diff --git a/cmd/stepd/main.go b/cmd/stepd/main.go
index a704974..149b2cd 100644
--- a/cmd/stepd/main.go
+++ b/cmd/stepd/main.go
@@ -83,21 +83,6 @@ func main () {
 		pluginPath[index], _ = filepath.Abs(pat)
 	}
 
-	// set up logging
-	if flagLogDirectory.Value != "" {
-		directory := flagLogDirectory.Value
-		log.Println("(i) logging to", directory)
-		directory, err := filepath.Abs(directory)
-		if err != nil { log.Fatalln("XXX", err) }
-		logger, err := rotate.New(directory)
-		if err != nil { log.Fatalln("XXX", err) }
-		defer logger.Close()
-		log.SetOutput(logger)
-	}
-	log.Println(`==========| STEP |===========`)
-	log.Println(`Scriptable Template Processor`)
-	log.Println(`... initializing`)
-
 	// manage start and end of program
 	ctx, done := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
 	defer done()
@@ -118,6 +103,21 @@ func main () {
 		if err != nil { log.Fatalln("XXX could not drop privelege:", err) }
 	}
 
+	// set up logging
+	if flagLogDirectory.Value != "" {
+		directory := flagLogDirectory.Value
+		log.Println("(i) logging to", directory)
+		directory, err := filepath.Abs(directory)
+		if err != nil { log.Fatalln("XXX", err) }
+		logger, err := rotate.New(directory)
+		if err != nil { log.Fatalln("XXX", err) }
+		defer logger.Close()
+		log.SetOutput(logger)
+	}
+	log.Println(`==========| STEP |===========`)
+	log.Println(`Scriptable Template Processor`)
+	log.Println(`... initializing`)
+
 	// the single argument is for the directory to serve. we actually cd
 	// there.
 	if len(cmd.Args) == 1 {