diff --git a/crates/repo-actor/src/handlers/advance_main.rs b/crates/repo-actor/src/handlers/advance_main.rs
index 47424fb..9efb10c 100644
--- a/crates/repo-actor/src/handlers/advance_main.rs
+++ b/crates/repo-actor/src/handlers/advance_main.rs
@@ -30,21 +30,18 @@ impl Handler<actor::messages::AdvanceMain> for actor::RepoActor {
             Err(err) => {
                 tracing::warn!("advance main: {err}");
             }
-            Ok(_) => {
-                let log = self.log.clone();
-                match repo_config.source() {
-                    git_next_config::RepoConfigSource::Repo => {
-                        actor::do_send(addr, actor::messages::LoadConfigFromRepo, &log);
-                    }
-                    git_next_config::RepoConfigSource::Server => {
-                        actor::do_send(
-                            addr,
-                            actor::messages::ValidateRepo::new(message_token),
-                            &log,
-                        );
-                    }
+            Ok(_) => match repo_config.source() {
+                git_next_config::RepoConfigSource::Repo => {
+                    actor::do_send(addr, actor::messages::LoadConfigFromRepo, self.log.as_ref());
                 }
-            }
+                git_next_config::RepoConfigSource::Server => {
+                    actor::do_send(
+                        addr,
+                        actor::messages::ValidateRepo::new(message_token),
+                        self.log.as_ref(),
+                    );
+                }
+            },
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/crates/repo-actor/src/handlers/advance_next.rs b/crates/repo-actor/src/handlers/advance_next.rs
index da04615..a8908d5 100644
--- a/crates/repo-actor/src/handlers/advance_next.rs
+++ b/crates/repo-actor/src/handlers/advance_next.rs
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ impl Handler<actor::messages::AdvanceNext> for actor::RepoActor {
                 actor::do_send(
                     addr,
                     actor::messages::ValidateRepo::new(message_token),
-                    &self.log,
+                    self.log.as_ref(),
                 );
             }
             Err(err) => tracing::warn!("advance next: {err}"),
diff --git a/crates/repo-actor/src/handlers/check_ci_status.rs b/crates/repo-actor/src/handlers/check_ci_status.rs
index fc69686..bb834f4 100644
--- a/crates/repo-actor/src/handlers/check_ci_status.rs
+++ b/crates/repo-actor/src/handlers/check_ci_status.rs
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ impl Handler<actor::messages::CheckCIStatus> for actor::RepoActor {
         msg: actor::messages::CheckCIStatus,
         ctx: &mut Self::Context,
     ) -> Self::Result {
-        actor::logger(&self.log, "start: CheckCIStatus");
+        actor::logger(self.log.as_ref(), "start: CheckCIStatus");
         let addr = ctx.address();
         let forge = self.forge.duplicate();
         let next = msg.unwrap();
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ impl Handler<actor::messages::CheckCIStatus> for actor::RepoActor {
             actor::do_send(
                 addr,
                 actor::messages::ReceiveCIStatus::new((next, status)),
-                &log,
+                log.as_ref(),
             );
         }
         .in_current_span()
diff --git a/crates/repo-actor/src/handlers/clone_repo.rs b/crates/repo-actor/src/handlers/clone_repo.rs
index 7e214be..ddc4eff 100644
--- a/crates/repo-actor/src/handlers/clone_repo.rs
+++ b/crates/repo-actor/src/handlers/clone_repo.rs
@@ -12,29 +12,29 @@ impl Handler<actor::messages::CloneRepo> for actor::RepoActor {
         _msg: actor::messages::CloneRepo,
         ctx: &mut Self::Context,
     ) -> Self::Result {
-        actor::logger(&self.log, "Handler: CloneRepo: start");
+        actor::logger(self.log.as_ref(), "Handler: CloneRepo: start");
         tracing::debug!("Handler: CloneRepo: start");
         match git::repository::open(&*self.repository_factory, &self.repo_details) {
             Ok(repository) => {
-                actor::logger(&self.log, "open okay");
+                actor::logger(self.log.as_ref(), "open okay");
                 tracing::debug!("open okay");
                 self.open_repository.replace(repository);
                 if self.repo_details.repo_config.is_none() {
                     actor::do_send(
                         ctx.address(),
                         actor::messages::LoadConfigFromRepo,
-                        &self.log,
+                        self.log.as_ref(),
                     );
                 } else {
                     actor::do_send(
                         ctx.address(),
                         actor::messages::RegisterWebhook::new(),
-                        &self.log,
+                        self.log.as_ref(),
                     );
                 }
             }
             Err(err) => {
-                actor::logger(&self.log, "open failed");
+                actor::logger(self.log.as_ref(), "open failed");
                 tracing::debug!("err: {err:?}");
                 tracing::warn!("Could not open repo: {err}")
