diff --git a/src/main/java/com/google/cloud/logging/logback/LoggingAppender.java b/src/main/java/com/google/cloud/logging/logback/LoggingAppender.java
index ff884d4ae..65ec051ec 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/google/cloud/logging/logback/LoggingAppender.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/google/cloud/logging/logback/LoggingAppender.java
@@ -291,7 +291,7 @@ protected LoggingOptions getLoggingOptions() {
   }
 
   private LogEntry logEntryFor(ILoggingEvent e) {
-    StringBuilder payload = new StringBuilder(e.getFormattedMessage()).append('\n');
+    StringBuilder payload = new StringBuilder().append(e.getFormattedMessage()).append('\n');
     writeStack(e.getThrowableProxy(), "", payload);
 
     Level level = e.getLevel();