diff --git a/repo2docker/app.py b/repo2docker/app.py
index 92e483e2..449c68b9 100755
--- a/repo2docker/app.py
+++ b/repo2docker/app.py
@@ -497,17 +497,17 @@ class Repo2Docker(Application):
     def initialize(self, *args, **kwargs):
         """Init repo2docker configuration before start"""
         # FIXME: Remove this function, move it to setters / traitlet reactors
+        self.log = logging.getLogger("repo2docker")
+        self.log.setLevel(self.log_level)
+        logHandler = logging.StreamHandler()
+        self.log.handlers = []
+        self.log.addHandler(logHandler)
         if self.json_logs:
             # register JSON excepthook to avoid non-JSON output on errors
             sys.excepthook = self.json_excepthook
             # Need to reset existing handlers, or we repeat messages
-            logHandler = logging.StreamHandler()
             formatter = jsonlogger.JsonFormatter()
             logHandler.setFormatter(formatter)
-            self.log = logging.getLogger("repo2docker")
-            self.log.handlers = []
-            self.log.addHandler(logHandler)
-            self.log.setLevel(self.log_level)
         else:
             # due to json logger stuff above,
             # our log messages include carriage returns, newlines, etc.
diff --git a/repo2docker/buildpacks/conda/__init__.py b/repo2docker/buildpacks/conda/__init__.py
index 57e4dc20..817e8370 100644
--- a/repo2docker/buildpacks/conda/__init__.py
+++ b/repo2docker/buildpacks/conda/__init__.py
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ class CondaBuildPack(BaseImage):
             "conda/activate-conda.sh": "/etc/profile.d/activate-conda.sh",
         }
         py_version = self.python_version
-        self.log.info("Building conda environment for python=%s" % py_version)
+        self.log.info(f"Building conda environment for python={py_version}\n")
         # Select the frozen base environment based on Python version.
         # avoids expensive and possibly conflicting upgrades when changing
         # major Python versions during upgrade.
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ class CondaBuildPack(BaseImage):
                     frozen_name = py_frozen_name
                     pip_frozen_name = f"requirements.py-{py_version}.pip"
                 if not frozen_name:
-                    self.log.warning(f"No frozen env for {py_version}")
+                    self.log.warning(f"No frozen env for {py_version}\n")
         files[
             "conda/" + frozen_name
         ] = self._nb_environment_file = "/tmp/env/environment.lock"