             }
diff --git a/crates/repo-actor/src/handlers/load_config_from_repo.rs b/crates/repo-actor/src/handlers/load_config_from_repo.rs
index 4a64a45..d270ad5 100644
--- a/crates/repo-actor/src/handlers/load_config_from_repo.rs
+++ b/crates/repo-actor/src/handlers/load_config_from_repo.rs
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ impl Handler<actor::messages::LoadConfigFromRepo> for actor::RepoActor {
         async move {
             match actor::load::config_from_repository(repo_details, &*open_repository).await {
                 Ok(repo_config) => {
-                    actor::logger(&log, "send: LoadedConfig");
+                    actor::logger(log.as_ref(), "send: LoadedConfig");
                     addr.do_send(actor::messages::ReceiveRepoConfig::new(repo_config))
                 }
                 Err(err) => {
diff --git a/crates/repo-actor/src/handlers/receive_ci_status.rs b/crates/repo-actor/src/handlers/receive_ci_status.rs
index b5fec18..d5a5e81 100644
--- a/crates/repo-actor/src/handlers/receive_ci_status.rs
+++ b/crates/repo-actor/src/handlers/receive_ci_status.rs
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ impl Handler<actor::messages::ReceiveCIStatus> for actor::RepoActor {
         ctx: &mut Self::Context,
     ) -> Self::Result {
         let log = self.log.clone();
-        actor::logger(&log, "start: ReceiveCIStatus");
+        actor::logger(log.as_ref(), "start: ReceiveCIStatus");
         let addr = ctx.address();
         let (next, status) = msg.unwrap();
         let message_token = self.message_token;
@@ -21,14 +21,18 @@ impl Handler<actor::messages::ReceiveCIStatus> for actor::RepoActor {
         tracing::debug!(?status, "");
         match status {
             git::forge::commit::Status::Pass => {
-                actor::do_send(addr, actor::messages::AdvanceMain::new(next), &self.log);
+                actor::do_send(
+                    addr,
+                    actor::messages::AdvanceMain::new(next),
+                    self.log.as_ref(),
+                );
             }
             git::forge::commit::Status::Pending => {
                 std::thread::sleep(sleep_duration);
                 actor::do_send(
                     addr,
                     actor::messages::ValidateRepo::new(message_token),
-                    &self.log,
+                    self.log.as_ref(),
                 );
             }
             git::forge::commit::Status::Fail => {
@@ -38,7 +42,7 @@ impl Handler<actor::messages::ReceiveCIStatus> for actor::RepoActor {
                     addr,
                     sleep_duration,
                     actor::messages::ValidateRepo::new(message_token),
-                    &self.log,
+                    self.log.as_ref(),
                 );
             }
         }
diff --git a/crates/repo-actor/src/handlers/receive_repo_config.rs b/crates/repo-actor/src/handlers/receive_repo_config.rs
index 2572d5a..24004ee 100644
--- a/crates/repo-actor/src/handlers/receive_repo_config.rs
+++ b/crates/repo-actor/src/handlers/receive_repo_config.rs
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ impl Handler<actor::messages::ReceiveRepoConfig> for actor::RepoActor {
         actor::do_send(
             ctx.address(),
             actor::messages::RegisterWebhook::new(),
-            &self.log,
+            self.log.as_ref(),
         );
     }
 }
diff --git a/crates/repo-actor/src/handlers/register_webhook.rs b/crates/repo-actor/src/handlers/register_webhook.rs
index 59edca2..4ec6f19 100644
--- a/crates/repo-actor/src/handlers/register_webhook.rs
+++ b/crates/repo-actor/src/handlers/register_webhook.rs
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ impl Handler<RegisterWebhook> for RepoActor {
                         actor::do_send(
                             addr,
                             actor::messages::WebhookRegistered::from(registered_webhook),
-                            &log,
+                            log.as_ref(),
                         );
                     }
                     Err(err) => {
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ impl Handler<RegisterWebhook> for RepoActor {
                         ));
                         let log_message = format!("send: {:?}", msg);
                         tracing::debug!(log_message);
-                        actor::logger(&log, log_message);
+                        actor::logger(log.as_ref(), log_message);
                         if let Some(notify_user_recipient) = notify_user_recipient {
                             notify_user_recipient.do_send(msg);
                         }
diff --git a/crates/repo-actor/src/handlers/validate_repo.rs b/crates/repo-actor/src/handlers/validate_repo.rs
index a2bb08f..3fc86cf 100644
--- a/crates/repo-actor/src/handlers/validate_repo.rs
+++ b/crates/repo-actor/src/handlers/validate_repo.rs
@@ -14,14 +14,14 @@ impl Handler<actor::messages::ValidateRepo> for actor::RepoActor {
         msg: actor::messages::ValidateRepo,
         ctx: &mut Self::Context,
     ) -> Self::Result {
-        actor::logger(&self.log, "start: ValidateRepo");
+        actor::logger(self.log.as_ref(), "start: ValidateRepo");
 
