diff --git a/exporter/azuremonitorexporter/config.go b/exporter/azuremonitorexporter/config.go
index 5b7a73d4f496..2471e0f68dd2 100644
--- a/exporter/azuremonitorexporter/config.go
+++ b/exporter/azuremonitorexporter/config.go
@@ -26,5 +26,4 @@ type Config struct {
 	InstrumentationKey            string `mapstructure:"instrumentation_key"`
 	MaxBatchSize                  int    `mapstructure:"maxbatchsize"`
 	MaxBatchIntervalInSeconds     int    `mapstructure:"maxbatchinterval_sec"`
-	Debug                         bool   `mapstructure:"debug"`
 }
diff --git a/exporter/azuremonitorexporter/factory.go b/exporter/azuremonitorexporter/factory.go
index f219b3543ecf..cb3249dfd73e 100644
--- a/exporter/azuremonitorexporter/factory.go
+++ b/exporter/azuremonitorexporter/factory.go
@@ -94,7 +94,8 @@ func (f *Factory) getTransportChannel(exporterConfig *Config, logger *zap.Logger
 
 		f.TransportChannel = telemetryClient.Channel()
 
-		if exporterConfig.Debug {
+		// Don't even bother enabling the AppInsights diagnostics listener unless debug logging is enabled
+		if checkedEntry := logger.Check(zap.DebugLevel, ""); checkedEntry != nil {
 			appinsights.NewDiagnosticsMessageListener(func(msg string) error {
 				logger.Debug(msg)
 				return nil