diff --git a/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/cmd/dendrite-client-api-server/main.go b/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/cmd/dendrite-client-api-server/main.go
index 8794107fc..07f815b89 100644
--- a/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/cmd/dendrite-client-api-server/main.go
+++ b/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/cmd/dendrite-client-api-server/main.go
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ package main
 import (
 	"flag"
 	"net/http"
-	"os"
 
 	"github.com/gorilla/mux"
 	"github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/clientapi/auth/storage/accounts"
@@ -37,12 +36,11 @@ import (
 )
 
 var (
-	logDir     = os.Getenv("LOG_DIR")
 	configPath = flag.String("config", "dendrite.yaml", "The path to the config file, For more information see the config file in this repository")
 )
 
 func main() {
-	common.SetupLogging(logDir)
+	common.SetupStdLogging()
 
 	flag.Parse()
 
@@ -51,6 +49,8 @@ func main() {
 		log.Fatalf("Invalid config file: %s", err)
 	}
 
+	common.SetupFileLogging(string(cfg.Logging.FPath), cfg.Derived.LogLevel)
+
 	closer, err := cfg.SetupTracing("DendriteClientAPI")
 	if err != nil {
 		log.WithError(err).Fatalf("Failed to start tracer")
diff --git a/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/cmd/dendrite-federation-api-server/main.go b/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/cmd/dendrite-federation-api-server/main.go
index 53587ee20..4e199f92e 100644
--- a/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/cmd/dendrite-federation-api-server/main.go
+++ b/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/cmd/dendrite-federation-api-server/main.go
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ package main
 import (
 	"flag"
 	"net/http"
-	"os"
 
 	"github.com/gorilla/mux"
 	"github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/clientapi/auth/storage/accounts"
@@ -33,12 +32,11 @@ import (
 )
 
 var (
-	logDir     = os.Getenv("LOG_DIR")
 	configPath = flag.String("config", "dendrite.yaml", "The path to the config file. For more information, see the config file in this repository.")
 )
 
 func main() {
-	common.SetupLogging(logDir)
+	common.SetupStdLogging()
 
 	flag.Parse()
 
@@ -50,6 +48,8 @@ func main() {
 		log.Fatalf("Invalid config file: %s", err)
 	}
 
+	common.SetupFileLogging(string(cfg.Logging.FPath), cfg.Derived.LogLevel)
+
 	closer, err := cfg.SetupTracing("DendriteFederationAPI")
 	if err != nil {
 		log.WithError(err).Fatalf("Failed to start tracer")
diff --git a/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/cmd/dendrite-federation-sender-server/main.go b/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/cmd/dendrite-federation-sender-server/main.go
index 656b6adaf..d55c16e71 100644
--- a/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/cmd/dendrite-federation-sender-server/main.go
+++ b/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/cmd/dendrite-federation-sender-server/main.go
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ package main
 import (
 	"flag"
 	"net/http"
-	"os"
 
 	"github.com/gorilla/mux"
 	"github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/common"
@@ -35,7 +34,7 @@ import (
 var configPath = flag.String("config", "dendrite.yaml", "The path to the config file. For more information, see the config file in this repository.")
 
 func main() {
-	common.SetupLogging(os.Getenv("LOG_DIR"))
+	common.SetupStdLogging()
 
 	flag.Parse()
 
@@ -47,6 +46,8 @@ func main() {
 		log.Fatalf("Invalid config file: %s", err)
 	}
 
+	common.SetupFileLogging(string(cfg.Logging.FPath), cfg.Derived.LogLevel)
+
 	closer, err := cfg.SetupTracing("DendriteFederationSender")
 	if err != nil {
 		log.WithError(err).Fatalf("Failed to start tracer")
diff --git a/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/cmd/dendrite-media-api-server/main.go b/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/cmd/dendrite-media-api-server/main.go
index bc16dee79..050edf511 100644
--- a/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/cmd/dendrite-media-api-server/main.go
+++ b/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/cmd/dendrite-media-api-server/main.go
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ package main
 import (
 	"flag"
 	"net/http"
-	"os"
 