         // Message Token - make sure we are only triggered for the latest/current token
         match self.token_status(msg.unwrap()) {
             TokenStatus::Current => {} // do nothing
             TokenStatus::Expired => {
                 actor::logger(
-                    &self.log,
+                    self.log.as_ref(),
                     format!("discarded: old message token: {}", self.message_token),
                 );
                 return; // message is expired
@@ -29,24 +29,27 @@ impl Handler<actor::messages::ValidateRepo> for actor::RepoActor {
             TokenStatus::New(message_token) => {
                 self.message_token = message_token;
                 actor::logger(
-                    &self.log,
+                    self.log.as_ref(),
                     format!("new message token: {}", self.message_token),
                 );
             }
         }
-        actor::logger(&self.log, format!("accepted token: {}", self.message_token));
+        actor::logger(
+            self.log.as_ref(),
+            format!("accepted token: {}", self.message_token),
+        );
 
         // Repository positions
         let Some(ref open_repository) = self.open_repository else {
-            actor::logger(&self.log, "no open repository");
+            actor::logger(self.log.as_ref(), "no open repository");
             return;
         };
-        actor::logger(&self.log, "have open repository");
+        actor::logger(self.log.as_ref(), "have open repository");
         let Some(repo_config) = self.repo_details.repo_config.clone() else {
-            actor::logger(&self.log, "no repo config");
+            actor::logger(self.log.as_ref(), "no repo config");
             return;
         };
-        actor::logger(&self.log, "have repo config");
+        actor::logger(self.log.as_ref(), "have repo config");
 
         match git::validation::positions::validate_positions(
             &**open_repository,
@@ -64,33 +67,33 @@ impl Handler<actor::messages::ValidateRepo> for actor::RepoActor {
                     actor::do_send(
                         ctx.address(),
                         actor::messages::CheckCIStatus::new(next),
-                        &self.log,
+                        self.log.as_ref(),
                     );
                 } else if next != dev {
                     actor::do_send(
                         ctx.address(),
                         actor::messages::AdvanceNext::new((next, dev_commit_history)),
-                        &self.log,
+                        self.log.as_ref(),
                     )
                 } else {
                     // do nothing
                 }
             }
             Err(git::validation::positions::Error::Retryable(message)) => {
-                actor::logger(&self.log, message);
+                actor::logger(self.log.as_ref(), message);
                 let addr = ctx.address();
                 let message_token = self.message_token;
                 let sleep_duration = self.sleep_duration;
                 let log = self.log.clone();
                 async move {
                     tracing::debug!("sleeping before retrying...");
-                    actor::logger(&log, "before sleep");
+                    actor::logger(log.as_ref(), "before sleep");
                     tokio::time::sleep(sleep_duration).await;
-                    actor::logger(&log, "after sleep");
+                    actor::logger(log.as_ref(), "after sleep");
                     actor::do_send(
                         addr,
                         actor::messages::ValidateRepo::new(message_token),
-                        &log,
+                        log.as_ref(),
                     );
                 }
                 .in_current_span()
@@ -99,7 +102,7 @@ impl Handler<actor::messages::ValidateRepo> for actor::RepoActor {
             }
             Err(git::validation::positions::Error::NonRetryable(message))
             | Err(git::validation::positions::Error::UserIntervention(message)) => {
-                actor::logger(&self.log, message);
+                actor::logger(self.log.as_ref(), message);
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/crates/repo-actor/src/handlers/webhook_notification.rs b/crates/repo-actor/src/handlers/webhook_notification.rs
index d901137..4c6be74 100644
--- a/crates/repo-actor/src/handlers/webhook_notification.rs
+++ b/crates/repo-actor/src/handlers/webhook_notification.rs
@@ -17,23 +17,30 @@ impl Handler<WebhookNotification> for actor::RepoActor {
     #[tracing::instrument(name = "RepoActor::WebhookMessage", skip_all, fields(token = %self.message_token, repo = %self.repo_details))]
     fn handle(&mut self, msg: WebhookNotification, ctx: &mut Self::Context) -> Self::Result {
         let Some(config) = &self.repo_details.repo_config else {
-            actor::logger(&self.log, "server has no repo config");
+            actor::logger(self.log.as_ref(), "server has no repo config");
             warn!("No repo config");
             return;
         };
-        if validate_notification(&msg, &self.webhook_auth, &*self.forge, &self.log).is_err() {
+        if validate_notification(
+            &msg,
+            self.webhook_auth.as_ref(),
+            &*self.forge,
+            self.log.as_ref(),
+        )
+        .is_err()
+        {
             return;
         }
         let body = msg.body();
         match self.forge.parse_webhook_body(body) {
             Err(err) => {
-                actor::logger(&self.log, "message parse error - not a push");
+                actor::logger(self.log.as_ref(), "message parse error - not a push");
                 warn!(?err, "Not a 'push'");
                 return;
             }
             Ok(push) => match push.branch(config.branches()) {
                 None => {
-                    actor::logger(&self.log, "unknown branch");
+                    actor::logger(self.log.as_ref(), "unknown branch");
                     warn!(
                         ?push,
                         "Unrecognised branch, we should be filtering to only the ones we want"
@@ -45,7 +52,7 @@ impl Handler<WebhookNotification> for actor::RepoActor {
                         push,
                         config.branches().main(),
                         &mut self.last_main_commit,
-                        &self.log,
+                        self.log.as_ref(),
                     )
                     .is_err()
                     {
@@ -57,7 +64,7 @@ impl Handler<WebhookNotification> for actor::RepoActor {
                         push,
                         config.branches().next(),
                         &mut self.last_next_commit,
-                        &self.log,
+                        self.log.as_ref(),
                     )
                     .is_err()
                     {
@@ -69,7 +76,7 @@ impl Handler<WebhookNotification> for actor::RepoActor {
                         push,
                         config.branches().dev(),
                         &mut self.last_dev_commit,
-                        &self.log,
+                        self.log.as_ref(),
                     )
                     .is_err()
                     {
@@ -86,16 +93,16 @@ impl Handler<WebhookNotification> for actor::RepoActor {
         actor::do_send(
             ctx.address(),
             actor::messages::ValidateRepo::new(message_token),
-            &self.log,
+            self.log.as_ref(),
         );
     }
 }
 
