diff --git a/libraries/AP_Logger/AP_Logger_Backend.cpp b/libraries/AP_Logger/AP_Logger_Backend.cpp
index 63607624b0..187e825540 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Logger/AP_Logger_Backend.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_Logger/AP_Logger_Backend.cpp
@@ -440,9 +440,8 @@ bool AP_Logger_Backend::Write_RallyPoint(uint8_t total,
 }
 
 // Write rally points
-void AP_Logger_Backend::Write_Rally()
+bool AP_Logger_Backend::Write_Rally()
 {
-    LoggerMessageWriter_WriteAllRallyPoints writer;
-    writer.set_logger_backend(this);
-    writer.process();
+    // kick off asynchronous write:
+    return _startup_messagewriter->writeallrallypoints();
 }
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Logger/AP_Logger_Backend.h b/libraries/AP_Logger/AP_Logger_Backend.h
index dc3719e5aa..10aa4bbe01 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Logger/AP_Logger_Backend.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_Logger/AP_Logger_Backend.h
@@ -83,11 +83,11 @@ public:
     uint8_t num_multipliers() const;
     const struct MultiplierStructure *multiplier(uint8_t multiplier) const;
 
-    void Write_EntireMission();
+    bool Write_EntireMission();
     bool Write_RallyPoint(uint8_t total,
                           uint8_t sequence,
                           const RallyLocation &rally_point);
-    void Write_Rally();
+    bool Write_Rally();
     bool Write_Format(const struct LogStructure *structure);
     bool Write_Message(const char *message);
     bool Write_MessageF(const char *fmt, ...);
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Logger/LogFile.cpp b/libraries/AP_Logger/LogFile.cpp
index 20f8007ad3..aa5e9b65cc 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Logger/LogFile.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_Logger/LogFile.cpp
@@ -448,11 +448,10 @@ bool AP_Logger_Backend::Write_Mission_Cmd(const AP_Mission &mission,
     return WriteBlock(&pkt, sizeof(pkt));
 }
 
-void AP_Logger_Backend::Write_EntireMission()
+bool AP_Logger_Backend::Write_EntireMission()
 {
-    LoggerMessageWriter_WriteEntireMission writer{};
-    writer.set_logger_backend(this);
-    writer.process();
+    // kick off asynchronous write:
+    return _startup_messagewriter->writeentiremission();
 }
 
 // Write a text message to the log
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Logger/LoggerMessageWriter.cpp b/libraries/AP_Logger/LoggerMessageWriter.cpp
index 49c18ba761..ee3b7fd3b5 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Logger/LoggerMessageWriter.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_Logger/LoggerMessageWriter.cpp
@@ -104,38 +104,27 @@ void LoggerMessageWriter_DFLogStart::process()
             ap = AP_Param::next_scalar(&token, &type);
         }
 
-        stage = Stage::SYSINFO;
+        stage = Stage::RUNNING_SUBWRITERS;
         FALLTHROUGH;
 
-    case Stage::SYSINFO:
-        _writesysinfo.process();
-        if (AP::scheduler().time_available_usec() < MIN_LOOP_TIME_REMAINING_FOR_MESSAGE_WRITE_US) {
-            return;
-        }
+    case Stage::RUNNING_SUBWRITERS:
         if (!_writesysinfo.finished()) {
-            return;
-        }
-        stage = Stage::WRITE_ENTIRE_MISSION;
-        FALLTHROUGH;
-
-    case Stage::WRITE_ENTIRE_MISSION:
-        _writeentiremission.process();
-        if (AP::scheduler().time_available_usec() < MIN_LOOP_TIME_REMAINING_FOR_MESSAGE_WRITE_US) {
-            return;
+            _writesysinfo.process();
+            if (!_writesysinfo.finished()) {
+                return;
+            }
         }
         if (!_writeentiremission.finished()) {
-            return;
-        }
-        stage = Stage::WRITE_ALL_RALLY_POINTS;
-        FALLTHROUGH;
-
-    case Stage::WRITE_ALL_RALLY_POINTS:
-        _writeallrallypoints.process();
-        if (AP::scheduler().time_available_usec() < MIN_LOOP_TIME_REMAINING_FOR_MESSAGE_WRITE_US) {
-            return;
+            _writeentiremission.process();
+            if (!_writeentiremission.finished()) {
+                return;
+            }
         }
         if (!_writeallrallypoints.finished()) {
-            return;
+            _writeallrallypoints.process();
+            if (!_writeallrallypoints.finished()) {
+                return;
+            }
         }
         stage = Stage::VEHICLE_MESSAGES;
         FALLTHROUGH;
@@ -160,6 +149,28 @@ void LoggerMessageWriter_DFLogStart::process()
     _finished = true;
 }
 
+bool LoggerMessageWriter_DFLogStart::writeentiremission()
+{
+    if (stage != Stage::DONE) {
+        return false;
+    }
+    stage = Stage::RUNNING_SUBWRITERS;
+    _finished = false;
+    _writeentiremission.reset();
+    return true;
+}
+
+bool LoggerMessageWriter_DFLogStart::writeallrallypoints()
+{
+    if (stage != Stage::DONE) {
+        return false;
+    }
+    stage = Stage::RUNNING_SUBWRITERS;
+    _finished = false;
+    _writeallrallypoints.reset();
+    return true;
+}
+
 void LoggerMessageWriter_WriteSysInfo::reset()
 {
     LoggerMessageWriter::reset();
@@ -250,6 +261,9 @@ void LoggerMessageWriter_WriteAllRallyPoints::process()
 
     case Stage::WRITE_ALL_RALLY_POINTS:
         while (_rally_number_to_send < _rally->get_rally_total()) {
+            if (AP::scheduler().time_available_usec() < MIN_LOOP_TIME_REMAINING_FOR_MESSAGE_WRITE_US) {
+                return;
+            }
             RallyLocation rallypoint;
             if (_rally->get_rally_point_with_index(_rally_number_to_send, rallypoint)) {
                 if (!_logger_backend->Write_RallyPoint(
@@ -297,6 +311,9 @@ void LoggerMessageWriter_WriteEntireMission::process() {
     case Stage::WRITE_MISSION_ITEMS: {
         AP_Mission::Mission_Command cmd;
         while (_mission_number_to_send < _mission->num_commands()) {
+            if (AP::scheduler().time_available_usec() < MIN_LOOP_TIME_REMAINING_FOR_MESSAGE_WRITE_US) {
+                return;
+            }
             // upon failure to write the mission we will re-read from
             // storage; this could be improved.
             if (_mission->read_cmd_from_storage(_mission_number_to_send,cmd)) {
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Logger/LoggerMessageWriter.h b/libraries/AP_Logger/LoggerMessageWriter.h
index 120bdde2ad..799cb9dcfa 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Logger/LoggerMessageWriter.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_Logger/LoggerMessageWriter.h
@@ -91,6 +91,11 @@ public:
     void process() override;
     bool fmt_done() { return _fmt_done; }
 
+    // reset some writers so we push stuff out to logs again.  Will
+    // only work if we are in state DONE!
+    bool writeentiremission();
+    bool writeallrallypoints();
+
 private:
 
     enum Stage {
@@ -99,10 +104,8 @@ private:
         MULTIPLIERS,
         FORMAT_UNITS,
         PARMS,
-        SYSINFO,
-        WRITE_ENTIRE_MISSION,
-        WRITE_ALL_RALLY_POINTS,
         VEHICLE_MESSAGES,
+        RUNNING_SUBWRITERS, // must be last thing to run as we can redo bits of these
         DONE,
     };