diff --git a/modules/dnn/src/layers/softmax_layer.cpp b/modules/dnn/src/layers/softmax_layer.cpp
index 75e31006de..d7ffef0bbf 100644
--- a/modules/dnn/src/layers/softmax_layer.cpp
+++ b/modules/dnn/src/layers/softmax_layer.cpp
@@ -92,7 +92,8 @@ public:
     {
         return backendId == DNN_BACKEND_OPENCV ||
                (backendId == DNN_BACKEND_HALIDE && haveHalide() && axisRaw == 1) ||
-               ((backendId == DNN_BACKEND_INFERENCE_ENGINE_NN_BUILDER_2019 || backendId == DNN_BACKEND_INFERENCE_ENGINE_NGRAPH) && haveInfEngine() && !logSoftMax);
+               backendId == DNN_BACKEND_INFERENCE_ENGINE_NGRAPH ||
+               (backendId == DNN_BACKEND_INFERENCE_ENGINE_NN_BUILDER_2019 && haveInfEngine() && !logSoftMax);
     }
 
 #ifdef HAVE_OPENCL
@@ -330,6 +331,9 @@ public:
         auto& ieInpNode = nodes[0].dynamicCast<InfEngineNgraphNode>()->node;
         int axis = clamp(axisRaw, ieInpNode->get_shape().size());
         auto softmax = std::make_shared<ngraph::op::v1::Softmax>(ieInpNode, axis);
+        if (logSoftMax)
+            return Ptr<BackendNode>(new InfEngineNgraphNode(std::make_shared<ngraph::op::v0::Log>(softmax)));
+
         return Ptr<BackendNode>(new InfEngineNgraphNode(softmax));
     }
 #endif  // HAVE_DNN_NGRAPH