diff --git a/lib/protobuf/logging.rb b/lib/protobuf/logging.rb
index 47f5b8f3..78a5aea6 100644
--- a/lib/protobuf/logging.rb
+++ b/lib/protobuf/logging.rb
@@ -3,21 +3,11 @@ module Logging
     def self.initialize_logger(log_target=$stdout, log_level=::Logger::INFO)
       @counter ||= 0
       @counter = @counter + 1
-      old_logger = defined?(@logger) ? @logger : nil
       @logger = Logger.new(log_target)
       @logger.level = log_level
-      old_logger.close if old_logger and close_old_logger?
       @logger
     end
 
-    def self.close_old_logger=(boolean)
-      @close_old_logger = !!boolean
-    end
-
-    def self.close_old_logger?
-      defined?(@close_old_logger) ? @close_old_logger : true
-    end
-
     def self.logger
       defined?(@logger) ? @logger : initialize_logger
     end
diff --git a/spec/spec_helper.rb b/spec/spec_helper.rb
index 414f80d5..fa22f2ce 100644
--- a/spec/spec_helper.rb
+++ b/spec/spec_helper.rb
@@ -23,8 +23,6 @@
   ::Protobuf::Logging.initialize_logger('/dev/null')
 end
 
-::Protobuf::Logging.close_old_logger = false
-
 # Get rid of the deprecation env var if present (messes with specs).
 ENV.delete("PB_IGNORE_DEPRECATIONS")