diff --git a/assignment-client/src/AssignmentClientApp.cpp b/assignment-client/src/AssignmentClientApp.cpp
index 7e9042e609..91554d915b 100644
--- a/assignment-client/src/AssignmentClientApp.cpp
+++ b/assignment-client/src/AssignmentClientApp.cpp
@@ -13,9 +13,10 @@
 #include <QThread>
 
 #include <LogHandler.h>
-#include <SharedUtil.h>
 #include <HifiConfigVariantMap.h>
+#include <SharedUtil.h>
 #include <ShutdownEventListener.h>
+#include <UserActivityLogger.h>
 
 #include "Assignment.h"
 #include "AssignmentClient.h"
@@ -207,6 +208,9 @@ AssignmentClientApp::AssignmentClientApp(int argc, char* argv[]) :
 
     DependencyManager::registerInheritance<LimitedNodeList, NodeList>();
 
+    // the ACs should not send any user activity events so disable the logger ASAP
+    UserActivityLogger::getInstance().disable(true);
+
     if (numForks || minForks || maxForks) {
         AssignmentClientMonitor* monitor =  new AssignmentClientMonitor(numForks, minForks, maxForks,
                                                                         requestAssignmentType, assignmentPool,
diff --git a/domain-server/src/DomainServer.cpp b/domain-server/src/DomainServer.cpp
index 8e3d04897b..545484d79d 100644
--- a/domain-server/src/DomainServer.cpp
+++ b/domain-server/src/DomainServer.cpp
@@ -40,11 +40,12 @@
 #include <LogHandler.h>
 #include <PathUtils.h>
 #include <NumericalConstants.h>
+#include <Trace.h>
+#include <StatTracker.h>
+#include <UserActivityLogger.h>
 
 #include "DomainServerNodeData.h"
 #include "NodeConnectionData.h"
-#include <Trace.h>
-#include <StatTracker.h>
 
 int const DomainServer::EXIT_CODE_REBOOT = 234923;
 
@@ -75,6 +76,9 @@ DomainServer::DomainServer(int argc, char* argv[]) :
 {
     parseCommandLine();
 
+    // the DS should not send any user activity events so disable the logger ASAP
+    UserActivityLogger::getInstance().disable(true);
+
     DependencyManager::set<tracing::Tracer>();
     DependencyManager::set<StatTracker>();
 
diff --git a/tools/ac-client/src/ACClientApp.cpp b/tools/ac-client/src/ACClientApp.cpp
index b81d092662..34b7d5b049 100644
--- a/tools/ac-client/src/ACClientApp.cpp
+++ b/tools/ac-client/src/ACClientApp.cpp
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 #include <AddressManager.h>
 #include <DependencyManager.h>
 #include <SettingHandle.h>
+#include <UserActivityLogger.h>
 
 #include "ACClientApp.h"
 
@@ -42,6 +43,8 @@ ACClientApp::ACClientApp(int argc, char* argv[]) :
     const QCommandLineOption listenPortOption("listenPort", "listen port", QString::number(INVALID_PORT));
     parser.addOption(listenPortOption);
 
+    // the AC client should not send any user activity events so disable the logger ASAP
+    UserActivityLogger::getInstance().disable(true);
 
     if (!parser.parse(QCoreApplication::arguments())) {
         qCritical() << parser.errorText() << endl;
@@ -66,6 +69,7 @@ ACClientApp::ACClientApp(int argc, char* argv[]) :
         const_cast<QLoggingCategory*>(&shared())->setEnabled(QtInfoMsg, false);
         const_cast<QLoggingCategory*>(&shared())->setEnabled(QtWarningMsg, false);
     }
+    
 
     QString domainServerAddress = "127.0.0.1:40103";
     if (parser.isSet(domainAddressOption)) {