diff --git a/hermes_logging.py b/hermes_logging.py
index 1bce39c95f..549ff87759 100644
--- a/hermes_logging.py
+++ b/hermes_logging.py
@@ -689,8 +689,10 @@ class _ProfileRoutingFileHandler(logging.Handler):
             finally:
                 reset_hermes_home_override(token)
             # The write was skipped because logs/ is gone (an rmtree inside the liveness interval,
-            # see _ManagedRotatingFileHandler.emit): re-check now so this record is not dropped.
-            if handler.skipped_missing_dir and self._release_if_deleted(home):
+            # see _ManagedRotatingFileHandler.emit): re-check now, and keep the record in the
+            # default log either way (a live profile whose logs/ was removed by hand included).
+            if handler.skipped_missing_dir:
+                self._release_if_deleted(home)
                 self._handler_for_home(self._default_home).handle(record)
         except Exception:
             self.handleError(record)
diff --git a/tests/test_hermes_logging.py b/tests/test_hermes_logging.py
index 45e384b28f..97ff500829 100644
--- a/tests/test_hermes_logging.py
+++ b/tests/test_hermes_logging.py
@@ -348,13 +348,14 @@ class TestSetupLogging:
         # No "--- Logging error ---" FileNotFoundError loop on stderr.
         assert "FileNotFoundError" not in capsys.readouterr().err
 
-    @pytest.mark.parametrize("removal", ["tombstone", "rmtree"])
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize("removal", ["tombstone", "rmtree", "logs-only"])
     def test_out_of_band_profile_delete_releases_routed_handler(
         self, hermes_home, capsys, liveness_clock, removal
     ):
         """A CLI delete tombstones then removes the home behind a running serve: the router must
         stop writing there on either signal alone and close the stale file, like an in-process
-        delete. The rmtree case has no tombstone so it exercises the missing-dir branch."""
+        delete. The rmtree case has no tombstone so it exercises the missing-dir branch; logs-only
+        removes just logs/ of a live profile, whose records must still land somewhere."""
         import shutil
 
         from hermes_constants import (
@@ -382,8 +383,10 @@ class TestSetupLogging:
         if removal == "tombstone":
             mark_named_profile_deleted(profile_home)
             liveness_clock()  # a tombstone alone is seen on the next interval check
-        else:
+        elif removal == "rmtree":
             shutil.rmtree(profile_home)  # caught by the write itself, inside the interval
+        else:
+            shutil.rmtree(profile_home / "logs")
         capsys.readouterr()
         for i in range(3):
             emit(f"after delete {i}")