 fn validate_notification(
     msg: &WebhookNotification,
-    webhook_auth: &Option<WebhookAuth>,
+    webhook_auth: Option<&WebhookAuth>,
     forge: &dyn ForgeLike,
-    log: &Option<RepoActorLog>,
+    log: Option<&RepoActorLog>,
 ) -> Result<(), ()> {
     let Some(expected_authorization) = webhook_auth else {
         actor::logger(log, "server has no auth token");
@@ -122,7 +129,7 @@ fn handle_push(
     push: Push,
     branch: BranchName,
     last_commit: &mut Option<Commit>,
-    log: &Option<RepoActorLog>,
+    log: Option<&RepoActorLog>,
 ) -> Result<(), ()> {
     actor::logger(log, "message is for dev branch");
     let commit = git::Commit::from(push);
diff --git a/crates/repo-actor/src/handlers/webhook_registered.rs b/crates/repo-actor/src/handlers/webhook_registered.rs
index 398f56e..ae718e7 100644
--- a/crates/repo-actor/src/handlers/webhook_registered.rs
+++ b/crates/repo-actor/src/handlers/webhook_registered.rs
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ impl Handler<actor::messages::WebhookRegistered> for actor::RepoActor {
         actor::do_send(
             ctx.address(),
             actor::messages::ValidateRepo::new(self.message_token),
-            &self.log,
+            self.log.as_ref(),
         );
     }
 }
diff --git a/crates/repo-actor/src/lib.rs b/crates/repo-actor/src/lib.rs
index 1d29adf..4e0557f 100644
--- a/crates/repo-actor/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/repo-actor/src/lib.rs
@@ -118,12 +118,8 @@ impl Actor for RepoActor {
     }
 }
 
-pub fn delay_send<M>(
-    addr: Addr<RepoActor>,
-    delay: Duration,
-    msg: M,
-    log: &Option<crate::RepoActorLog>,
-) where
+pub fn delay_send<M>(addr: Addr<RepoActor>, delay: Duration, msg: M, log: Option<&RepoActorLog>)
+where
     M: actix::Message + Send + 'static + std::fmt::Debug,
     RepoActor: actix::Handler<M>,
     <M as actix::Message>::Result: Send,
@@ -135,7 +131,7 @@ pub fn delay_send<M>(
     do_send(addr, msg, log)
 }
 
-pub fn do_send<M>(_addr: Addr<RepoActor>, msg: M, log: &Option<crate::RepoActorLog>)
+pub fn do_send<M>(_addr: Addr<RepoActor>, msg: M, log: Option<&RepoActorLog>)
 where
     M: actix::Message + Send + 'static + std::fmt::Debug,
     RepoActor: actix::Handler<M>,
@@ -148,7 +144,7 @@ where
     _addr.do_send(msg)
 }
 
-pub fn logger(log: &Option<crate::RepoActorLog>, message: impl Into<String>) {
+pub fn logger(log: Option<&RepoActorLog>, message: impl Into<String>) {
     if let Some(log) = log {
         let message: String = message.into();
         tracing::debug!(message);