {
-        hal.console->printf("DataFlash write: %d %d\n", (int)nwritten, (int)errno);
+        //hal.console->printf("DataFlash write: %d %d\n", (int)nwritten, (int)errno);
         close(_write_fd);
         _write_fd = -1;
         _initialised = false;
diff --git a/libraries/DataFlash/DataFlash_File.h b/libraries/DataFlash/DataFlash_File.h
index 81736c76dce..03fbf55aadb 100644
--- a/libraries/DataFlash/DataFlash_File.h
+++ b/libraries/DataFlash/DataFlash_File.h
@@ -68,6 +68,8 @@ private:
     uint32_t _get_log_size(uint16_t log_num);
     uint32_t _get_log_time(uint16_t log_num);
 
+    void stop_logging(void);
+
     void _io_timer(void);
 };