diff --git a/src/commands/app/deploy.js b/src/commands/app/deploy.js
index 42ce431b..aecdb37b 100644
--- a/src/commands/app/deploy.js
+++ b/src/commands/app/deploy.js
@@ -58,7 +58,12 @@ class Deploy extends BuildCommand {
     try {
       const aioConfig = this.getFullConfig().aio
       // 1. update log forwarding configuration
-      if (flags['log-forwarding-update'] && flags.actions) {
+      // note: it is possible that .aio file does not exist, which means there is no local lg config
+      if (aioConfig &&
+          aioConfig.project &&
+          aioConfig.project.workspace &&
+          flags['log-forwarding-update'] &&
+          flags.actions) {
         spinner.start('Updating log forwarding configuration')
         try {
           const lf = await LogForwarding.init(aioConfig)
@@ -68,10 +73,12 @@ class Deploy extends BuildCommand {
               await lf.updateServerConfig(lfConfig)
               spinner.succeed(chalk.green(`Log forwarding is set to '${lfConfig.getDestination()}'`))
             } else {
-              spinner.fail(chalk.green('Log forwarding is not updated: no configuration is provided'))
+              if (flags.verbose) {
+                spinner.info(chalk.dim('Log forwarding is not updated: no configuration is provided'))
+              }
             }
           } else {
-            spinner.fail(chalk.green('Log forwarding is not updated: configuration not changed since last update'))
+            spinner.info(chalk.dim('Log forwarding is not updated: configuration not changed since last update'))
           }
         } catch (error) {
           spinner.fail(chalk.red('Log forwarding is not updated.'))
diff --git a/test/commands/app/deploy.test.js b/test/commands/app/deploy.test.js
index 13371dc5..87bbdc8a 100644
--- a/test/commands/app/deploy.test.js
+++ b/test/commands/app/deploy.test.js
@@ -902,6 +902,15 @@ describe('run', () => {
     expect(mockLogForwarding.updateServerConfig).toBeCalledTimes(0)
   })
 
+  test('log forwarding is not updated on server when local config is absent --verbose', async () => {
+    command.getAppExtConfigs.mockReturnValueOnce(createAppConfig(command.appConfig))
+    const config = new LogForwarding.LogForwardingConfig()
+    mockLogForwarding.getLocalConfigWithSecrets.mockReturnValue(config)
+    command.argv = ['--verbose']
+    await command.run()
+    expect(mockLogForwarding.updateServerConfig).toBeCalledTimes(0)
+  })
+
   test('log forwarding is not updated on server when local config not changed', async () => {
     command.getAppExtConfigs.mockReturnValueOnce(createAppConfig(command.appConfig))
     mockLogForwarding.isLocalConfigChanged.mockReturnValue(false)