diff --git a/include/dwarfs/logger.h b/include/dwarfs/logger.h
index 4eb886f7..686f2096 100644
--- a/include/dwarfs/logger.h
+++ b/include/dwarfs/logger.h
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ class stream_logger : public logger {
 
 class null_logger : public logger {
  public:
-  null_logger() = default;
+  null_logger();
 
   void write(level_type, const std::string&, char const*, int) override {}
 };
diff --git a/src/dwarfs/logger.cpp b/src/dwarfs/logger.cpp
index c9519c51..714bb739 100644
--- a/src/dwarfs/logger.cpp
+++ b/src/dwarfs/logger.cpp
@@ -103,6 +103,8 @@ std::string logger::all_level_names() {
   return result;
 }
 
+null_logger::null_logger() { set_policy<prod_logger_policy>(); }
+
 stream_logger::stream_logger(std::shared_ptr<terminal const> term,
                              std::ostream& os, logger_options const& logopts)
     : os_(os)