diff --git a/src/modules/sdlog2/sdlog2.c b/src/modules/sdlog2/sdlog2.c
index 6c762bae1a..e6d8ba0082 100644
--- a/src/modules/sdlog2/sdlog2.c
+++ b/src/modules/sdlog2/sdlog2.c
@@ -1405,17 +1405,17 @@ int sdlog2_thread_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 			continue;
 		}
 
+		// copy topic always
+		if (record_replay_log) {
+			orb_copy(ORB_ID(ekf2_replay), subs.replay_sub, &buf.replay);
+		} else {
+			orb_copy(ORB_ID(sensor_combined), subs.sensor_sub, &buf.sensor);
+		}
 
 		if ((poll_counter + 1) % poll_to_logging_factor == 0) {
-			// the topic will be copied below
 			poll_counter = 0;
 		} else {
-			// copy topic here in order to reset the updated flag
-			if (record_replay_log) {
-				orb_copy(ORB_ID(ekf2_replay), subs.replay_sub, &buf.replay);
-			} else {
-				orb_copy(ORB_ID(sensor_combined), subs.sensor_sub, &buf.sensor);
-			}
+			// copy topic
 			poll_counter++;
 			continue;
 		}
@@ -1470,7 +1470,7 @@ int sdlog2_thread_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
 		/* --- EKF2 REPLAY --- */
 		if(record_replay_log) {
-			orb_copy(ORB_ID(ekf2_replay), subs.replay_sub, &buf.replay);
+			// we poll on the replay topic so we know that it was updated
 			log_msg.msg_type = LOG_RPL1_MSG;
 			log_msg.body.log_RPL1.time_ref = buf.replay.time_ref;
 			log_msg.body.log_RPL1.gyro_integral_dt = buf.replay.gyro_integral_dt;
@@ -1531,7 +1531,7 @@ int sdlog2_thread_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
 		} else { /* !record_replay_log */
 
-			orb_copy(ORB_ID(sensor_combined), subs.sensor_sub, &buf.sensor);
+			/* we poll on sensor combined, so we know it has updated just now */
 			for (unsigned i = 0; i < 3; i++) {
 				bool write_IMU = false;
 				bool write_SENS = false;