diff --git a/logger.sh b/logger.sh
index 9198790..853cf7c 100644
--- a/logger.sh
+++ b/logger.sh
@@ -14,8 +14,8 @@ uppercase() {
 
 # modified syslog fmt: <ISO-8601 timestamp> <hostname> <tag>[pid]: [LEVEL:$2] [STATUS:$3] <MESSAGE:$1> (<OPERATION:$4>:<CODE:$5>)
 writePlainTextLog() {
-  # if no message is supplied, there is no purpose in generating a log message!
-  if [ -z "$1" ]; then
+  # not enough information to generate a meaningful log message
+  if [ -z "$1" ] || [ $# -lt 3 ]; then
     return
   fi