diff --git a/command_event.c b/command_event.c
index 12a754d019..97f725d5fe 100644
--- a/command_event.c
+++ b/command_event.c
@@ -1550,7 +1550,7 @@ bool event_command(enum event_command cmd)
          if (!global)
             break;
 
-         if (global->log_file)
+         if (global->log_file && global->log_file != stderr)
             fclose(global->log_file);
          global->log_file = NULL;
          break;
diff --git a/retroarch.c b/retroarch.c
index d5e933a784..4d50e756c4 100644
--- a/retroarch.c
+++ b/retroarch.c
@@ -1131,6 +1131,7 @@ int rarch_main_init(int argc, char *argv[])
       return sjlj_ret;
    }
    global->error_in_init = true;
+   global->log_file = stderr;
    parse_input(argc, argv);
 
    if (global->verbosity)