diff --git a/backend.go b/backend.go
index ad74e22..0f65092 100644
--- a/backend.go
+++ b/backend.go
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ func backendServer() {
 }
 
 func runBackendServer() {
-	proc := exec.Command(os.Args[0], "-datadir", dataDir, "backend")
+	proc := exec.Command(os.Args[0], reexecArgs("backend")...)
 	proc.Stdout = os.Stdout
 	proc.Stderr = os.Stderr
 	err := proc.Start()
diff --git a/honk.go b/honk.go
index 8027fbb..6f031e2 100644
--- a/honk.go
+++ b/honk.go
@@ -259,6 +259,13 @@ func unplugserver(hostname string) {
 	db.Exec("delete from doovers where rcpt like ?", xid)
 }
 
+func reexecArgs(cmd string) []string {
+	args := []string{"-datadir", dataDir}
+	args = append(args, loggingArgs()...)
+	args = append(args, cmd)
+	return args
+}
+
 func main() {
 	flag.StringVar(&dataDir, "datadir", dataDir, "data directory")
 	flag.StringVar(&viewDir, "viewdir", viewDir, "view directory")
diff --git a/log.go b/log.go
index ff4e971..bb441fc 100644
--- a/log.go
+++ b/log.go
@@ -42,6 +42,10 @@ func init() {
 
 }
 
+func loggingArgs() []string {
+	return []string{"-errorlog", elogname, "-infolog", ilogname, "-debuglog", dlogname}
+}
+
 func initLogging(elogname, ilogname, dlogname string) {
 	elog = openlog(elogname, syslog.LOG_ERR)
 	ilog = openlog(ilogname, syslog.LOG_INFO)