diff --git a/server/storage/backend/backend.go b/server/storage/backend/backend.go
index 7f5862c8861c..c43542dd6771 100644
--- a/server/storage/backend/backend.go
+++ b/server/storage/backend/backend.go
@@ -199,6 +199,10 @@ func newBackend(bcfg BackendConfig) *backend {
 		bcfg.Logger.Panic("failed to open database", zap.String("path", bcfg.Path), zap.Error(err))
 	}
 
+	if bcfg.Logger == nil {
+		bcfg.Logger = zap.NewNop()
+	}
+
 	// In future, may want to make buffering optional for low-concurrency systems
 	// or dynamically swap between buffered/non-buffered depending on workload.
 	b := &backend{
@@ -499,7 +503,7 @@ func (b *backend) defrag() error {
 	tmpdb, err := bolt.Open(tdbp, 0o600, &options)
 	if err != nil {
 		temp.Close()
-		if rmErr := os.Remove(temp.Name()); rmErr != nil && b.lg != nil {
+		if rmErr := os.Remove(temp.Name()); rmErr != nil {
 			b.lg.Error(
 				"failed to remove temporary file",
 				zap.String("path", temp.Name()),
@@ -512,16 +516,14 @@ func (b *backend) defrag() error {
 
 	dbp := b.db.Path()
 	size1, sizeInUse1 := b.Size(), b.SizeInUse()
-	if b.lg != nil {
-		b.lg.Info(
-			"defragmenting",
-			zap.String("path", dbp),
-			zap.Int64("current-db-size-bytes", size1),
-			zap.String("current-db-size", humanize.Bytes(uint64(size1))),
-			zap.Int64("current-db-size-in-use-bytes", sizeInUse1),
-			zap.String("current-db-size-in-use", humanize.Bytes(uint64(sizeInUse1))),
-		)
-	}
+	b.lg.Info(
+		"defragmenting",
+		zap.String("path", dbp),
+		zap.Int64("current-db-size-bytes", size1),
+		zap.String("current-db-size", humanize.Bytes(uint64(size1))),
+		zap.Int64("current-db-size-in-use-bytes", sizeInUse1),
+		zap.String("current-db-size-in-use", humanize.Bytes(uint64(sizeInUse1))),
+	)
 
 	defer func() {
 		// NOTE: We should exit as soon as possible because that tx
@@ -584,19 +586,17 @@ func (b *backend) defrag() error {
 	defragSec.Observe(took.Seconds())
 
 	size2, sizeInUse2 := b.Size(), b.SizeInUse()
-	if b.lg != nil {
-		b.lg.Info(
-			"finished defragmenting directory",
-			zap.String("path", dbp),
-			zap.Int64("current-db-size-bytes-diff", size2-size1),
-			zap.Int64("current-db-size-bytes", size2),
-			zap.String("current-db-size", humanize.Bytes(uint64(size2))),
-			zap.Int64("current-db-size-in-use-bytes-diff", sizeInUse2-sizeInUse1),
-			zap.Int64("current-db-size-in-use-bytes", sizeInUse2),
-			zap.String("current-db-size-in-use", humanize.Bytes(uint64(sizeInUse2))),
-			zap.Duration("took", took),
-		)
-	}
+	b.lg.Info(
+		"finished defragmenting directory",
+		zap.String("path", dbp),
+		zap.Int64("current-db-size-bytes-diff", size2-size1),
+		zap.Int64("current-db-size-bytes", size2),
+		zap.String("current-db-size", humanize.Bytes(uint64(size2))),
+		zap.Int64("current-db-size-in-use-bytes-diff", sizeInUse2-sizeInUse1),
+		zap.Int64("current-db-size-in-use-bytes", sizeInUse2),
+		zap.String("current-db-size-in-use", humanize.Bytes(uint64(sizeInUse2))),
+		zap.Duration("took", took),
+	)
 	return nil
 }