diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index 01278878..ddc31cb3 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -663,6 +663,9 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
     umask(0);
   }
 
+  /* Start log thread (must be done post fork) */
+  tvhlog_start();
+
   /* Alter logging */
   if (opt_fork)
     tvhlog_options &= ~TVHLOG_OPT_STDERR;
diff --git a/src/tvhlog.c b/src/tvhlog.c
index 10f25a47..e85c35a3 100644
--- a/src/tvhlog.c
+++ b/src/tvhlog.c
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 
 #include "webui/webui.h"
 
-int			 tvhlog_exit;
+int                      tvhlog_run;
 int                      tvhlog_level;
 int                      tvhlog_options;
 char                    *tvhlog_path;
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ static void *
 tvhlog_thread ( void *p )
 {
   int options;
-  char *path, buf[512];
+  char *path = NULL, buf[512];
   FILE *fp = NULL;
   tvhlog_msg_t *msg;
 
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ tvhlog_thread ( void *p )
 
     /* Wait */
     if (!(msg = TAILQ_FIRST(&tvhlog_queue))) {
-      if (tvhlog_exit) break;
+      if (tvhlog_run != 1) break;
       if (fp) {
         fclose(fp); // only issue here is we close with mutex!
                     // but overall performance will be higher
@@ -324,13 +324,17 @@ void tvhlogv ( const char *file, int line,
   msg->severity = severity;
   msg->notify   = notify;
 #if TVHLOG_THREAD
-  TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&tvhlog_queue, msg, link);
-  tvhlog_queue_size++;
-  pthread_cond_signal(&tvhlog_cond);
-#else
-  FILE *fp = NULL;
-  tvhlog_process(msg, tvhlog_options, &fp, tvhlog_path);
-  if (fp) fclose(fp);
+  if (tvhlog_run) {
+    TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&tvhlog_queue, msg, link);
+    tvhlog_queue_size++;
+    pthread_cond_signal(&tvhlog_cond);
+  } else {
+#endif
+    FILE *fp = NULL;
+    tvhlog_process(msg, tvhlog_options, &fp, tvhlog_path);
+    if (fp) fclose(fp);
+#if TVHLOG_THREAD
+  }
 #endif
   pthread_mutex_unlock(&tvhlog_mutex);
 }
@@ -400,16 +404,22 @@ _tvhlog_hexdump(const char *file, int line,
 void 
 tvhlog_init ( int level, int options, const char *path )
 {
-  tvhlog_exit    = 0;
   tvhlog_level   = level;
   tvhlog_options = options;
   tvhlog_path    = path ? strdup(path) : NULL;
   tvhlog_trace   = NULL;
   tvhlog_debug   = NULL;
+  tvhlog_run     = 0;
   openlog("tvheadend", LOG_PID, LOG_DAEMON);
   pthread_mutex_init(&tvhlog_mutex, NULL);
   pthread_cond_init(&tvhlog_cond, NULL);
   TAILQ_INIT(&tvhlog_queue);
+}
+
+void
+tvhlog_start ( void )
+{
+  tvhlog_run = 1;
   tvhthread_create(&tvhlog_tid, NULL, tvhlog_thread, NULL, 1);
 }
 
@@ -417,7 +427,7 @@ void
 tvhlog_end ( void )
 {
   pthread_mutex_lock(&tvhlog_mutex);
-  tvhlog_exit = 1;
+  tvhlog_run = 2;
   pthread_cond_signal(&tvhlog_cond);
   pthread_mutex_unlock(&tvhlog_mutex);
   pthread_join(tvhlog_tid, NULL);
diff --git a/src/tvhlog.h b/src/tvhlog.h
index 54cb6ada..f5f5c454 100644
--- a/src/tvhlog.h
+++ b/src/tvhlog.h
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ extern pthread_mutex_t  tvhlog_mutex;
 
 /* Initialise */
 void tvhlog_init       ( int level, int options, const char *path ); 
+void tvhlog_start      ( void );
 void tvhlog_end        ( void );
 void tvhlog_set_debug  ( const char *subsys );
 void tvhlog_get_debug  ( char *subsys, size_t len );