 	"github.com/gorilla/mux"
 	"github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/clientapi/auth/storage/devices"
@@ -31,12 +30,11 @@ import (
 )
 
 var (
-	logDir     = os.Getenv("LOG_DIR")
 	configPath = flag.String("config", "dendrite.yaml", "The path to the config file. For more information, see the config file in this repository.")
 )
 
 func main() {
-	common.SetupLogging(logDir)
+	common.SetupStdLogging()
 
 	flag.Parse()
 
@@ -48,6 +46,8 @@ func main() {
 		log.Fatalf("Invalid config file: %s", err)
 	}
 
+	common.SetupFileLogging(string(cfg.Logging.FPath), cfg.Derived.LogLevel)
+
 	closer, err := cfg.SetupTracing("DendriteMediaAPI")
 	if err != nil {
 		log.WithError(err).Fatalf("Failed to start tracer")
diff --git a/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/cmd/dendrite-monolith-server/main.go b/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/cmd/dendrite-monolith-server/main.go
index 9ecfd60ab..27b98c200 100644
--- a/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/cmd/dendrite-monolith-server/main.go
+++ b/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/cmd/dendrite-monolith-server/main.go
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ import (
 	"database/sql"
 	"flag"
 	"net/http"
-	"os"
 
 	"github.com/gorilla/mux"
 	"github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/clientapi/auth/storage/accounts"
@@ -63,7 +62,6 @@ import (
 )
 
 var (
-	logDir        = os.Getenv("LOG_DIR")
 	configPath    = flag.String("config", "dendrite.yaml", "The path to the config file. For more information, see the config file in this repository.")
 	httpBindAddr  = flag.String("http-bind-address", ":8008", "The HTTP listening port for the server")
 	httpsBindAddr = flag.String("https-bind-address", ":8448", "The HTTPS listening port for the server")
@@ -72,7 +70,7 @@ var (
 )
 
 func main() {
-	common.SetupLogging(logDir)
+	common.SetupStdLogging()
 
 	flag.Parse()
 
@@ -84,6 +82,8 @@ func main() {
 		log.Fatalf("Invalid config file: %s", err)
 	}
 
+	common.SetupFileLogging(string(cfg.Logging.FPath), cfg.Derived.LogLevel)
+
 	closer, err := cfg.SetupTracing("DendriteMonolith")
 	if err != nil {
 		log.WithError(err).Fatalf("Failed to start tracer")
diff --git a/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/cmd/dendrite-public-rooms-api-server/main.go b/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/cmd/dendrite-public-rooms-api-server/main.go
index 24aae0dac..953bd2c20 100644
--- a/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/cmd/dendrite-public-rooms-api-server/main.go
+++ b/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/cmd/dendrite-public-rooms-api-server/main.go
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ package main
 import (
 	"flag"
 	"net/http"
-	"os"
 
 	"github.com/gorilla/mux"
 	"github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/clientapi/auth/storage/devices"
@@ -35,7 +34,7 @@ import (
 var configPath = flag.String("config", "dendrite.yaml", "The path to the config file. For more information, see the config file in this repository.")
 
 func main() {
-	common.SetupLogging(os.Getenv("LOG_DIR"))
+	common.SetupStdLogging()
 
 	flag.Parse()
 
@@ -47,6 +46,8 @@ func main() {
 		log.Fatalf("Invalid config file: %s", err)
 	}
 
+	common.SetupFileLogging(string(cfg.Logging.FPath), cfg.Derived.LogLevel)
+
 	closer, err := cfg.SetupTracing("DendritePublicRoomsAPI")
 	if err != nil {
 		log.WithError(err).Fatalf("Failed to start tracer")
diff --git a/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/cmd/dendrite-room-server/main.go b/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/cmd/dendrite-room-server/main.go
index 06773972a..4713046c4 100644
--- a/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/cmd/dendrite-room-server/main.go
+++ b/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/cmd/dendrite-room-server/main.go
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ import (
 	"flag"
 	"net/http"
 	_ "net/http/pprof"
-	"os"
 
