diff --git a/src/kernel/jsonconf.c b/src/kernel/jsonconf.c
index fc2d9dd20..099b7a228 100644
--- a/src/kernel/jsonconf.c
+++ b/src/kernel/jsonconf.c
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ static void json_maintenance_i(cJSON *json, maintenance *mt) {
             }
             break;
         default:
-            log_error("maintenance contains unknown attribute %s", child->string);
+            log_error("maintenance contains unknown attribute %s of type %d", child->string, child->type);
         }
     }
 }
@@ -139,7 +139,9 @@ static void json_maintenance(cJSON *json, maintenance **mtp) {
             }
         }
     }
-    json_maintenance_i(json, mt);
+    else {
+        json_maintenance_i(json, mt);
+    }
 }
 
 static void json_construction(cJSON *json, construction **consp) {