diff --git a/kong/plugins/apianalytics/handler.lua b/kong/plugins/apianalytics/handler.lua
index 36f79f0e1cc..e59b90dc93e 100644
--- a/kong/plugins/apianalytics/handler.lua
+++ b/kong/plugins/apianalytics/handler.lua
@@ -9,12 +9,19 @@ local APIANALYTICS_SOCKET = {
 }
 
 local function send_batch(premature, conf, alf)
+  -- Abort the sending if the entries are empty, maybe it was triggered from the delayed
+  -- timer, but already sent because we reached the limit in a request later.
+  if table.getn(alf.har.log.entries) < 1 then
+    return
+  end
+
   local message = alf:to_json_string(conf.service_token)
 
+  local ok, err
   local client = http:new()
   client:set_timeout(50000) -- 5 sec
 
-  local ok, err = client:connect(APIANALYTICS_SOCKET.host, APIANALYTICS_SOCKET.port)
+  ok, err = client:connect(APIANALYTICS_SOCKET.host, APIANALYTICS_SOCKET.port)
   if not ok then
     ngx.log(ngx.ERR, "[apianalytics] failed to connect to the socket: "..err)
     return
@@ -27,7 +34,7 @@ local function send_batch(premature, conf, alf)
 
   -- close connection, or put it into the connection pool
   if res.headers["connection"] == "close" then
-    local ok, err = client:close()
+    ok, err = client:close()
     if not ok then
       ngx.log(ngx.ERR, "[apianalytics] failed to close: "..err)
     end
@@ -100,11 +107,19 @@ function APIAnalyticsHandler:log(conf)
   -- Simply adding the entry to the ALF
   local n_entries = ngx.shared.apianalytics[api_id]:add_entry(ngx)
 
-  -- Batch size reached, let's send the data
   if n_entries >= conf.batch_size then
+    -- Batch size reached, let's send the data
     local ok, err = ngx.timer.at(0, send_batch, conf, ngx.shared.apianalytics[api_id])
     if not ok then
-      ngx.log(ngx.ERR, "[apianalytics] failed to create timer: ", err)
+      ngx.log(ngx.ERR, "[apianalytics] failed to create batch sending timer: ", err)
+    end
+  else
+    -- Batch size not yet reached
+    -- Set a timer sending the data only in case nothing happens for awhile or if the batch_size is taking
+    -- too much time to reach the limit and trigger the flush.
+    local ok, err = ngx.timer.at(conf.delay, send_batch, conf, ngx.shared.apianalytics[api_id])
+    if not ok then
+      ngx.log(ngx.ERR, "[apianalytics] failed to create delayed batch sending timer: ", err)
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/kong/plugins/apianalytics/schema.lua b/kong/plugins/apianalytics/schema.lua
index c0d1b7c0bf2..444c12cc6d9 100644
--- a/kong/plugins/apianalytics/schema.lua
+++ b/kong/plugins/apianalytics/schema.lua
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 return {
   service_token = { type = "string", required = true },
   batch_size = { type = "number", default = 100 },
-  log_body = { type = "boolean", default = false }
+  log_body = { type = "boolean", default = false },
+  delay = { type = "number", default = 10 }
 }
diff --git a/kong/plugins/filelog/handler.lua b/kong/plugins/filelog/handler.lua
index a1ab4dda6cc..4a950e5ef41 100644
--- a/kong/plugins/filelog/handler.lua
+++ b/kong/plugins/filelog/handler.lua
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
-local json = require "cjson"
+local log = require "kong.plugins.filelog.log"
 local BasePlugin = require "kong.plugins.base_plugin"
-local basic_serializer = require "kong.plugins.log_serializers.basic"
 
 local FileLogHandler = BasePlugin:extend()
 
@@ -10,9 +9,7 @@ end
 
 function FileLogHandler:log(conf)
   FileLogHandler.super.log(self)
-
-  local message = basic_serializer.serialize(ngx)
-  ngx.log(ngx.INFO, json.encode(message))
+  log.execute(conf)
 end
 
 return FileLogHandler
diff --git a/spec/plugins/apianalytics/alf_serializer_spec.lua b/spec/plugins/apianalytics/alf_serializer_spec.lua
index 035c994dcf6..3b7c48ab4bc 100644
--- a/spec/plugins/apianalytics/alf_serializer_spec.lua
+++ b/spec/plugins/apianalytics/alf_serializer_spec.lua
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ local function sameEntry(state, arguments)
   fixture_entry.time = nil
   fixture_entry.timings = nil
 
-  assert.same(fixture_entry, entry)
+  assert.are.same(fixture_entry, entry)
   return true
 end
 
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ describe("ALF serializer", function()
 
     it("should serialize an ngx GET request/response", function()
       local entry = alf:serialize_entry(fixtures.GET.NGX_STUB)
-      assert.are.same(fixtures.GET.ENTRY, entry)
+      assert.are.sameEntry(fixtures.GET.ENTRY, entry)
     end)
 
   end)
@@ -78,11 +78,11 @@ describe("ALF serializer", function()
 
     it("should add the entry to the serializer entries property", function()
       alf:add_entry(fixtures.GET.NGX_STUB)
-      assert.are.same(1, table.getn(alf.har.log.entries))
+      assert.equal(1, table.getn(alf.har.log.entries))
       assert.are.sameEntry(fixtures.GET.ENTRY, alf.har.log.entries[1])
 
       alf:add_entry(fixtures.GET.NGX_STUB)
-      assert.are.same(2, table.getn(alf.har.log.entries))
+      assert.equal(2, table.getn(alf.har.log.entries))
       assert.are.sameEntry(fixtures.GET.ENTRY, alf.har.log.entries[2])
     end)
 
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ describe("ALF serializer", function()
 
     it("should return a JSON string", function()
       local json_str = alf:to_json_string("stub_service_token")
-      assert.are.same("string", type(json_str))
+      assert.equal("string", type(json_str))
     end)
 
   end)
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ describe("ALF serializer", function()
 
     it("should remove any existing entry", function()
       alf:flush_entries()
-      assert.are.same(0, table.getn(alf.har.log.entries))
+      assert.equal(0, table.getn(alf.har.log.entries))
     end)
 
   end)