diff --git a/lib/webrat/core/logging.rb b/lib/webrat/core/logging.rb
index 7868c952..260c57b6 100644
--- a/lib/webrat/core/logging.rb
+++ b/lib/webrat/core/logging.rb
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+require "logger"
+
 module Webrat
   module Logging #:nodoc:
 
@@ -13,10 +15,7 @@ def logger # :nodoc:
       when :merb
         ::Merb.logger
       else
-        @logger ||= begin
-          require "logger"
-          ::Logger.new("webrat.log")
-        end
+        @logger ||= ::Logger.new("webrat.log")
       end
     end
 
diff --git a/spec/private/core/logging_spec.rb b/spec/private/core/logging_spec.rb
index 932f54ba..83db7b57 100644
--- a/spec/private/core/logging_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/private/core/logging_spec.rb
@@ -2,9 +2,17 @@
 
 describe Webrat::Logging do
 
-  it "should not log if there is no logger" do
+  it "should always log outside of Rails and Merb" do
+    FileUtils.rm("webrat.log")
+
+    Webrat.configure do |config|
+      config.mode = :rack
+    end
+
     klass = Class.new
     klass.send(:include, Webrat::Logging)
     klass.new.debug_log "Testing"
+
+    File.read("webrat.log").should match(/Testing/)
   end
 end