diff --git a/src/iso19111/c_api.cpp b/src/iso19111/c_api.cpp
index ae13b40dda..c3e428d21d 100644
--- a/src/iso19111/c_api.cpp
+++ b/src/iso19111/c_api.cpp
@@ -75,10 +75,12 @@ using namespace NS_PROJ;
 
 static void PROJ_NO_INLINE proj_log_error(PJ_CONTEXT *ctx, const char *function,
                                           const char *text) {
-    std::string msg(function);
-    msg += ": ";
-    msg += text;
-    ctx->logger(ctx->logger_app_data, PJ_LOG_ERROR, msg.c_str());
+    if (ctx->debug_level != PJ_LOG_NONE) {
+        std::string msg(function);
+        msg += ": ";
+        msg += text;
+        ctx->logger(ctx->logger_app_data, PJ_LOG_ERROR, msg.c_str());
+    }
     auto previous_errno = proj_context_errno(ctx);
     if (previous_errno == 0) {
         // only set errno if it wasn't set deeper down the call stack