diff --git a/src/output-flex.cpp b/src/output-flex.cpp
index a52f10c09..290dc9d98 100644
--- a/src/output-flex.cpp
+++ b/src/output-flex.cpp
@@ -1172,8 +1172,7 @@ output_flex_t::output_flex_t(std::shared_ptr<middle_query_t> const &mid,
     }
 
     if (m_tables->empty()) {
-        throw std::runtime_error{
-            "No tables defined in Lua config. Nothing to do!"};
+        log_warn("No output tables defined!");
     }
 
     // For backwards compatibility we add a "default" expire output to all
diff --git a/tests/bdd/flex/lua-basics.feature b/tests/bdd/flex/lua-basics.feature
index 669933f1d..b8d68923a 100644
--- a/tests/bdd/flex/lua-basics.feature
+++ b/tests/bdd/flex/lua-basics.feature
@@ -9,10 +9,10 @@ Feature: Flex output uses a Lua config file
             print("stage=" .. osm2pgsql.stage)
             print("Table=" .. type(osm2pgsql.Table))
             """
-        Then running osm2pgsql flex fails
-        And the error output contains
+        When running osm2pgsql flex
+        Then the error output contains
             """
-            No tables defined in Lua config. Nothing to do!
+            No output tables defined
             """
         And the standard output contains
             """