diff --git a/src/app/config/config.c b/src/app/config/config.c
index 8c5a53209c..06e45361cc 100644
--- a/src/app/config/config.c
+++ b/src/app/config/config.c
@@ -1808,6 +1808,8 @@ options_start_log_transaction(const or_options_t *old_options,
 
   log_transaction_t *xn = tor_malloc_zero(sizeof(log_transaction_t));
   xn->old_min_log_level = get_min_log_level();
+  xn->safelogging_changed = !old_options ||
+    old_options->SafeLogging_ != options->SafeLogging_;
 
   if (! running_tor)
     goto done;
@@ -1822,9 +1824,6 @@ options_start_log_transaction(const or_options_t *old_options,
     goto done;
   }
 
-  xn->safelogging_changed = !old_options ||
-    old_options->SafeLogging_ != options->SafeLogging_;
-
   xn->logs_initialized = true;
 
  done: