diff --git a/libraries/AP_Logger/AP_Logger_Backend.cpp b/libraries/AP_Logger/AP_Logger_Backend.cpp
index 18029145dac80..2f6c160bc70c3 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Logger/AP_Logger_Backend.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_Logger/AP_Logger_Backend.cpp
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+#include "AP_Logger_config.h"
+
+#if HAL_LOGGING_ENABLED
+
 #include "AP_Logger_Backend.h"
 
 #include "LoggerMessageWriter.h"
@@ -752,3 +756,5 @@ bool AP_Logger_RateLimiter::should_log(uint8_t msgid, bool writev_streaming)
     }
     return ret;
 }
+
+#endif  // HAL_LOGGING_ENABLED
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Logger/AP_Logger_Backend.h b/libraries/AP_Logger/AP_Logger_Backend.h
index 65ed643dcef86..70bcdc9f7b524 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Logger/AP_Logger_Backend.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_Logger/AP_Logger_Backend.h
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 #pragma once
 
+#include "AP_Logger_config.h"
+
+#if HAL_LOGGING_ENABLED
+
 #include "AP_Logger.h"
 
 #include <AP_Common/Bitmask.h>
@@ -259,3 +263,5 @@ class AP_Logger_Backend
     void Write_AP_Logger_Stats_File(const struct df_stats &_stats);
     void validate_WritePrioritisedBlock(const void *pBuffer, uint16_t size);
 };
+
+#endif  // HAL_LOGGING_ENABLED
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Logger/AP_Logger_config.h b/libraries/AP_Logger/AP_Logger_config.h
index 1087a9a4e357c..afbbc52e150aa 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Logger/AP_Logger_config.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_Logger/AP_Logger_config.h
@@ -7,17 +7,21 @@
 #define HAL_LOGGING_ENABLED 1
 #endif
 
+#ifndef HAL_LOGGING_BACKEND_DEFAULT_ENABLED
+#define HAL_LOGGING_BACKEND_DEFAULT_ENABLED HAL_LOGGING_ENABLED
+#endif
+
 // set default for HAL_LOGGING_DATAFLASH_ENABLED
 #ifndef HAL_LOGGING_DATAFLASH_ENABLED
-#define HAL_LOGGING_DATAFLASH_ENABLED (CONFIG_HAL_BOARD == HAL_BOARD_SITL)
+#define HAL_LOGGING_DATAFLASH_ENABLED HAL_LOGGING_BACKEND_DEFAULT_ENABLED && (CONFIG_HAL_BOARD == HAL_BOARD_SITL)
 #endif
 
 #ifndef HAL_LOGGING_MAVLINK_ENABLED
-    #define HAL_LOGGING_MAVLINK_ENABLED HAL_LOGGING_ENABLED
+    #define HAL_LOGGING_MAVLINK_ENABLED HAL_LOGGING_BACKEND_DEFAULT_ENABLED
 #endif
 
 #ifndef HAL_LOGGING_FILESYSTEM_ENABLED
-#define HAL_LOGGING_FILESYSTEM_ENABLED HAL_LOGGING_ENABLED && AP_FILESYSTEM_FILE_WRITING_ENABLED
+#define HAL_LOGGING_FILESYSTEM_ENABLED HAL_LOGGING_BACKEND_DEFAULT_ENABLED && AP_FILESYSTEM_FILE_WRITING_ENABLED
 #endif
 
 #if HAL_LOGGING_DATAFLASH_ENABLED
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Logger/LogFile.cpp b/libraries/AP_Logger/LogFile.cpp
index d393ebd7d7c38..1f2ac1cb33414 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Logger/LogFile.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_Logger/LogFile.cpp
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+#include "AP_Logger_config.h"
+
+#if HAL_LOGGING_ENABLED
+
 #include <stdlib.h>
 
 #include <AP_AHRS/AP_AHRS.h>
@@ -561,3 +565,5 @@ void AP_Logger::Write_PSCD(float pos_target, float pos, float vel_desired, float
 {
     Write_PSCx(LOG_PSCD_MSG, pos_target, pos, vel_desired, vel_target, vel, accel_desired, accel_target, accel);
 }
+
+#endif  // HAL_LOGGING_ENABLED
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Logger/LoggerMessageWriter.cpp b/libraries/AP_Logger/LoggerMessageWriter.cpp
index 2de1050aefc0d..6e4f01e0a2144 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Logger/LoggerMessageWriter.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_Logger/LoggerMessageWriter.cpp
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+#include "AP_Logger_config.h"
+
+#if HAL_LOGGING_ENABLED
+
 #include "AP_Common/AP_FWVersion.h"
 #include "LoggerMessageWriter.h"
 #include <AP_Scheduler/AP_Scheduler.h>
@@ -519,3 +523,5 @@ void LoggerMessageWriter_Write_Polyfence::reset()
 }
 #endif // !APM_BUILD_TYPE(APM_BUILD_Replay)
 #endif // AP_FENCE_ENABLED
+
+#endif  // HAL_LOGGING_ENABLED