diff --git a/ovos_utils/log_parser.py b/ovos_utils/log_parser.py
index 15ef79d3..9912d4c7 100644
--- a/ovos_utils/log_parser.py
+++ b/ovos_utils/log_parser.py
@@ -180,22 +180,21 @@ def parse_file(self, source) -> Generator[Union[LogLine, Traceback], None, None]
 
 
 def get_last_load_time(directories: Optional[List[str]] = None) -> Optional[datetime]:
+    # if nothing's found return the beginning of unix time
+    last_timestamp = datetime.fromtimestamp(0)
     if directories is None:
         directory = get_log_path("skills")
     else:
         directory = get_log_path("skills", directories)
     
-    # if nothing's found return the beginning of unix time
-    if directory is None:
-        return datetime.fromtimestamp(0)    
-
-    with open(os.path.join(directory,"skills.log"), "r") as f:
-        for line in f.readlines()[::-1]:
-            logline = OVOSLogParser.parse(line)
-            if logline.timestamp:
-                last_timestamp = logline.timestamp 
-            if logline.message == "Loading message bus configs":
-                return last_timestamp
+    if directory:
+        with open(os.path.join(directory,"skills.log"), "r") as f:
+            for line in f.readlines()[::-1]:
+                logline = OVOSLogParser.parse(line)
+                if logline.timestamp:
+                    last_timestamp = logline.timestamp 
+                if logline.message == "Loading message bus configs":
+                    break
     return last_timestamp