diff --git a/tools/testing/ktest/ktest.pl b/tools/testing/ktest/ktest.pl
index 54188ee16c48..4e2450964517 100755
--- a/tools/testing/ktest/ktest.pl
+++ b/tools/testing/ktest/ktest.pl
@@ -1499,17 +1499,16 @@ sub dodie {
 	my $log_file;
 
 	if (defined($opt{"LOG_FILE"})) {
-	    my $whence = 0; # beginning of file
-	    my $pos = $test_log_start;
+	    my $whence = 2; # End of file
+	    my $log_size = tell LOG;
+	    my $size = $log_size - $test_log_start;
 
 	    if (defined($mail_max_size)) {
-		my $log_size = tell LOG;
-		$log_size -= $test_log_start;
-		if ($log_size > $mail_max_size) {
-		    $whence = 2; # end of file
-		    $pos = - $mail_max_size;
+		if ($size > $mail_max_size) {
+		    $size = $mail_max_size;
 		}
 	    }
+	    my $pos = - $size;
 	    $log_file = "$tmpdir/log";
 	    open (L, "$opt{LOG_FILE}") or die "Can't open $opt{LOG_FILE} to read)";
 	    open (O, "> $tmpdir/log") or die "Can't open $tmpdir/log\n";
@@ -4253,7 +4252,12 @@ sub do_send_mail {
     $mail_command =~ s/\$SUBJECT/$subject/g;
     $mail_command =~ s/\$MESSAGE/$message/g;
 
-    run_command $mail_command;
+    my $ret = run_command $mail_command;
+    if (!$ret && defined($file)) {
+	# try again without the file
+	$message .= "\n\n*** FAILED TO SEND LOG ***\n\n";
+	do_send_email($subject, $message);
+    }
 }
 
 sub send_email {