diff --git a/src/util-debug-filters.c b/src/util-debug-filters.c
index bcb3f4701d..0cf259d13c 100644
--- a/src/util-debug-filters.c
+++ b/src/util-debug-filters.c
@@ -18,6 +18,12 @@
 extern int sc_log_module_initialized;
 extern int sc_log_module_cleaned;
 
+/* used to indicate if any FG filters are registered */
+int sc_log_fg_filters_present = 0;
+
+/* used to indicate if any FD filters are registered */
+int sc_log_fd_filters_present = 0;
+
 /**
  * \brief Holds the fine-grained filters
  */
@@ -306,6 +312,8 @@ static inline int SCLogAddFGFilter(const char *file, const char *function,
 
  done:
     mutex_unlock(&sc_log_fg_filters_m[listtype]);
+    sc_log_fg_filters_present = 1;
+
     return 0;
 }
 
@@ -860,6 +868,7 @@ int SCLogAddFDFilter(const char *function)
     }
 
     mutex_unlock(&sc_log_fd_filters_m);
+    sc_log_fd_filters_present = 1;
 
     return 0;
 }
@@ -943,6 +952,9 @@ int SCLogRemoveFDFilter(const char *function)
 
     mutex_unlock(&sc_log_fd_filters_m);
 
+    if (sc_log_fd_filters == NULL)
+        sc_log_fd_filters_present = 0;
+
     return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/util-debug-filters.h b/src/util-debug-filters.h
index ab4c41d4b8..0636c6417e 100644
--- a/src/util-debug-filters.h
+++ b/src/util-debug-filters.h
@@ -66,6 +66,12 @@ typedef struct SCLogFDFilter_ {
     struct SCLogFDFilter_ *next;
 } SCLogFDFilter;
 
+
+extern int sc_log_fg_filters_present;
+
+extern int sc_log_fd_filters_present;
+
+
 int SCLogAddFGFilterWL(const char *, const char *, int);
 
 int SCLogAddFGFilterBL(const char *, const char *, int);
diff --git a/src/util-debug.c b/src/util-debug.c
index 0d2c419866..fc2aafa3c1 100644
--- a/src/util-debug.c
+++ b/src/util-debug.c
@@ -274,13 +274,15 @@ SCError SCLogMessage(SCLogLevel log_level, char **msg, const char *file,
         return SC_LOG_MODULE_NOT_INIT;
     }
 
-    if (SCLogMatchFGFilterWL(file, function, line) != 1)
-        return SC_LOG_FG_FILTER_MATCH_FAILED;
+    if (sc_log_fg_filters_present == 1) {
+        if (SCLogMatchFGFilterWL(file, function, line) != 1)
+            return SC_LOG_FG_FILTER_MATCH_FAILED;
 
-    if (SCLogMatchFGFilterBL(file, function, line) != 1)
-        return SC_LOG_FG_FILTER_MATCH_FAILED;
+        if (SCLogMatchFGFilterBL(file, function, line) != 1)
+            return SC_LOG_FG_FILTER_MATCH_FAILED;
+    }
 
-    if (SCLogMatchFDFilter(function) != 1)
+    if (sc_log_fd_filters_present == 1 && SCLogMatchFDFilter(function) != 1)
         return SC_LOG_FG_FILTER_MATCH_FAILED;
 
 	while ( (temp_fmt = index(temp_fmt, SC_LOG_FMT_PREFIX)) ) {