--- a/source/owned_root_daemon.c
+++ b/source/owned_root_daemon.c
@@ -975,7 +975,15 @@
     size_t thread_credential_offset = 0;
     int error = 0, acknowledged = 0;
     const char *stage = "preflight";
+#if LAPY_SERVICE && !LAPY_MAX_REQUESTS
+    /* Normal use must retain diagnostics without a PC holding stdout open. */
+    int log_fd = open("/data/ps5proton/logs/lapy-service.log",
+                      O_WRONLY | O_CREAT | O_APPEND, 0666);
+    if (log_fd < 0) return 2;
+    ps5log_set_mirror_fd(log_fd);
+#else
     ps5log_set_mirror_fd(STDOUT_FILENO);
+#endif
     int logging_ready = ps5log_init_default("LAPYOWN", "lapy-owned-root-daemon") == 0;
 #if !LAPY_ELF_HELPER
     if (!logging_ready) return 2;