diff --git a/src/main/java/net/logstash/logback/composite/loggingevent/LoggerNameJsonProvider.java b/src/main/java/net/logstash/logback/composite/loggingevent/LoggerNameJsonProvider.java
index 6191a864..d299aa60 100644
--- a/src/main/java/net/logstash/logback/composite/loggingevent/LoggerNameJsonProvider.java
+++ b/src/main/java/net/logstash/logback/composite/loggingevent/LoggerNameJsonProvider.java
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 import net.logstash.logback.fieldnames.LogstashFieldNames;
 
 import ch.qos.logback.classic.pattern.Abbreviator;
+import ch.qos.logback.classic.pattern.ClassNameOnlyAbbreviator;
 import ch.qos.logback.classic.pattern.TargetLengthBasedClassNameAbbreviator;
 import ch.qos.logback.classic.spi.ILoggingEvent;
 import com.fasterxml.jackson.core.JsonGenerator;
@@ -63,11 +64,33 @@ public int getShortenedLoggerNameLength() {
 
     public void setShortenedLoggerNameLength(int length) {
         this.shortenedLoggerNameLength = length;
-        if (length >= 0) {
-            abbreviator = new CachingAbbreviator(new TargetLengthBasedClassNameAbbreviator(this.shortenedLoggerNameLength));
-        } else {
-            abbreviator = NullAbbreviator.INSTANCE;
-        }
     }
     
+    @Override
+    public void start() {
+        this.abbreviator = createAbbreviator();
+        super.start();
+    }
+    
+    @Override
+    public void stop() {
+        super.stop();
+        this.abbreviator = null;
+    }
+    
+    protected Abbreviator createAbbreviator() {
+        if (this.shortenedLoggerNameLength < 0) {
+            return NullAbbreviator.INSTANCE;
+        }
+        
+        Abbreviator abbreviator;
+        if (this.shortenedLoggerNameLength == 0) {
+            abbreviator = new ClassNameOnlyAbbreviator();
+        }
+        else {
+            abbreviator = new TargetLengthBasedClassNameAbbreviator(this.shortenedLoggerNameLength);
+        }
+        
+        return new CachingAbbreviator(abbreviator);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/test/java/net/logstash/logback/composite/loggingevent/LoggerNameJsonProviderTest.java b/src/test/java/net/logstash/logback/composite/loggingevent/LoggerNameJsonProviderTest.java
index 441d7d76..47bb6f82 100644
--- a/src/test/java/net/logstash/logback/composite/loggingevent/LoggerNameJsonProviderTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/net/logstash/logback/composite/loggingevent/LoggerNameJsonProviderTest.java
@@ -42,10 +42,9 @@ public class LoggerNameJsonProviderTest {
     
     @Test
     public void testFullName() throws IOException {
-        
         when(event.getLoggerName()).thenReturn(getClass().getName());
         
-        provider.writeTo(generator, event);
+        writeEvent();
         
         verify(generator).writeStringField(LoggerNameJsonProvider.FIELD_LOGGER_NAME, getClass().getName());
     }
@@ -56,7 +55,7 @@ public void testFieldName() throws IOException {
         
         when(event.getLoggerName()).thenReturn(getClass().getName());
         
-        provider.writeTo(generator, event);
+        writeEvent();
         
         verify(generator).writeStringField("newFieldName", getClass().getName());
     }
@@ -70,7 +69,7 @@ public void testFieldNames() throws IOException {
         
         when(event.getLoggerName()).thenReturn(getClass().getName());
         
-        provider.writeTo(generator, event);
+        writeEvent();
         
         verify(generator).writeStringField("newFieldName", getClass().getName());
     }
@@ -81,9 +80,27 @@ public void testShortName() throws IOException {
         
         when(event.getLoggerName()).thenReturn(getClass().getName());
         
-        provider.writeTo(generator, event);
+        writeEvent();
         
         verify(generator).writeStringField(LoggerNameJsonProvider.FIELD_LOGGER_NAME, "n.l.l.c.l.LoggerNameJsonProviderTest");
     }
 
+    @Test
+    public void testShortName_zeroLength() throws IOException {
+        provider.setShortenedLoggerNameLength(0);
+        
+        when(event.getLoggerName()).thenReturn(getClass().getName());
+        
+        writeEvent();
+        
+        verify(generator).writeStringField(LoggerNameJsonProvider.FIELD_LOGGER_NAME, "LoggerNameJsonProviderTest");
+    }
+    
+    protected void writeEvent() throws IOException {
+        if (!provider.isStarted()) {
+            provider.start();
+        }
+        
+        provider.writeTo(generator, event);
+    }
 }