diff --git a/swift/obj/updater.py b/swift/obj/updater.py
index 1962d66118..ce284638ec 100644
--- a/swift/obj/updater.py
+++ b/swift/obj/updater.py
@@ -271,7 +271,7 @@ class ObjectUpdater(Daemon):
                 resp.read()
                 success = is_success(resp.status)
                 if not success:
-                    self.logger.error(
+                    self.logger.debug(
                         _('Error code %(status)d is returned from remote '
                           'server %(ip)s: %(port)s / %(device)s'),
                         {'status': resp.status, 'ip': node['ip'],
diff --git a/test/probe/test_object_async_update.py b/test/probe/test_object_async_update.py
index bff4b93a16..167f1b637e 100644
--- a/test/probe/test_object_async_update.py
+++ b/test/probe/test_object_async_update.py
@@ -109,6 +109,9 @@ class TestObjectAsyncUpdate(ReplProbeTest):
             self.assertFalse(direct_client.direct_get_container(
                 cnode, cpart, self.account, container)[1])
 
+        # since the container is empty - we can delete it!
+        client.delete_container(self.url, self.token, container)
+
         # Re-run the object-updaters and now container replicas in primary
         # container servers should get updated
         Manager(['object-updater']).once()