diff --git a/logger.go b/logger.go
index ee61bb5b..d2f03d6e 100644
--- a/logger.go
+++ b/logger.go
@@ -6,9 +6,13 @@ import (
 	"os"
 )
 
-// set in main()
 var logger *log.Logger
 
+func init() {
+	log.SetOutput(os.Stderr)
+	logger = log.New(os.Stderr, "", log.Flags())
+}
+
 func debugln(vals ...interface{}) {
 	s := fmt.Sprintln(vals...)
 	logger.Output(2, "DEBUG: "+s)
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 876d023f..e35884fc 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -40,9 +40,6 @@ var (
 )
 
 func main() {
-	log.SetOutput(os.Stderr)
-	logger = log.New(os.Stderr, "", log.Flags())
-
 	flag.StringVar(&confDir, "home", "~/.syncthing", "Set configuration directory")
 	flag.StringVar(&trace, "debug.trace", "", "(connect,net,idx,file,pull)")
 	flag.StringVar(&profiler, "debug.profiler", "", "(addr)")