diff --git a/salt/common/tools/sbin/soup b/salt/common/tools/sbin/soup
index 9515c0828..90bffc94e 100755
--- a/salt/common/tools/sbin/soup
+++ b/salt/common/tools/sbin/soup
@@ -245,7 +245,6 @@ check_sudoers() {
 }
 
 check_log_size_limit() {
-  echo "called check_log_size_limit"
   local num_minion_pillars
   num_minion_pillars=$(find /opt/so/saltstack/local/pillar/minions/ -type f | wc -l)
   
@@ -255,9 +254,7 @@ check_log_size_limit() {
     fi
   else
     local minion_id
-    echo "getting id grain in check_log_size_limit"
     minion_id=$(lookup_salt_value "id" "" "grains" "" "local")
-    echo "found minion_id to be $minion_id"
 
     local minion_arr
     IFS='_' read -ra minion_arr <<< "$minion_id"
@@ -265,17 +262,14 @@ check_log_size_limit() {
     local node_type="${minion_arr[0]}"
     
     local current_limit
-    echo "getting log_size_limit pillar in check_log_size_limit"
-
     # since it is possible for the salt-master service to be stopped when this is run, we need to check the pillar values locally
     # we need to combine default local and default pillars before doing this so we can define --pillar-root in salt-call
     local epoch_date=$(date +%s%N)
-    mkdir -p /opt/so/saltstack/soup_tmp_${epoch_date}/
+    mkdir -vp /opt/so/saltstack/soup_tmp_${epoch_date}/
     cp -r /opt/so/saltstack/default/pillar/ /opt/so/saltstack/soup_tmp_${epoch_date}/
     # use \cp here to overwrite any pillar files from default with those in local for the tmp directory
     \cp -r /opt/so/saltstack/local/pillar/ /opt/so/saltstack/soup_tmp_${epoch_date}/
     current_limit=$(salt-call pillar.get elasticsearch:log_size_limit --local --pillar-root=/opt/so/saltstack/soup_tmp_${epoch_date}/pillar)
-    echo "found log_size_limit to be $current_limit"
     rm -rf /opt/so/saltstack/soup_tmp_${epoch_date}/
     
     local percent