diff --git a/frappy/logging.py b/frappy/logging.py
index b9c20a4..f182889 100644
--- a/frappy/logging.py
+++ b/frappy/logging.py
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ def check_level(level):
 
 class RemoteLogHandler(mlzlog.Handler):
     """handler for remote logging"""
+
     def __init__(self):
         super().__init__()
         self.subscriptions = {}  # dict[modname] of tuple(mobobj, dict [conn] of level)
@@ -131,7 +132,6 @@ class HasComlog:
             directory = join(logger.logdir, logger.rootname, 'comlog', self.secNode.name)
             self._comLog.addHandler(ComLogfileHandler(
                 directory, self.name, max_days=generalConfig.getint('comlog_days', 7)))
-            return
 
     def comLog(self, msg, *args, **kwds):
         self.log.log(COMLOG, msg, *args, **kwds)
@@ -139,6 +139,11 @@ class HasComlog:
             self._comLog.info(msg, *args)
 
 
+def init_remote_logging(log):
+    '''Install RemoteLogHandler to the given logger.'''
+    log.addHandler(RemoteLogHandler())
+
+
 class MainLogger:
     def __init__(self):
         self.log = None
@@ -164,8 +169,6 @@ class MainLogger:
             logfile_handler = LogfileHandler(self.logdir, self.rootname, max_days=logfile_days)
             logfile_handler.setLevel(LOG_LEVELS[generalConfig.get('logfile_level', 'info')])
             self.log.addHandler(logfile_handler)
-
-        self.log.addHandler(RemoteLogHandler())
         self.log.handlers[0].setLevel(LOG_LEVELS[console_level])
 
 
diff --git a/frappy/modulebase.py b/frappy/modulebase.py
index 423249c..60856de 100644
--- a/frappy/modulebase.py
+++ b/frappy/modulebase.py
@@ -523,6 +523,7 @@ class Module(HasAccessibles):
                         value = pobj.datatype(value)
                 except Exception as e:
                     err = e
+                    changed = False
                 else:
                     changed = pobj.value != value or pobj.readerror
                     # store the value even in case of error
@@ -797,10 +798,19 @@ class Module(HasAccessibles):
 
     def setRemoteLogging(self, conn, level, send_log):
         if self.remoteLogHandler is None:
-            for handler in self.log.handlers:
-                if isinstance(handler, RemoteLogHandler):
-                    handler.send_log = send_log
-                    self.remoteLogHandler = handler
+            # for non-mlzlog loggers: search parents for remoteloghandler
+            log = self.log
+            while log is not None:
+                for handler in log.handlers:
+                    if isinstance(handler, RemoteLogHandler):
+                        handler.send_log = send_log
+                        self.remoteLogHandler = handler
+                        break
+                if self.remoteLogHandler is None:
+                    # if the log message does not propagate, we would not get it in
+                    # the handler anyway, so we can stop searching and fail
+                    log = log.parent if log.propagate else None
+                else:
                     break
             else:
                 raise ValueError('remote handler not found')
diff --git a/frappy/server.py b/frappy/server.py
index f00599a..bc1956e 100644
--- a/frappy/server.py
+++ b/frappy/server.py
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ from frappy.config import load_config
 from frappy.errors import ConfigError
 from frappy.lib import formatException, generalConfig, get_class, mkthread
 from frappy.lib.multievent import MultiEvent
+from frappy.logging import init_remote_logging
 from frappy.params import PREDEFINED_ACCESSIBLES
 from frappy.secnode import SecNode
 
@@ -62,7 +63,8 @@ class Server:
 
         Arguments:
         - name:  the node name
-        - parent_logger: the logger to inherit from
+        - parent_logger: the logger to inherit from. a handler is installed by
+            the server to provide remote logging
         - cfgfiles: if not given, defaults to name
             may be a comma separated list of cfg files
             items ending with .cfg are taken as paths, else .cfg is appended and
@@ -93,6 +95,7 @@ class Server:
         # sanitize name (in case it is a cfgfile)
         name = os.path.splitext(os.path.basename(name))[0]
         self.log = parent_logger.getChild(name, True)
+        init_remote_logging(self.log)
 
         merged_cfg = load_config(cfgfiles, self.log)
         self.node_cfg = merged_cfg.pop('node')
diff --git a/test/test_logging.py b/test/test_logging.py
index 1136e80..7213c92 100644
--- a/test/test_logging.py
+++ b/test/test_logging.py
@@ -19,13 +19,15 @@
 #
 # *****************************************************************************
 
-import pytest
 import mlzlog
+import pytest
+
+import frappy.logging
+from frappy.logging import HasComlog, generalConfig, init_remote_logging, \
+    logger
 from frappy.modules import Module
 from frappy.protocol.dispatcher import Dispatcher
-from frappy.protocol.interface import encode_msg_frame, decode_msg
-import frappy.logging
-from frappy.logging import logger, generalConfig, HasComlog
+from frappy.protocol.interface import decode_msg, encode_msg_frame
 
 
 class SecNodeStub:
@@ -127,6 +129,7 @@ def init_(monkeypatch):
 
             generalConfig.testinit(logger_root='frappy', comlog=comlog)
             logger.init(console_level)
+            init_remote_logging(logger.log)
             self.srv = ServerStub()
 
             self.conn1 = Connection('conn1', self.srv.dispatcher, self.result_dict['conn1'])
diff --git a/test/test_server.py b/test/test_server.py
index 5116614..e670d6f 100644
--- a/test/test_server.py
+++ b/test/test_server.py
@@ -37,6 +37,11 @@ class LoggerStub:
     def getChild(self, *args):
         return self
 
+
+    def addHandler(self, *args):
+        pass
+
+
     info = warning = exception = error = debug
     handlers = []