diff --git a/src/daemon/main.cpp b/src/daemon/main.cpp
index c3ac24b70..9e1c86b91 100644
--- a/src/daemon/main.cpp
+++ b/src/daemon/main.cpp
@@ -257,7 +257,12 @@ int main(int argc, char const * argv[])
     bf::path log_file_path {data_dir / std::string(CRYPTONOTE_NAME ".log")};
     if (!command_line::is_arg_defaulted(vm, daemon_args::arg_log_file))
       log_file_path = command_line::get_arg(vm, daemon_args::arg_log_file);
-    log_file_path = bf::absolute(log_file_path, relative_path_base);
+#ifdef __WIN32
+    if (!strchr(log_file_path.c_str(), '/') && !strchr(log_file_path.c_str(), '\\'))
+#else
+    if (!strchr(log_file_path.c_str(), '/'))
+#endif
+      log_file_path = bf::absolute(log_file_path, relative_path_base);
     mlog_configure(log_file_path.string(), true, command_line::get_arg(vm, daemon_args::arg_max_log_file_size), command_line::get_arg(vm, daemon_args::arg_max_log_files));
 
     // Set log level