diff --git a/rowbot b/rowbot
index 0d7b59d..b835afb 100755
--- a/rowbot
+++ b/rowbot
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ declare -A levels=(
 
 log() {
   if [[ -v LEVEL ]] && (( levels[$level] <= levels[$LEVEL] )); then
-    printf "%s: $1\n" "${LEVEL^^}" "${@:2}"
+    printf "%s: $1\n" "${LEVEL^^}" "${@:2}" >&"$log"
   fi
 }
 
@@ -66,7 +66,6 @@ done
 # default config
 ##
 
-level=${opts[log-level]:-info}
 server=${opts[server]:-irc.libera.chat}
 tls=${opts[tls]:-no}
 
@@ -81,6 +80,14 @@ else
   port=${opts[port]:-6667}
 fi
 
+level=${opts[log-level]:-info}
+
+if [[ ${opts[log]} ]]; then
+  exec {log}>"${opts[log]}"
+else
+  log=1
+fi
+
 ###
 # net code
 ###