diff --git a/picard/log.py b/picard/log.py
index b5595fa69..48fae0b91 100644
--- a/picard/log.py
+++ b/picard/log.py
@@ -138,6 +138,9 @@ class TailLogger(QtCore.QObject):
 
 main_logger = logging.getLogger('main')
 
+# do not pass logging messages to the handlers of ancestor loggers (PICARD-2651)
+main_logger.propagate = False
+
 main_logger.setLevel(logging.INFO)