diff --git a/sammler.c b/sammler.c
index 84626e3..dcb1434 100644
--- a/sammler.c
+++ b/sammler.c
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
 	/* check logfile */
 	const char *logfile = config_get_string("global", "logfile", DEFAULT_LOGFILE);
-	if (logfile != NULL && debug == 0) {
+	if (!debug) {
 		/* check pidfile */
 		const char *pidfile = config_get_string("global", "pidfile", DEFAULT_PIDFILE);
 		if (pidfile_check(pidfile, 1) != 0) {
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 			break;
 
 		logfile = config_get_string("global", "logfile", DEFAULT_LOGFILE);
-		if (log_init(logfile) < 0)
+		if (!debug && log_init(logfile) < 0)
 			break;
 
 		log_print(LOG_EVERYTIME, "sammler restarted (pid:%d) ", getpid());