diff --git a/vcsserver/svn.py b/vcsserver/svn.py
--- a/vcsserver/svn.py
+++ b/vcsserver/svn.py
@@ -498,15 +498,15 @@ class SvnRemote(RemoteBase):
 
             return ''.join(p), ''.join(p.error)
         except (EnvironmentError, OSError) as err:
-            cmd = ' '.join(cmd)  # human friendly CMD
-            tb_err = ("Couldn't run svn command (%s).\n"
-                      "Original error was:%s\n"
-                      "Call options:%s\n"
-                      % (cmd, err, _opts))
-            log.exception(tb_err)
             if safe_call:
                 return '', err
             else:
+                cmd = ' '.join(cmd)  # human friendly CMD
+                tb_err = ("Couldn't run svn command (%s).\n"
+                          "Original error was:%s\n"
+                          "Call options:%s\n"
+                          % (cmd, err, _opts))
+                log.exception(tb_err)
                 raise exceptions.VcsException()(tb_err)
 
     @reraise_safe_exceptions