diff --git a/sammler.c b/sammler.c
index b51b2bb..c84477d 100644
--- a/sammler.c
+++ b/sammler.c
@@ -88,8 +88,6 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	if (config_parse(config) < 0)
 		exit(1);
 
-	/* check logfile */
-	const char *logfile = config_get_string("global", "logfile", DEFAULT_LOGFILE);
 	if (!debug) {
 		/* check pidfile */
 		const char *pidfile = config_get_string("global", "pidfile", DEFAULT_PIDFILE);
@@ -99,6 +97,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 		}
 
 		/* start logging */
+		const char *logfile = config_get_string("global", "logfile", DEFAULT_LOGFILE);
 		if (log_init(logfile) < 0)
 			exit(1);
 
@@ -144,7 +143,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 		if (config_parse(config) < 0)
 			break;
 
-		logfile = config_get_string("global", "logfile", DEFAULT_LOGFILE);
+		const char *logfile = config_get_string("global", "logfile", DEFAULT_LOGFILE);
 		if (!debug && log_init(logfile) < 0)
 			break;