diff --git a/command_event.c b/command_event.c
index ff309ff04d..cafe2122e6 100644
--- a/command_event.c
+++ b/command_event.c
@@ -1707,12 +1707,7 @@ bool event_command(enum event_command cmd)
          global->subsystem_fullpaths = NULL;
          break;
       case EVENT_CMD_LOG_FILE_DEINIT:
-         if (!global)
-            break;
-
-         if (global->log_file && global->log_file != stderr)
-            fclose(global->log_file);
-         global->log_file = NULL;
+         retro_main_log_file_deinit();
          break;
       case EVENT_CMD_DISK_EJECT_TOGGLE:
          if (info && info->disk_control.get_num_images)
diff --git a/frontend/drivers/platform_ctr.c b/frontend/drivers/platform_ctr.c
index 5062c16e9b..df1ccb250e 100644
--- a/frontend/drivers/platform_ctr.c
+++ b/frontend/drivers/platform_ctr.c
@@ -49,8 +49,7 @@ static void frontend_ctr_get_environment_settings(int *argc, char *argv[],
 #if defined(HAVE_LOGGER)
    logger_init();
 #elif defined(HAVE_FILE_LOGGER)
-   global_t *global  = global_get_ptr();
-   global->log_file = fopen("sdmc:/retroarch/retroarch-log.txt", "w");
+   retro_main_log_file_init("sdmc:/retroarch/retroarch-log.txt");
 #endif
 #endif
 
@@ -108,7 +107,6 @@ static void frontend_ctr_deinit(void *data)
    u8 not_2DS;
    (void)data;
 #ifndef IS_SALAMANDER
-   global_t *global   = global_get_ptr();
    bool *verbose      = retro_main_verbosity();
    *verbose           = true;
 
@@ -197,7 +195,6 @@ static void frontend_ctr_init(void *data)
 {
 #ifndef IS_SALAMANDER
    (void)data;
-   global_t *global   = global_get_ptr();
    bool *verbose      = retro_main_verbosity();
 
    *verbose           = true;
diff --git a/frontend/drivers/platform_gx.c b/frontend/drivers/platform_gx.c
index 46f2eca1d9..334a8d889b 100644
--- a/frontend/drivers/platform_gx.c
+++ b/frontend/drivers/platform_gx.c
@@ -149,9 +149,7 @@ int gx_logger_net(struct _reent *r, int fd, const char *ptr, size_t len)
 #elif defined(HAVE_FILE_LOGGER)
 int gx_logger_file(struct _reent *r, int fd, const char *ptr, size_t len)
 {
-   global_t *global = global_get_ptr();
-
-   fwrite(ptr, 1, len, global->log_file);
+   fwrite(ptr, 1, len, retro_main_log_file());
    return len;
 }
 #endif
@@ -169,8 +167,7 @@ static void frontend_gx_get_environment_settings(int *argc, char *argv[],
 #if defined(HAVE_LOGGER)
    logger_init();
 #elif defined(HAVE_FILE_LOGGER)
-   global_t *global = global_get_ptr();
-   global->log_file = fopen("/retroarch-log.txt", "w");
+   retro_main_log_file_init("/retroarch-log.txt");
 #endif
 #endif
 
diff --git a/frontend/drivers/platform_ps3.c b/frontend/drivers/platform_ps3.c
index dff32ea3a3..98f7e76a58 100644
--- a/frontend/drivers/platform_ps3.c
+++ b/frontend/drivers/platform_ps3.c
@@ -97,7 +97,6 @@ static void frontend_ps3_get_environment_settings(int *argc, char *argv[],
       void *args, void *params_data)
 {
 #ifndef IS_SALAMANDER
-   global_t *global      = global_get_ptr();
    bool *verbose         = retro_main_verbosity();
    bool original_verbose = *verbose;
    *verbose              = true;
@@ -108,7 +107,7 @@ static void frontend_ps3_get_environment_settings(int *argc, char *argv[],
 #if defined(HAVE_LOGGER)
    logger_init();
 #elif defined(HAVE_FILE_LOGGER)
-   global->log_file = fopen("/retroarch-log.txt", "w");
+   retro_main_log_file_init("/retroarch-log.txt");
 #endif
 #endif
 
@@ -361,7 +360,6 @@ static void frontend_ps3_exec(const char *path, bool should_load_game)
 {
 #ifndef IS_SALAMANDER
    char *fullpath        = NULL;
-   global_t      *global = global_get_ptr();
    bool *verbose         = retro_main_verbosity();
    bool original_verbose = *verbose;
 
@@ -411,7 +409,6 @@ static void frontend_ps3_exitspawn(char *core_path, size_t core_path_size)
    bool should_load_game = false;
 
