diff --git a/src/azul/chalice.py b/src/azul/chalice.py
index 381053c67..af6b8e2f1 100644
--- a/src/azul/chalice.py
+++ b/src/azul/chalice.py
@@ -414,16 +414,15 @@ def _log_request(self):
 
             body = self.current_request.json_body
             if body is None:
-                body_len_msg = ''
+                len_msg = ''
             elif config.debug == 2:
                 body = json.dumps(body, cls=self._LogJSONEncoder)
-                body_len_msg = f' ({len(body)} characters)'
+                len_msg = f' ({len(body)} characters)'
             else:
                 n = 1024
-                body_len_msg = f' (first {str(n)} characters)'
+                len_msg = f' (first {str(n)} characters)'
                 body = json_head(n, body) if not isinstance(body, str | bytes) else body[:n]
-            log.info('%s%s',
-                     http_body_log_message('request', body, verbatim=True), body_len_msg)
+            log.info('%s', http_body_log_message('request', body, verbatim=True) + len_msg)
 
     def _log_response(self, response):
         if log.isEnabledFor(logging.DEBUG):