diff --git a/libraries/AP_Logger/AP_Logger_Backend.h b/libraries/AP_Logger/AP_Logger_Backend.h
index 2e4b87bc47..dc3719e5aa 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Logger/AP_Logger_Backend.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_Logger/AP_Logger_Backend.h
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ public:
 
     virtual void PrepForArming() { }
 
-    virtual uint16_t start_new_log(void) = 0;
+    virtual void start_new_log() { };
 
     /* stop logging - close output files etc etc.
      *
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Logger/AP_Logger_Block.cpp b/libraries/AP_Logger/AP_Logger_Block.cpp
index 292b8f1235..4d9cce95d2 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Logger/AP_Logger_Block.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_Logger/AP_Logger_Block.cpp
@@ -414,7 +414,7 @@ uint16_t AP_Logger_Block::get_num_logs(void)
 
 
 // This function starts a new log file in the AP_Logger
-uint16_t AP_Logger_Block::start_new_log(void)
+void AP_Logger_Block::start_new_log(void)
 {
     WITH_SEMAPHORE(sem);
     uint32_t last_page = find_last_page();
@@ -424,7 +424,7 @@ uint16_t AP_Logger_Block::start_new_log(void)
     if (find_last_log() == 0 || GetFileNumber() == 0xFFFF) {
         SetFileNumber(1);
         StartWrite(1);
-        return 1;
+        return;
     }
 
     uint16_t new_log_num;
@@ -444,7 +444,7 @@ uint16_t AP_Logger_Block::start_new_log(void)
         SetFileNumber(new_log_num);
         StartWrite(last_page + 1);
     }
-    return new_log_num;
+    return;
 }
 
 // This function finds the first and last pages of a log file
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Logger/AP_Logger_Block.h b/libraries/AP_Logger/AP_Logger_Block.h
index bb984194f2..dab97bd81a 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Logger/AP_Logger_Block.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_Logger/AP_Logger_Block.h
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ public:
     void get_log_info(uint16_t log_num, uint32_t &size, uint32_t &time_utc) override;
     int16_t get_log_data(uint16_t log_num, uint16_t page, uint32_t offset, uint16_t len, uint8_t *data) override WARN_IF_UNUSED;
     uint16_t get_num_logs() override;
-    uint16_t start_new_log(void) override;
+    void start_new_log(void) override;
     uint32_t bufferspace_available() override;
     void stop_logging(void) override { log_write_started = false; }
     bool logging_enabled() const override { return true; }
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Logger/AP_Logger_File.cpp b/libraries/AP_Logger/AP_Logger_File.cpp
index 977f6857ba..b44bc28520 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Logger/AP_Logger_File.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_Logger/AP_Logger_File.cpp
@@ -776,7 +776,7 @@ void AP_Logger_File::PrepForArming()
 /*
   start writing to a new log file
  */
-uint16_t AP_Logger_File::start_new_log(void)
+void AP_Logger_File::start_new_log(void)
 {
     stop_logging();
 
@@ -785,7 +785,7 @@ uint16_t AP_Logger_File::start_new_log(void)
     if (_open_error) {
         // we have previously failed to open a file - don't try again
         // to prevent us trying to open files while in flight
-        return 0xFFFF;
+        return;
     }
 
     if (_read_fd != -1) {
@@ -796,7 +796,7 @@ uint16_t AP_Logger_File::start_new_log(void)
     if (disk_space_avail() < _free_space_min_avail && disk_space() > 0) {
         hal.console->printf("Out of space for logging\n");
         _open_error = true;
-        return 0xffff;
+        return;
     }
 
     uint16_t log_num = find_last_log();
@@ -809,7 +809,7 @@ uint16_t AP_Logger_File::start_new_log(void)
     }
     if (!write_fd_semaphore.take(1)) {
         _open_error = true;
-        return 0xFFFF;
+        return;
     }
     if (_write_filename) {
         free(_write_filename);
@@ -819,7 +819,7 @@ uint16_t AP_Logger_File::start_new_log(void)
     if (_write_filename == nullptr) {
         _open_error = true;
         write_fd_semaphore.give();
-        return 0xFFFF;
+        return;
     }
 
 #if CONFIG_HAL_BOARD == HAL_BOARD_CHIBIOS
@@ -841,7 +841,7 @@ uint16_t AP_Logger_File::start_new_log(void)
                  _write_filename, strerror(saved_errno));
         hal.console->printf("Log open fail for %s - %s\n",
                             _write_filename, strerror(saved_errno));
-        return 0xFFFF;
+        return;
     }
     _last_write_ms = AP_HAL::millis();
     _write_offset = 0;
@@ -858,7 +858,7 @@ uint16_t AP_Logger_File::start_new_log(void)
     free(fname);
     if (fd == -1) {
         _open_error = true;
-        return 0xFFFF;
+        return;
     }
 
     char buf[30];
@@ -869,10 +869,10 @@ uint16_t AP_Logger_File::start_new_log(void)
 
     if (written < to_write) {
         _open_error = true;
-        return 0xFFFF;
+        return;
     }
 
-    return log_num;
+    return;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Logger/AP_Logger_File.h b/libraries/AP_Logger/AP_Logger_File.h
index 85d00b2c89..d32d4e7a95 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Logger/AP_Logger_File.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_Logger/AP_Logger_File.h
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ public:
     void get_log_info(uint16_t log_num, uint32_t &size, uint32_t &time_utc) override;
     int16_t get_log_data(uint16_t log_num, uint16_t page, uint32_t offset, uint16_t len, uint8_t *data) override;
     uint16_t get_num_logs() override;
-    uint16_t start_new_log(void) override;
+    void start_new_log(void) override;
 
 #if CONFIG_HAL_BOARD == HAL_BOARD_SITL || CONFIG_HAL_BOARD == HAL_BOARD_LINUX
     void flush(void) override;
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Logger/AP_Logger_MAVLink.h b/libraries/AP_Logger/AP_Logger_MAVLink.h
index 208c04f057..c586d30859 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Logger/AP_Logger_MAVLink.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_Logger/AP_Logger_MAVLink.h
@@ -170,8 +170,8 @@ private:
     /* we currently ignore requests to start a new log.  Notionally we
      * could close the currently logging session and hope the client
      * re-opens one */
-    uint16_t start_new_log(void) override {
-        return 0;
+    void start_new_log(void) override {
+        return;
     }
     // performance counters
     AP_HAL::Util::perf_counter_t  _perf_errors;