diff --git a/src/calng/CrystfelRunner.py b/src/calng/CrystfelRunner.py
index 937ad889fd7e2fa999754b5146478ae56f920f83..804db4da05f5d8ce14336362a2fad01708751990 100644
--- a/src/calng/CrystfelRunner.py
+++ b/src/calng/CrystfelRunner.py
@@ -526,7 +526,7 @@ class CrystfelRunner(PythonDevice):
         # if we have not started CrystFEL, do nothing
         state = self.get('state')
         if state is not State.STARTED:
-            self.log.INFO("Device not started, so dropping input.")
+            self.log.DEBUG("Device not started, so dropping input.")
             return
 
         # otherwise forward the input to the queue