diff --git a/core/controller/src/main/scala/whisk/core/controller/actions/PrimitiveActions.scala b/core/controller/src/main/scala/whisk/core/controller/actions/PrimitiveActions.scala
index b924d931da6..d16bafa8be8 100644
--- a/core/controller/src/main/scala/whisk/core/controller/actions/PrimitiveActions.scala
+++ b/core/controller/src/main/scala/whisk/core/controller/actions/PrimitiveActions.scala
@@ -631,7 +631,7 @@ protected[actions] trait PrimitiveActions {
               LoggingMarkers.CONTROLLER_ACTIVATION_BLOCKING_DATABASE_RETRIEVAL,
               s"retrieved activation for blocking invocation via DB polling",
               logLevel = InfoLevel)
-            result.trySuccess(Right(activation))
+            result.trySuccess(Right(activation.withoutLogs))
           case Failure(_: NoDocumentException) => pollActivation(docid, context, result, wait, retries + 1, maxRetries)
           case Failure(t: Throwable)           => result.tryFailure(t)
         }
diff --git a/tests/src/test/scala/whisk/core/controller/test/ActionsApiTests.scala b/tests/src/test/scala/whisk/core/controller/test/ActionsApiTests.scala
index fe4d2171e24..31a996a2ed0 100644
--- a/tests/src/test/scala/whisk/core/controller/test/ActionsApiTests.scala
+++ b/tests/src/test/scala/whisk/core/controller/test/ActionsApiTests.scala
@@ -1271,7 +1271,8 @@ class ActionsApiTests extends ControllerTestCommon with WhiskActionsApi {
       activationIdFactory.make(),
       start = Instant.now,
       end = Instant.now,
-      response = ActivationResponse.success(Some(JsObject("test" -> "yes".toJson))))
+      response = ActivationResponse.success(Some(JsObject("test" -> "yes".toJson))),
+      logs = ActivationLogs(Vector("first line", "second line")))
     put(entityStore, action)
     // storing the activation in the db will allow the db polling to retrieve it
     // the test harness makes sure the activation id observed by the test matches