diff --git a/src/counters.c b/src/counters.c
index ec28d2e062..6f2333ce97 100644
--- a/src/counters.c
+++ b/src/counters.c
@@ -190,6 +190,12 @@ static void SCPerfInitOPCtx(void)
             sc_counter_tts = (uint32_t) atoi(interval);
     }
 
+    if (!OutputStatsLoggersRegistered()) {
+        SCLogWarning(SC_WARN_NO_STATS_LOGGERS, "stats are enabled but no loggers are active");
+        sc_counter_enabled = FALSE;
+        SCReturn;
+    }
+
     /* Store the engine start time */
     time(&sc_start_time);
 
diff --git a/src/output-stats.c b/src/output-stats.c
index df6fa1b09b..a6752fc5b7 100644
--- a/src/output-stats.c
+++ b/src/output-stats.c
@@ -222,6 +222,13 @@ void TmModuleStatsLoggerRegister (void)
     tmm_modules[TMM_STATSLOGGER].cap_flags = 0;
 }
 
+int OutputStatsLoggersRegistered(void)
+{
+    if (list != NULL)
+        return 1;
+    return 0;
+}
+
 void OutputStatsShutdown(void)
 {
     OutputStatsLogger *logger = list;
diff --git a/src/output-stats.h b/src/output-stats.h
index adb3d11761..6ca89f931b 100644
--- a/src/output-stats.h
+++ b/src/output-stats.h
@@ -48,6 +48,8 @@ int OutputRegisterStatsLogger(const char *name, StatsLogger LogFunc, OutputCtx *
 
 void TmModuleStatsLoggerRegister (void);
 
+int OutputStatsLoggersRegistered(void);
+
 void OutputStatsShutdown(void);
 
 #endif /* __OUTPUT_STATS_H__ */
diff --git a/src/util-error.c b/src/util-error.c
index 8da681ac3d..454f8f3ff2 100644
--- a/src/util-error.c
+++ b/src/util-error.c
@@ -300,6 +300,7 @@ const char * SCErrorToString(SCError err)
         CASE_CODE (SC_ERR_PCIE_INIT_FAILED);
         CASE_CODE (SC_WARN_LUA_SCRIPT);
         CASE_CODE (SC_ERR_LUA_SCRIPT);
+        CASE_CODE (SC_WARN_NO_STATS_LOGGERS);
     }
 
     return "UNKNOWN_ERROR";
diff --git a/src/util-error.h b/src/util-error.h
index 7d71552905..21fc611160 100644
--- a/src/util-error.h
+++ b/src/util-error.h
@@ -289,6 +289,7 @@ typedef enum {
     SC_WARN_NFLOG_SETSOCKOPT,
     SC_WARN_LUA_SCRIPT,
     SC_ERR_LUA_SCRIPT,
+    SC_WARN_NO_STATS_LOGGERS,
 } SCError;
 
 const char *SCErrorToString(SCError);