diff --git a/elasticsearch-transport/lib/elasticsearch/transport/transport/base.rb b/elasticsearch-transport/lib/elasticsearch/transport/transport/base.rb
index 9b23ce9532..321722e0d9 100644
--- a/elasticsearch-transport/lib/elasticsearch/transport/transport/base.rb
+++ b/elasticsearch-transport/lib/elasticsearch/transport/transport/base.rb
@@ -312,9 +312,9 @@ def perform_request(method, path, params={}, body=nil, &block)
           if response.status.to_i >= 300
             __log    method, path, params, body, url, response, nil, 'N/A', duration if logger
             __trace  method, path, params, body, url, response, nil, 'N/A', duration if tracer
-            __log_failed response if logger
 
-            # Swallow the exception when the `ignore` parameter matches response status
+            # Swallow the exception and log when the `ignore` parameter matches response status
+            __log_failed response if logger && !ignore.include?(response.status.to_i)
             __raise_transport_error response unless ignore.include?(response.status.to_i)
           end
 
diff --git a/elasticsearch-transport/test/unit/transport_base_test.rb b/elasticsearch-transport/test/unit/transport_base_test.rb
index 773fff42ae..07937396c7 100644
--- a/elasticsearch-transport/test/unit/transport_base_test.rb
+++ b/elasticsearch-transport/test/unit/transport_base_test.rb
@@ -420,7 +420,7 @@ def initialize(*); end
       @transport.perform_request('GET', '/') {Elasticsearch::Transport::Transport::Response.new 200, '{"foo":"bar"}' }
     end
 
-    should "log a failed Elasticsearch request" do
+    should "log a failed Elasticsearch request as fatal" do
       @block = Proc.new { |c, u| puts "ERROR" }
       @block.expects(:call).returns(Elasticsearch::Transport::Transport::Response.new 500, 'ERROR')
 
@@ -432,6 +432,17 @@ def initialize(*); end
       end
     end unless RUBY_1_8
 
+    should "not log a failed Elasticsearch request as fatal" do
+      @block = Proc.new { |c, u| puts "ERROR" }
+      @block.expects(:call).returns(Elasticsearch::Transport::Transport::Response.new 500, 'ERROR')
+
+      @transport.expects(:__log).twice
+      @transport.logger.expects(:fatal).never
+
+      # No `BadRequest` error
+      @transport.perform_request('POST', '_search', :ignore => 500, &@block)
+    end unless RUBY_1_8
+
     should "log and re-raise a Ruby exception" do
       @block = Proc.new { |c, u| puts "ERROR" }
       @block.expects(:call).raises(Exception)