diff --git a/core/src/main/java/com/google/bitcoin/utils/BriefLogFormatter.java b/core/src/main/java/com/google/bitcoin/utils/BriefLogFormatter.java
index 167a5f00..1a95f622 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/com/google/bitcoin/utils/BriefLogFormatter.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/com/google/bitcoin/utils/BriefLogFormatter.java
@@ -21,10 +21,7 @@ import java.io.StringWriter;
 import java.io.Writer;
 import java.text.MessageFormat;
 import java.util.Date;
-import java.util.logging.Formatter;
-import java.util.logging.Level;
-import java.util.logging.LogRecord;
-import java.util.logging.Logger;
+import java.util.logging.*;
 
 /**
  * A Java logging formatter that writes more compact output than the default.
@@ -40,7 +37,10 @@ public class BriefLogFormatter extends Formatter {
     /** Configures JDK logging to use this class for everything. */
     public static void init() {
         logger = Logger.getLogger("");
-        logger.getHandlers()[0].setFormatter(new BriefLogFormatter());
+        final Handler[] handlers = logger.getHandlers();
+        // In regular Java there is always a handler. Avian doesn't install one however.
+        if (handlers.length > 0)
+            handlers[0].setFormatter(new BriefLogFormatter());
     }
 
     public static void initVerbose() {