 	"github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/common"
 	"github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/common/config"
@@ -32,12 +31,11 @@ import (
 )
 
 var (
-	logDir     = os.Getenv("LOG_DIR")
 	configPath = flag.String("config", "dendrite.yaml", "The path to the config file. For more information, see the config file in this repository.")
 )
 
 func main() {
-	common.SetupLogging(logDir)
+	common.SetupStdLogging()
 
 	flag.Parse()
 
@@ -49,6 +47,8 @@ func main() {
 		log.Fatalf("Invalid config file: %s", err)
 	}
 
+	common.SetupFileLogging(string(cfg.Logging.FPath), cfg.Derived.LogLevel)
+
 	closer, err := cfg.SetupTracing("DendriteRoomServer")
 	if err != nil {
 		log.WithError(err).Fatalf("Failed to start tracer")
diff --git a/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/cmd/dendrite-sync-api-server/main.go b/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/cmd/dendrite-sync-api-server/main.go
index 16ae228b2..4b4cf8572 100644
--- a/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/cmd/dendrite-sync-api-server/main.go
+++ b/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/cmd/dendrite-sync-api-server/main.go
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"flag"
 	"net/http"
-	"os"
 
 	"github.com/gorilla/mux"
 	"github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/clientapi/auth/storage/accounts"
@@ -39,7 +38,7 @@ import (
 var configPath = flag.String("config", "dendrite.yaml", "The path to the config file. For more information, see the config file in this repository.")
 
 func main() {
-	common.SetupLogging(os.Getenv("LOG_DIR"))
+	common.SetupStdLogging()
 
 	flag.Parse()
 
@@ -51,6 +50,8 @@ func main() {
 		log.Fatalf("Invalid config file: %s", err)
 	}
 
+	common.SetupFileLogging(string(cfg.Logging.FPath), cfg.Derived.LogLevel)
+
 	closer, err := cfg.SetupTracing("DendriteSyncAPI")
 	if err != nil {
 		log.WithError(err).Fatalf("Failed to start tracer")
diff --git a/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/common/log.go b/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/common/log.go
index fbfa34783..0aad8e4b6 100644
--- a/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/common/log.go
+++ b/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/common/log.go
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ package common
 
 import (
 	"os"
-	"path/filepath"
+	"path"
 
 	"github.com/matrix-org/dugong"
 	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
@@ -31,8 +31,8 @@ func (f utcFormatter) Format(entry *logrus.Entry) ([]byte, error) {
 	return f.Formatter.Format(entry)
 }
 
-// SetupLogging configures the logging format and destination(s).
-func SetupLogging(logDir string) {
+// SetupStdLogging configures the logging format to standard output. Typically, it is called when the config is not yet loaded.
+func SetupStdLogging() {
 	logrus.SetFormatter(&utcFormatter{
 		&logrus.TextFormatter{
 			TimestampFormat:  "2006-01-02T15:04:05.000000000Z07:00",
@@ -42,12 +42,15 @@ func SetupLogging(logDir string) {
 			DisableSorting:   false,
 		},
 	})
-	if logDir != "" {
-		_ = os.Mkdir(logDir, os.ModePerm)
+}
+
+// SetupFileLogging configures the logging format to a file.
+func SetupFileLogging(logFile string, logLevel logrus.Level) {
+	logrus.SetLevel(logLevel)
+	if logFile != "" {
+		_ = os.MkdirAll(path.Dir(logFile), os.ModePerm)
 		logrus.AddHook(dugong.NewFSHook(
-			filepath.Join(logDir, "info.log"),
-			filepath.Join(logDir, "warn.log"),
-			filepath.Join(logDir, "error.log"),
+			logFile,
 			&utcFormatter{
 				&logrus.TextFormatter{
 					TimestampFormat:  "2006-01-02T15:04:05.000000000Z07:00",