diff --git a/lib/logstash/outputs/kusto/ingestor.rb b/lib/logstash/outputs/kusto/ingestor.rb
index d9b5d836..db1183eb 100755
--- a/lib/logstash/outputs/kusto/ingestor.rb
+++ b/lib/logstash/outputs/kusto/ingestor.rb
@@ -78,12 +78,13 @@ def initialize(ingest_url, app_id, app_key, app_tenant, managed_identity_id, cli
       is_mapping_ref_provided = !(json_mapping.nil? || json_mapping.empty?)
       if is_mapping_ref_provided
         @logger.debug('Using mapping reference.', json_mapping)
-        @ingestion_properties.setIngestionMapping(json_mapping, kusto_java.ingest.IngestionMapping::IngestionMappingKind::JSON)
         @ingestion_properties.setDataFormat(kusto_java.ingest.IngestionProperties::DataFormat::JSON)
       else
         @logger.debug('No mapping reference provided. Columns will be mapped by names in the logstash output')
         @ingestion_properties.setDataFormat(kusto_java.ingest.IngestionProperties::DataFormat::JSON)
       end
+      # default mapping is JSON
+      @ingestion_properties.setIngestionMapping(json_mapping, kusto_java.ingest.IngestionMapping::IngestionMappingKind::JSON)
       @delete_local = delete_local
       @logger.debug('Kusto resources are ready.')
     end
diff --git a/version b/version
index 6a0ca2d5..e8f41f06 100644
--- a/version
+++ b/version
@@ -1 +1 @@
-2.0.7
\ No newline at end of file
+2.0.8
\ No newline at end of file