diff --git a/queued_mailer/__init__.py b/queued_mailer/__init__.py
index 3e7d8f3..e69de29 100644
--- a/queued_mailer/__init__.py
+++ b/queued_mailer/__init__.py
@@ -1,14 +0,0 @@
-import logging
-import sys
-
-from django.utils.module_loading import import_string
-
-logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
-hdlr = logging.StreamHandler(sys.stderr)
-formatter = logging.Formatter('%(message)s')
-hdlr.setFormatter(formatter)
-logger.addHandler(hdlr)
-logger.setLevel(logging.INFO)
-
-# celery app
-celery_app = import_string('project.celery_app.app')
diff --git a/queued_mailer/backend.py b/queued_mailer/backend.py
index 18f0a37..39ee2c3 100644
--- a/queued_mailer/backend.py
+++ b/queued_mailer/backend.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ from django.core.mail.backends.base import BaseEmailBackend
 from django.utils.encoding import force_text
 from django.utils.module_loading import import_string
 
-from . import logger
+from .logger import logger
 from .settings import EMAIL_SEND_TASK
 
 
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ class EmailBackend(BaseEmailBackend):
         num_sent = 0
         for email in email_messages:
             try:
-                self.task.apply_async([email,])
+                self.task.apply_async([email, ])
                 num_sent += 1
             except Exception as e:
                 logger.error("cannot send message %s: %r" % (_get_message_recipients(email), e))
diff --git a/queued_mailer/logger.py b/queued_mailer/logger.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2f8fcda
--- /dev/null
+++ b/queued_mailer/logger.py
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+import logging
+import sys
+
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+hdlr = logging.StreamHandler(sys.stderr)
+formatter = logging.Formatter('%(message)s')
+hdlr.setFormatter(formatter)
+logger.addHandler(hdlr)
+logger.setLevel(logging.INFO)
diff --git a/queued_mailer/tasks.py b/queued_mailer/tasks.py
index b0653d5..b03764b 100644
--- a/queued_mailer/tasks.py
+++ b/queued_mailer/tasks.py
@@ -1,8 +1,11 @@
-from . import logger, celery_app as app
+from celery.task import task
+
+from .logger import logger
 from .settings import EMAIL_BACKEND
 
 
-@app.task()
+@task
 def send_message(email):
+    logger.info('TASK CALLED')
     logger.info(EMAIL_BACKEND)
     logger.info(email)