diff --git a/app/src/main/java/nodomain/freeyourgadget/gadgetbridge/Logging.java b/app/src/main/java/nodomain/freeyourgadget/gadgetbridge/Logging.java
index e18069ff4..ca4d36751 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/nodomain/freeyourgadget/gadgetbridge/Logging.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/nodomain/freeyourgadget/gadgetbridge/Logging.java
@@ -76,13 +76,17 @@ public abstract class Logging {
     protected abstract String createLogDirectory() throws IOException;
 
     protected void init() throws IOException {
+        rememberFileLogger();
         String dir = createLogDirectory();
         if (dir == null) {
             throw new IllegalArgumentException("log directory must not be null");
         }
         // used by assets/logback.xml since the location cannot be statically determined
         System.setProperty(PROP_LOGFILES_DIR, dir);
-        rememberFileLogger();
+    }
+
+    public boolean isInitialized() {
+        return System.getProperty(PROP_LOGFILES_DIR) != null;
     }
 
     private Logger getLogger() {
@@ -100,13 +104,18 @@ public abstract class Logging {
     private void stopFileLogger() {
         if (fileLogger != null && fileLogger.isStarted()) {
             fileLogger.stop();
-            removeFileLogger(fileLogger);
         }
+        // We still need to remove the logger from the root appender, otherwise slf4j will log to
+        // a GB_LOGFILES_DIR_IS_UNDEFINED directory (especially if something failed before we got
+        // the fileLogger
+        removeFileLogger();
     }
 
     private void rememberFileLogger() {
-        ch.qos.logback.classic.Logger root = (ch.qos.logback.classic.Logger) LoggerFactory.getLogger(Logger.ROOT_LOGGER_NAME);
-        fileLogger = (FileAppender<ILoggingEvent>) root.getAppender("FILE");
+        if (fileLogger == null) {
+            ch.qos.logback.classic.Logger root = (ch.qos.logback.classic.Logger) LoggerFactory.getLogger(Logger.ROOT_LOGGER_NAME);
+            fileLogger = (FileAppender<ILoggingEvent>) root.getAppender("FILE");
+        }
     }
 
     private void addFileLogger(Appender<ILoggingEvent> fileLogger) {
@@ -120,10 +129,10 @@ public abstract class Logging {
         }
     }
 
-    private void removeFileLogger(Appender<ILoggingEvent> fileLogger) {
+    private void removeFileLogger() {
         try {
             ch.qos.logback.classic.Logger root = (ch.qos.logback.classic.Logger) LoggerFactory.getLogger(Logger.ROOT_LOGGER_NAME);
-            if (root.isAttached(fileLogger)) {
+            if (fileLogger != null && root.isAttached(fileLogger)) {
                 root.detachAppender(fileLogger);
             }
         } catch (Throwable ex) {
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/nodomain/freeyourgadget/gadgetbridge/activities/SettingsActivity.java b/app/src/main/java/nodomain/freeyourgadget/gadgetbridge/activities/SettingsActivity.java
index 35cb2e18a..9c823efa3 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/nodomain/freeyourgadget/gadgetbridge/activities/SettingsActivity.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/nodomain/freeyourgadget/gadgetbridge/activities/SettingsActivity.java
@@ -184,7 +184,11 @@ public class SettingsActivity extends AbstractSettingsActivity {
 
         });
 
-
+        // If we didn't manage to initialize file logging, disable the preference
+        if (!GBApplication.getLogging().isInitialized()) {
+            pref.setEnabled(false);
+            pref.setSummary(R.string.pref_write_logfiles_not_available);
+        }
 
         pref = findPreference("language");
         pref.setOnPreferenceChangeListener(new Preference.OnPreferenceChangeListener() {
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml b/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
index eb1e8faee..226df4279 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -480,6 +480,7 @@
     <string name="watch9_pairing_tap_hint">When your watch vibrates, shake the device or press its button.</string>
     <string name="title_activity_sleepmonitor">Sleep monitor</string>
     <string name="pref_write_logfiles">Write log files</string>
+    <string name="pref_write_logfiles_not_available">File logging initialization failed, writing log files is not available</string>
     <string name="initializing">Initializing</string>
     <string name="busy_task_fetch_activity_data">Fetching activity data</string>
     <string name="sleep_activity_date_range">From %1$s to %2$s</string>