diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/api/python/PythonGatewayServer.scala b/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/api/python/PythonGatewayServer.scala
index 6c40722725..11f2432575 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/api/python/PythonGatewayServer.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/api/python/PythonGatewayServer.scala
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ import org.apache.spark.util.Utils
  * This process is launched (via SparkSubmit) by the PySpark driver (see java_gateway.py).
  */
 private[spark] object PythonGatewayServer extends Logging {
+  initializeLogIfNecessary(true)
+
   def main(args: Array[String]): Unit = Utils.tryOrExit {
     // Start a GatewayServer on an ephemeral port
     val gatewayServer: GatewayServer = new GatewayServer(null, 0)
diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/api/r/RBackend.scala b/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/api/r/RBackend.scala
index 9d29a84413..41d0a85ee3 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/api/r/RBackend.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/api/r/RBackend.scala
@@ -94,6 +94,8 @@ private[spark] class RBackend {
 }
 
 private[spark] object RBackend extends Logging {
+  initializeLogIfNecessary(true)
+
   def main(args: Array[String]): Unit = {
     if (args.length < 1) {
       // scalastyle:off println
@@ -101,6 +103,7 @@ private[spark] object RBackend extends Logging {
       // scalastyle:on println
       System.exit(-1)
     }
+
     val sparkRBackend = new RBackend()
     try {
       // bind to random port