diff --git a/common/python/nomadcore/baseclasses.py b/common/python/nomadcore/baseclasses.py
index 2ece8fde70fe1db3fffd552e6fc71b3a62348d33..7bfb2b9bc44d88e4abe11a62f1461456109274b7 100644
--- a/common/python/nomadcore/baseclasses.py
+++ b/common/python/nomadcore/baseclasses.py
@@ -69,6 +69,9 @@ class ParserInterface(with_metaclass(ABCMeta, object)):
         global logger
         logger = new_logger
 
+        # tell tests about received logger
+        new_logger.debug('received logger')
+
     def initialize(self, metainfo_to_keep, backend, default_units, metainfo_units):
         """Initialize the parser with the given environment.
         """
diff --git a/common/python/nomadcore/local_backend.py b/common/python/nomadcore/local_backend.py
index 7b78bd79e8e2fa3492113140c65b995ebc45ecc9..1663e1d901c8efc41954570ef92ba58d51588e90 100644
--- a/common/python/nomadcore/local_backend.py
+++ b/common/python/nomadcore/local_backend.py
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ from builtins import str
 import numpy as np
 import logging
 from collections import defaultdict
-logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
 class ParserEvent(Enum):