 #ifndef IS_SALAMANDER
-   global_t      *global = global_get_ptr();
    bool *verbose         = retro_main_verbosity();
    bool original_verbose = *verbose;
 
diff --git a/frontend/drivers/platform_psp.c b/frontend/drivers/platform_psp.c
index b3732e97d3..5657c37d49 100644
--- a/frontend/drivers/platform_psp.c
+++ b/frontend/drivers/platform_psp.c
@@ -80,8 +80,7 @@ static void frontend_psp_get_environment_settings(int *argc, char *argv[],
    logger_init();
 #elif defined(HAVE_FILE_LOGGER)
 #ifndef VITA
-   global_t *global  = global_get_ptr();
-   global->log_file = fopen("ms0:/retroarch-log.txt", "w");
+   retro_main_log_file_init("ms0:/retroarch-log.txt");
 #endif
 #endif
 #endif
diff --git a/frontend/drivers/platform_xdk.cpp b/frontend/drivers/platform_xdk.cpp
index 9b632a11f6..f1c68bfdc7 100644
--- a/frontend/drivers/platform_xdk.cpp
+++ b/frontend/drivers/platform_xdk.cpp
@@ -73,7 +73,6 @@ HRESULT xbox_io_mount(const char* szDrive, char* szDevice)
 static HRESULT xbox_io_mount(char *szDrive, char *szDevice)
 {
 #ifndef IS_SALAMANDER
-   global_t            *global = global_get_ptr();
    bool *verbose               = retro_main_verbosity();
    bool original_verbose       = *verbose;
    *verbose                    = true;
@@ -135,7 +134,6 @@ static void frontend_xdk_get_environment_settings(int *argc, char *argv[],
    (void)ret;
 
 #ifndef IS_SALAMANDER
-   global_t      *global = global_get_ptr();
    bool *verbose         = retro_main_verbosity();
    bool original_verbose = *verbose;
 
@@ -146,7 +144,7 @@ static void frontend_xdk_get_environment_settings(int *argc, char *argv[],
 #if defined(HAVE_LOGGER)
    logger_init();
 #elif defined(HAVE_FILE_LOGGER)
-   global->log_file = fopen("/retroarch-log.txt", "w");
+   retro_main_log_file_init("/retroarch-log.txt");
 #endif
 #endif
 
@@ -312,7 +310,6 @@ static void frontend_xdk_exitspawn(char *s, size_t len)
 static void frontend_xdk_exec(const char *path, bool should_load_game)
 {
 #ifndef IS_SALAMANDER
-   global_t *global      = global_get_ptr();
    bool *verbose         = retro_main_verbosity();
    bool original_verbose = *verbose;
    *verbose              = true;
diff --git a/retroarch.c b/retroarch.c
index 5929b1aed3..90609c28f0 100644
--- a/retroarch.c
+++ b/retroarch.c
@@ -890,7 +890,7 @@ static void parse_input(int argc, char *argv[])
 
 #ifdef HAVE_FILE_LOGGER
          case RA_OPT_LOG_FILE:
-            global->log_file = fopen(optarg, "wb");
+            retro_main_log_file_init(optarg);
             break;
 #endif
 
@@ -1141,7 +1141,7 @@ int rarch_main_init(int argc, char *argv[])
       return sjlj_ret;
    }
    global->inited.error = true;
-   global->log_file     = stderr;
+   retro_main_log_file_init(NULL);
    parse_input(argc, argv);
 
    verbosity = retro_main_verbosity();
diff --git a/runloop.c b/runloop.c
index d48123633a..9858d9a8e6 100644
--- a/runloop.c
+++ b/runloop.c
@@ -765,14 +765,6 @@ static void rarch_main_iterate_linefeed_overlay(driver_t *driver,
 }
 #endif
 
-FILE *retro_main_log_file(void)
-{
-   global_t *global = global_get_ptr();
-   if (!global)
-      return NULL;
-   return global->log_file;
-}
-
 #ifdef HAVE_MENU
 static bool rarch_main_cmd_get_state_menu_toggle_button_combo(
       driver_t *driver, settings_t *settings,
diff --git a/runloop.h b/runloop.h
index d89186f586..ab09f173d8 100644
--- a/runloop.h
+++ b/runloop.h
@@ -309,10 +309,6 @@ typedef struct global
    async_job_t *async_jobs;
 #endif
    
-   /* If this is non-NULL. RARCH_LOG and friends 
-    * will write to this file. */
-   FILE *log_file;
-
    struct
    {
       bool main;
@@ -354,8 +350,6 @@ void rarch_main_msg_queue_free(void);
 
 void rarch_main_msg_queue_init(void);
 
-FILE *retro_main_log_file(void);
-
 bool rarch_main_ctl(enum rarch_main_ctl_state state, void *data);
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
diff --git a/verbosity.c b/verbosity.c
index 2b3a5fc49c..14c75db20b 100644
--- a/verbosity.c
+++ b/verbosity.c
@@ -17,7 +17,32 @@
 
 static bool main_verbosity;
 
+/* If this is non-NULL. RARCH_LOG and friends 
+ * will write to this file. */
+static FILE *log_file;
+
 bool *retro_main_verbosity(void)
 {
    return &main_verbosity;
 }
+
+FILE *retro_main_log_file(void)
+{
+   return log_file;
+}
+
+void retro_main_log_file_init(const char *path)
+{
+   log_file     = stderr;
+   if (path == NULL)
+      return;
+
+   log_file = fopen(path, "wb");
+}
+
+void retro_main_log_file_deinit(void)
+{
+   if (log_file && log_file != stderr)
+      fclose(log_file);
+   log_file = NULL;
+}
diff --git a/verbosity.h b/verbosity.h
index 0baf442dbf..804a4f8b54 100644
--- a/verbosity.h
+++ b/verbosity.h
@@ -46,14 +46,18 @@ extern "C" {
 
 bool *retro_main_verbosity(void);
 
+FILE *retro_main_log_file(void);
+
+void retro_main_log_file_deinit(void);
+
+void retro_main_log_file_init(const char *path);
+
 #if defined(HAVE_FILE_LOGGER)
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 extern "C"
 #endif
 
-FILE *retro_main_log_file(void);
-
 #define LOG_FILE (retro_main_log_file())
 
 #else