diff --git a/helpdesk/management/commands/get_email.py b/helpdesk/management/commands/get_email.py
index bfe5dce3..4591fd76 100644
--- a/helpdesk/management/commands/get_email.py
+++ b/helpdesk/management/commands/get_email.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ import poplib
 import re
 import socket
 from os import listdir, unlink
-from os.path import isfile, join
+from os.path import isfile, isdir, join
 
 from datetime import timedelta
 from email.header import decode_header
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ def process_email(quiet=False):
             logger.setLevel(logging.DEBUG)
         if quiet:
             logger.propagate = False # do not propagate to root logger that would log to console
-        logdir = q.logging_dir or '/var/log/helpdesk/'
+        logdir = q.logging_dir if isdir(q.logging_dir) else '/var/log/helpdesk/'
         handler = logging.FileHandler(logdir + q.slug + '_get_email.log')
         logger.addHandler(handler)
 
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ def process_queue(q, logger):
         server.logout()
 
     elif email_box_type == 'local':
-        mail_dir = q.email_box_local_dir or '/var/lib/mail/helpdesk/'
+        mail_dir = q.email_box_local_dir if isdir(q.email_box_local_dir) else '/var/lib/mail/helpdesk/'
         mail = [join(mail_dir, f) for f in listdir(mail_dir) if isfile(join(mail_dir, f))]
         logger.info("Found %s messages in local mailbox directory" % str(len(mail)))
         for m in mail:
diff --git a/helpdesk/tests/test_get_email.py b/helpdesk/tests/test_get_email.py
index 911a494c..d0c6a18e 100644
--- a/helpdesk/tests/test_get_email.py
+++ b/helpdesk/tests/test_get_email.py
@@ -29,8 +29,10 @@ class GetEmailTestCase(TestCase):
     # tests correct syntax for command line option
     def test_get_email_quiet_option(self):
         with mock.patch('helpdesk.management.commands.get_email.process_email') as mocked_processemail:
-            management.call_command('get_email', '-q')
+            management.call_command('get_email', '--quiet')
             mocked_processemail.assert_called_with(quiet=True)
+            management.call_command('get_email')
+            mocked_processemail.assert_called_with(quiet=False)
 
     # tests reading emails from a queue and creating tickets
     def test_read_email(self):