diff --git a/test/conftest.py b/test/conftest.py
index decd2c85c..6846da90e 100644
--- a/test/conftest.py
+++ b/test/conftest.py
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ class HandlerWrapper(handler):
         RH_KEY = handler.RH_KEY
 
         def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
-            super().__init__(logger=FakeLogger, *args, **kwargs)
+            super().__init__(logger=FakeLogger(), *args, **kwargs)
 
     return HandlerWrapper
 
diff --git a/yt_dlp/networking/_requests.py b/yt_dlp/networking/_requests.py
index e3edc77f3..798885eff 100644
--- a/yt_dlp/networking/_requests.py
+++ b/yt_dlp/networking/_requests.py
@@ -232,14 +232,14 @@ def __init__(self, logger, *args, **kwargs):
     def emit(self, record):
         try:
             msg = self.format(record)
+        except Exception:
+            self.handleError(record)
+        else:
             if record.levelno >= logging.ERROR:
                 self._logger.error(msg)
             else:
                 self._logger.stdout(msg)
 
-        except Exception:
-            self.handleError(record)
-
 
 @register_rh
 class RequestsRH(RequestHandler, InstanceStoreMixin):