diff --git a/src/rapidata/rapidata_client/config/logging_config.py b/src/rapidata/rapidata_client/config/logging_config.py
index e092295b71..479bf1d574 100644
--- a/src/rapidata/rapidata_client/config/logging_config.py
+++ b/src/rapidata/rapidata_client/config/logging_config.py
@@ -72,10 +72,6 @@ def _apply_env_vars(cls, data: Any) -> Any:
     enable_otlp: bool = Field(default_factory=_default_enable_otlp)
     environment: str = Field(default="rapidata.ai")
 
-    def __init__(self, **kwargs):
-        super().__init__(**kwargs)
-        self._notify_handlers()
-
     def __setattr__(self, name: str, value) -> None:
         super().__setattr__(name, value)
         # Sync enable_otlp to env var so child processes (e.g. Ray workers) inherit it
diff --git a/src/rapidata/rapidata_client/config/rapidata_config.py b/src/rapidata/rapidata_client/config/rapidata_config.py
index 499540eac8..8bc05e328c 100644
--- a/src/rapidata/rapidata_client/config/rapidata_config.py
+++ b/src/rapidata/rapidata_client/config/rapidata_config.py
@@ -42,3 +42,5 @@ def _apply_env_vars(cls, data: Any) -> Any:
 
 
 rapidata_config = RapidataConfig()
+# Only the global config drives the shared logger/tracer; a standalone LoggingConfig must not.
+rapidata_config.logging._notify_handlers()
diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
index 716a974cc2..7f43112674 100644
--- a/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -56,6 +56,6 @@ def agent_sandbox(monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch, tmp_path: Path) -> Path:
 @pytest.fixture(autouse=True)
 def _resync_tracer_to_global_config():
     yield
-    # Constructing any LoggingConfig broadcasts to the global tracer, so a test that
-    # builds one with enable_otlp=True would re-enable export for every later test.
+    # Re-applies the global config so a test that pointed the shared tracer elsewhere
+    # cannot leave export enabled for the tests after it.
     rapidata_config.logging._notify_handlers()
diff --git a/tests/rapidata_client/config/test_otlp_default.py b/tests/rapidata_client/config/test_otlp_default.py
index b3a0d65cb8..fedcd1fa0c 100644
--- a/tests/rapidata_client/config/test_otlp_default.py
+++ b/tests/rapidata_client/config/test_otlp_default.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 
 import pytest
 
+from rapidata.rapidata_client.config import tracer
 from rapidata.rapidata_client.config.logging_config import (
     LoggingConfig,
     _default_enable_otlp,
@@ -49,3 +50,13 @@ def test_explicit_true_overrides_the_pytest_default(monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPa
     monkeypatch.delenv("RAPIDATA_DISABLE_OTLP", raising=False)
 
     assert LoggingConfig(enable_otlp=True).enable_otlp is True
+
+
+def test_standalone_config_does_not_enable_the_global_tracer(
+    monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch,
+):
+    monkeypatch.delenv("RAPIDATA_DISABLE_OTLP", raising=False)
+
+    LoggingConfig(enable_otlp=True)
+
+    assert tracer._enabled is False