diff --git a/patroni/api.py b/patroni/api.py
index 466d7e32..40a6fcab 100644
--- a/patroni/api.py
+++ b/patroni/api.py
@@ -243,13 +243,17 @@ class RestApiHandler(BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
         except (psycopg2.Error, RetryFailedError, PostgresConnectionException):
             state = self.server.patroni.postgresql.state
             if state in ['stopped', 'starting', 'stopping', 'restarting', 'running']:
-                logger.exception('get_postgresql_status')
+                if state == 'running':
+                    logger.exception('get_postgresql_status')
                 state = 'unknown' if state == 'running' else state
             return {'state': state}
 
     def get_tags(self):
         return {'tags': self.server.patroni.tags}
 
+    def log_message(self, format, *args):
+        logger.debug("API thread: "+format % args)
+
 
 class RestApiServer(ThreadingMixIn, HTTPServer, Thread):