diff --git a/CHANGES.rst b/CHANGES.rst
index 58ae8969..4c16a813 100644
--- a/CHANGES.rst
+++ b/CHANGES.rst
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 0.6.1 (unreleased)
 ==================
-- log only strings in ``Step.log_records`` when a formatter is provided [#171]
+
+-
 
 0.6.0 (2024-01-24)
 ==================
diff --git a/src/stpipe/log.py b/src/stpipe/log.py
index 8c55bf77..b3fc93b7 100644
--- a/src/stpipe/log.py
+++ b/src/stpipe/log.py
@@ -280,23 +280,18 @@ def log_records(self):
         return self._log_records
 
     def emit(self, record):
-        if self.formatter is not None:
-            self._log_records.append(self.formatter.format(record))
+        self._log_records.append(record)
 
 
 @contextmanager
-def record_logs(level=logging.NOTSET, formatter=None):
-    if formatter is None:
-        yield []
-    else:
-        handler = RecordingHandler(level=level)
-        handler.setFormatter(formatter)
-        logger = getLogger(STPIPE_ROOT_LOGGER)
-        logger.addHandler(handler)
-        try:
-            yield handler.log_records
-        finally:
-            logger.removeHandler(handler)
+def record_logs(level=logging.NOTSET):
+    handler = RecordingHandler(level=level)
+    logger = getLogger(STPIPE_ROOT_LOGGER)
+    logger.addHandler(handler)
+    try:
+        yield handler.log_records
+    finally:
+        logger.removeHandler(handler)
 
 
 # Install the delegation handler on the root logger.  The Step class
diff --git a/src/stpipe/step.py b/src/stpipe/step.py
index ad6dbac0..6ebe27ea 100644
--- a/src/stpipe/step.py
+++ b/src/stpipe/step.py
@@ -74,10 +74,6 @@ class Step:
     # but by default attempt to prefetch
     prefetch_references = True
 
-    # This needs to be set to a logging formatter for any
-    # log_records to be saved.
-    _log_records_formatter = None
-
     @classmethod
     def get_config_reftype(cls):
         """
@@ -408,7 +404,7 @@ def log_records(self):
 
         Returns
         -------
-        list of str
+        list of logging.LogRecord
         """
         return self._log_records
 
@@ -420,7 +416,7 @@ def run(self, *args):
         """
         gc.collect()
 
-        with log.record_logs(formatter=self._log_records_formatter) as log_records:
+        with log.record_logs() as log_records:
             self._log_records = log_records
 
             # Make generic log messages go to this step's logger
diff --git a/tests/test_logger.py b/tests/test_logger.py
index a8e7bed5..ccaf013e 100644
--- a/tests/test_logger.py
+++ b/tests/test_logger.py
@@ -53,9 +53,7 @@ def test_record_logs():
         isinstance(h, stpipe_log.RecordingHandler) for h in root_logger.handlers
     )
 
-    with stpipe_log.record_logs(
-        level=logging.ERROR, formatter=logging.Formatter("%(message)s")
-    ) as log_records:
+    with stpipe_log.record_logs(level=logging.ERROR) as log_records:
         stpipe_logger.warning("Warning from stpipe")
         stpipe_logger.error("Error from stpipe")
         root_logger.warning("Warning from root")
@@ -69,5 +67,5 @@ def test_record_logs():
     root_logger.error("Additional error from root")
 
     assert len(log_records) == 2
-    assert log_records[0] == "Error from stpipe"
-    assert log_records[1] == "Error from root"
+    assert log_records[0].message == "Error from stpipe"
+    assert log_records[1].message == "Error from root"
diff --git a/tests/test_step.py b/tests/test_step.py
index 972f84a9..f271a999 100644
--- a/tests/test_step.py
+++ b/tests/test_step.py
@@ -51,7 +51,6 @@ class LoggingPipeline(Pipeline):
         str1 = string(default='default')
         output_ext = string(default='simplestep')
     """
-    _log_records_formatter = logging.Formatter("%(message)s")
 
     def process(self):
         self.log.warning("This step has called out a warning.")
@@ -410,4 +409,6 @@ def test_log_records():
     pipeline = LoggingPipeline()
     pipeline.run()
 
-    assert any(r == "This step has called out a warning." for r in pipeline.log_records)
+    assert any(
+        r.message == "This step has called out a warning." for r in pipeline.log_records
+    )