diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index cd3e886..64b41b1 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -60,3 +60,4 @@ gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties
 rspec.xml
 e2e/output_file.txt
 logs.txt
+docker-e2e/.env
diff --git a/lib/logstash/outputs/kusto/ingestor.rb b/lib/logstash/outputs/kusto/ingestor.rb
index 3a0b4a5..e89f2cf 100755
--- a/lib/logstash/outputs/kusto/ingestor.rb
+++ b/lib/logstash/outputs/kusto/ingestor.rb
@@ -71,11 +71,12 @@ def initialize(ingest_url, app_id, app_key, app_tenant, managed_identity_id, dat
       is_mapping_ref_provided = !(json_mapping.nil? || json_mapping.empty?)
       if is_mapping_ref_provided
         @logger.debug('Using mapping reference.', json_mapping)
-        @ingestion_properties.setIngestionMapping(json_mapping, kusto_java.ingest.IngestionMapping::IngestionMappingKind::JSON)
         @ingestion_properties.setDataFormat(kusto_java.ingest.IngestionProperties::DataFormat::JSON)
       else
         @logger.debug('No mapping reference provided. Columns will be mapped by names in the logstash output')
       end
+      # default mapping is JSON
+      @ingestion_properties.setIngestionMapping(json_mapping, kusto_java.ingest.IngestionMapping::IngestionMappingKind::JSON)
       @delete_local = delete_local
       @logger.debug('Kusto resources are ready.')
     end