diff --git a/freshclam/freshclam.c b/freshclam/freshclam.c
index 8953024c82..fd697b9d50 100644
--- a/freshclam/freshclam.c
+++ b/freshclam/freshclam.c
@@ -811,26 +811,6 @@ static fc_error_t initialize(struct optstruct *opts)
 #endif
     }
 
-#ifdef HAVE_PWD_H
-    /* Drop database privileges here if we are not planning on daemonizing.  If
-     * we are, we should wait until after we create the PidFile to drop
-     * privileges.  That way, it is owned by root (or whoever started freshclam),
-     * and no one can change it.  */
-    if (!optget(opts, "daemon")->enabled) {
-        /*
-         * freshclam shouldn't work with root privileges.
-         * Drop privileges to the DatabaseOwner user, if specified.
-         * Pass NULL for the log file name, because it hasn't been created yet.
-         */
-        ret = drop_privileges(optget(opts, "DatabaseOwner")->strarg, NULL);
-        if (ret) {
-            logg(LOGG_ERROR, "Failed to switch to %s user.\n", optget(opts, "DatabaseOwner")->strarg);
-            status = FC_ECONFIG;
-            goto done;
-        }
-    }
-#endif /* HAVE_PWD_H */
-
     /*
      * Initialize libclamav.
      */
@@ -982,6 +962,7 @@ static fc_error_t initialize(struct optstruct *opts)
     fcConfig.requestTimeout = optget(opts, "ReceiveTimeout")->numarg;
 
     fcConfig.bCompressLocalDatabase = optget(opts, "CompressLocalDatabase")->enabled;
+    fcConfig.dbOwner                = optget(opts, "DatabaseOwner")->strarg;
 
     /*
      * Initialize libfreshclam.
@@ -992,6 +973,26 @@ static fc_error_t initialize(struct optstruct *opts)
         goto done;
     }
 
+#ifdef HAVE_PWD_H
+    /* Drop database privileges here (cause of log file creation in /var/log) if we are not planning on daemonizing.  If
+     * we are, we should wait until after we create the PidFile to drop
+     * privileges.  That way, it is owned by root (or whoever started freshclam),
+     * and no one can change it. */
+    if (!optget(opts, "daemon")->enabled) {
+        /*
+         * freshclam shouldn't work with root privileges.
+         * Drop privileges to the DatabaseOwner user, if specified.
+         * Pass NULL for the log file name, because it hasn't been created yet.
+         */
+        ret = drop_privileges(optget(opts, "DatabaseOwner")->strarg, NULL);
+        if (ret) {
+            logg(LOGG_ERROR, "Failed to switch to %s user.\n", optget(opts, "DatabaseOwner")->strarg);
+            status = FC_ECONFIG;
+            goto done;
+        }
+    }
+#endif /* HAVE_PWD_H */
+
     /*
      * Set libfreshclam callback functions.
      */
diff --git a/libfreshclam/libfreshclam.c b/libfreshclam/libfreshclam.c
index 400f44694c..e21589baa3 100644
--- a/libfreshclam/libfreshclam.c
+++ b/libfreshclam/libfreshclam.c
@@ -123,6 +123,71 @@ const char *fc_strerror(fc_error_t fcerror)
     }
 }
 
+int fc_upsert_logg_file(fc_config *fcConfig)
+{
+    if (fcConfig->logFile == NULL) {
+        return 0;
+    }
+    int ret = 0, field_no          = 1;
+    char *current_path, *file_path = cli_safer_strdup(fcConfig->logFile), *token;
+    FILE *logg_fp = NULL;
+    token         = cli_strtok(file_path, field_no++, PATHSEP);
+    struct passwd *current_user, *db_owner;
+#ifndef _WIN32
+    current_user = getpwuid(getuid());
+    db_owner     = getpwnam(fcConfig->dbOwner);
+#endif /* _WIN32 */
+    current_path = (char *)malloc(2);
+    strcpy(current_path, PATHSEP);
+    STATBUF sb;
+    while (token != NULL) {
+        current_path = (char *)realloc(current_path, strlen(current_path) + strlen(token) + 2);
+        strcat(current_path, token);
+        free(token);
+        token = cli_strtok(file_path, field_no++, PATHSEP);
+        if (token == NULL) {
+            break;
+        }
+        if (LSTAT(current_path, &sb) == -1) {
+            if (mkdir(current_path, 0755) == -1) {
+                printf("ERROR: Failed to create required directory %s. Will continue without writing in %s.\n", current_path, fcConfig->logFile);
+                ret = -1;
+                goto cleanup;
+            }
+#ifndef _WIN32
+            if (current_user->pw_uid != db_owner->pw_uid) {
+                if (lchown(current_path, db_owner->pw_uid, db_owner->pw_gid) == -1) {
+                    printf("ERROR: Failed to change owner of %s to %s. Will continue without writing in %s.\n", current_path, fcConfig->dbOwner, fcConfig->logFile);
+                    ret = -1;
+                    goto cleanup;
+                }
+            }
+#endif /* _WIN32 */
+        }
+        strcat(current_path, PATHSEP);
+    }
+    if ((logg_fp = fopen(fcConfig->logFile, "at")) == NULL) {
+        printf("ERROR: Can't open %s in append mode (check permissions!).\n", fcConfig->logFile);
+        ret = -1;
+        goto cleanup;
+    }
+#ifndef _WIN32
+    lchown(fcConfig->logFile, db_owner->pw_uid, db_owner->pw_gid);
+#endif /* _WIN32 */
+
+cleanup:
+    if (token != NULL) {
+        free(token);
+    }
+    free(current_path);
+    free(file_path);
+    if (logg_fp != NULL) {
+        fclose(logg_fp);
+    }
+
+    return ret;
+}
+
 fc_error_t fc_initialize(fc_config *fcConfig)
 {
     fc_error_t status = FC_EARG;
@@ -157,6 +222,8 @@ fc_error_t fc_initialize(fc_config *fcConfig)
     logg_rotate  = (fcConfig->logFlags & FC_CONFIG_LOG_ROTATE) ? 1 : 0;
     logg_size    = fcConfig->maxLogSize;
     /* Set a log file if requested, and is not already set */
+    fc_upsert_logg_file(fcConfig);
+
     if ((NULL == logg_file) && (NULL != fcConfig->logFile)) {
         logg_file = cli_safer_strdup(fcConfig->logFile);
         if (0 != logg(LOGG_INFO_NF, "--------------------------------------\n")) {
diff --git a/libfreshclam/libfreshclam.h b/libfreshclam/libfreshclam.h
index 25d7293fef..36bfa235c7 100644
--- a/libfreshclam/libfreshclam.h
+++ b/libfreshclam/libfreshclam.h
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ typedef struct fc_config_ {
     const char *proxyPassword;       /**< (optional) Password for proxy server authentication. */
     const char *databaseDirectory;   /**< Filepath of database directory. */
     const char *tempDirectory;       /**< Filepath to store temp files. */
+    const char *dbOwner;             /**< Owner of DB, used when creating log file/folder. */
 } fc_config;
 
 typedef enum fc_error_tag {