diff --git a/novaclient/client.py b/novaclient/client.py
index 0cf595b99..bb963ce70 100644
--- a/novaclient/client.py
+++ b/novaclient/client.py
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ class HTTPClient(object):
         self.auth_plugin = auth_plugin
 
         self._logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
-        if self.http_log_debug:
+        if self.http_log_debug and not self._logger.handlers:
             # Logging level is already set on the root logger
             ch = logging.StreamHandler()
             self._logger.addHandler(ch)
diff --git a/tests/test_http.py b/tests/test_http.py
index e89ad3fba..7925a91f0 100644
--- a/tests/test_http.py
+++ b/tests/test_http.py
@@ -111,3 +111,12 @@ class ClientTest(utils.TestCase):
             self.assertRaises(exceptions.BadRequest, cl.get, "/hi")
 
         test_refused_call()
+
+    def test_client_logger(self):
+        cl1 = client.HTTPClient("username", "password", "project_id",
+                                "auth_test", http_log_debug=True)
+        self.assertEquals(len(cl1._logger.handlers), 1)
+
+        cl2 = client.HTTPClient("username", "password", "project_id",
+                                "auth_test", http_log_debug=True)
+        self.assertEquals(len(cl2._logger.handlers), 1)