diff --git a/lib/syskit/cli/log_runtime_archive.rb b/lib/syskit/cli/log_runtime_archive.rb
index 6ba025189..69cf4d8ca 100644
--- a/lib/syskit/cli/log_runtime_archive.rb
+++ b/lib/syskit/cli/log_runtime_archive.rb
@@ -40,30 +40,25 @@ def initialize(
             #   archived datasets
             def process_root_folder
                 candidates = self.class.find_all_dataset_folders(@root_dir)
-                running = candidates.last
-                candidates.each do |child|
-                    process_dataset(child, full: child != running)
+                archive = processing_candidates(candidates)
+                running = archive.last
+                archive.each do |child|
+                    process_archiving(child, full: child != running)
                 end
             end
 
-            # Transfer logs from a process server to the main computer server
+            # Creates a TCP socket and decide which logs to transfer
             #
             # @param [Pathname] src_dir the log folder on the process server
             # @param [Params] server_params the FTP server parameters:
             #   { host, port, certificate, user, password }
-            def process_transfer(src_dir, server_params)
-                host = server_params[:host]
-                port = server_params[:port]
-                socket =
-                    begin TCPSocket.new(host, port)
-                    rescue Errno::ECONNREFUSED => e
-                        raise e.class, "cannot contact process server at " \
-                                       "'#{host}:#{port}': #{e.message}"
-                    end
-                socket.write(ProcessManagers::Remote::COMMAND_LOG_UPLOAD_FILE)
+            def process_file_transfer(src_dir, server_params)
+                socket = self.class.create_tcp_socket(server_params[:host],
+                                                      server_params[:port])
 
                 candidates = self.class.find_all_dataset_folders(src_dir)
-                candidates.each do |child|
+                transfer = processing_candidates(candidates)
+                transfer.each do |child|
                     Marshal.dump([server_params, Pathname(child)], socket)
                 end
             end
@@ -104,26 +99,20 @@ def ensure_free_space(free_space_low_limit, free_space_delete_until)
                 end
             end
 
-            def process_dataset(child, full:)
-                use_existing = true
-                loop do
-                    open_archive_for(
-                        child.basename.to_s, use_existing: use_existing
-                    ) do |io|
-                        if io.tell > @max_archive_size
-                            use_existing = false
-                            break
-                        end
-
-                        dataset_complete = self.class.archive_dataset(
-                            io, child,
-                            logger: @logger, full: full,
-                            max_size: @max_archive_size
-                        )
-                        return if dataset_complete
-                    end
+            def processing_candidates(candidates)
+                candidates.select do |child|
+                    self.class.enough_space?(child, @max_archive_size)
+                end
+            end
 
-                    use_existing = false
+            def process_archiving(child, full:)
+                open_archive_for(child.basename.to_s) do |io|
+                    dataset_complete = self.class.archive_dataset(
+                        io, child,
+                        logger: @logger, full: full,
+                        max_size: @max_archive_size
+                    )
+                    return if dataset_complete
                 end
             end
 
@@ -170,6 +159,23 @@ def find_last_archive_index(basename)
                 end
             end
 
+            def self.create_tcp_socket(host, port)
+                socket =
+                    begin TCPSocket.new(host, port)
+                    rescue Errno::ECONNREFUSED => e
+                        raise e.class, "cannot contact process server at " \
+                                       "'#{host}:#{port}': #{e.message}"
+                    end
+                socket.write(ProcessManagers::Remote::COMMAND_LOG_UPLOAD_FILE)
+                socket
+            end
+
+            def self.enough_space?(child, max_archive_size)
+                open_archive_for(child.basename.to_s) do |io|
+                    io.tell < max_archive_size
+                end
+            end
+
             # Find all dataset-looking folders within a root log folder
             def self.find_all_dataset_folders(root_dir)
                 candidates = root_dir.enum_for(:each_entry).map do |child|
diff --git a/lib/syskit/cli/log_runtime_archive_main.rb b/lib/syskit/cli/log_runtime_archive_main.rb
index 84fa4a49d..1e272523b 100644
--- a/lib/syskit/cli/log_runtime_archive_main.rb
+++ b/lib/syskit/cli/log_runtime_archive_main.rb
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ def transfer(src_dir, tgt_dir, server_params)
                 tgt_dir = validate_directory_exists(tgt_dir)
                 archiver = make_archiver(src_dir, tgt_dir)
 
-                archiver.process_transfer(src_dir, server_params)
+                archiver.process_file_transfer(src_dir, server_params)
             end
 
             desc "transfer_server", "creates the log transfer FTP server \