diff --git a/fsw/src/ds_app.c b/fsw/src/ds_app.c
index 11a4daa..b86d3c9 100644
--- a/fsw/src/ds_app.c
+++ b/fsw/src/ds_app.c
@@ -201,8 +201,7 @@ int32 DS_AppInitialize(void)
 
     if (Result != CFE_SUCCESS)
     {
-        CFE_EVS_SendEvent(DS_INIT_ERR_EID, CFE_EVS_EventType_ERROR, "Unable to register for EVS services, err = 0x%08X",
-                          (unsigned int)Result);
+        CFE_ES_WriteToSysLog("DS App: Error registering for Event Services, RC = 0x%08X\n", (unsigned int)Result);
     }
 
     /*
diff --git a/unit-test/ds_app_tests.c b/unit-test/ds_app_tests.c
index 7d5fbf4..3188993 100644
--- a/unit-test/ds_app_tests.c
+++ b/unit-test/ds_app_tests.c
@@ -98,11 +98,11 @@ void DS_AppMain_Test_AppInitializeError(void)
     DS_AppMain();
 
     /* Verify results */
-    UtAssert_STUB_COUNT(CFE_EVS_SendEvent, 2);
-    UtAssert_INT32_EQ(context_CFE_EVS_SendEvent[1].EventID, DS_EXIT_ERR_EID);
-    UtAssert_INT32_EQ(context_CFE_EVS_SendEvent[1].EventType, CFE_EVS_EventType_CRITICAL);
+    UtAssert_STUB_COUNT(CFE_EVS_SendEvent, 1);
+    UtAssert_INT32_EQ(context_CFE_EVS_SendEvent[0].EventID, DS_EXIT_ERR_EID);
+    UtAssert_INT32_EQ(context_CFE_EVS_SendEvent[0].EventType, CFE_EVS_EventType_CRITICAL);
     UtAssert_STUB_COUNT(CFE_ES_ExitApp, 1);
-    UtAssert_STUB_COUNT(CFE_ES_WriteToSysLog, 1);
+    UtAssert_STUB_COUNT(CFE_ES_WriteToSysLog, 2);
 }
 
 void DS_AppMain_Test_SBError(void)
@@ -166,6 +166,10 @@ void DS_AppInitialize_Test_Nominal(void)
 
 void DS_AppInitialize_Test_EVSRegisterError(void)
 {
+    char ExpectedSysLogString[CFE_MISSION_EVS_MAX_MESSAGE_LENGTH];
+    snprintf(ExpectedSysLogString, CFE_MISSION_EVS_MAX_MESSAGE_LENGTH,
+             "DS App: Error registering for Event Services, RC = 0x%%08X\n");
+
     /* Set to generate error message DS_INIT_ERR_EID for EVS services */
     UT_SetDeferredRetcode(UT_KEY(CFE_EVS_Register), 1, -1);
 
@@ -179,11 +183,7 @@ void DS_AppInitialize_Test_EVSRegisterError(void)
     UtAssert_BOOL_FALSE(OS_ObjectIdDefined(DS_AppData.FileStatus[DS_DEST_FILE_CNT / 2].FileHandle));
     UtAssert_BOOL_FALSE(OS_ObjectIdDefined(DS_AppData.FileStatus[DS_DEST_FILE_CNT - 1].FileHandle));
 
-    /* Note: not verifying that rest of DS_AppData is set to 0, because some elements of DS_AppData
-     * are modified by subfunctions, which we're not testing here */
-    UtAssert_STUB_COUNT(CFE_EVS_SendEvent, 1);
-    UtAssert_INT32_EQ(context_CFE_EVS_SendEvent[0].EventID, DS_INIT_ERR_EID);
-    UtAssert_INT32_EQ(context_CFE_EVS_SendEvent[0].EventType, CFE_EVS_EventType_ERROR);
+    UtAssert_STUB_COUNT(CFE_ES_WriteToSysLog, 1);
 }
 
 void DS_AppInitialize_Test_SBCreatePipeError(void)