diff --git a/tools/chatgui/src/main.cpp b/tools/chatgui/src/main.cpp
index baf76cfd..308c85e0 100644
--- a/tools/chatgui/src/main.cpp
+++ b/tools/chatgui/src/main.cpp
@@ -135,6 +135,15 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
         cfg.save();
     }
 
+    QString debugFile = cfg.debugFile();
+    if (debugFile.isEmpty()) debugFile = "chatgui.log";
+    if (!QDir::isAbsolutePath(debugFile))
+        debugFile = QCoreApplication::applicationDirPath() + "/" + debugFile;
+    if (cfg.debugFile() != debugFile) {
+        cfg.setDebugFile(debugFile);
+        cfg.save();
+    }
+
     DbManager db;
     MainWindow w(nullptr, &db, cfgPath, dbPath, cfg.debugFile(),
                  cfg.debugLevel(), cfg.debugCategories());
diff --git a/tools/chatgui/transport/node_config.cpp b/tools/chatgui/transport/node_config.cpp
index 19aec409..098ddb61 100644
--- a/tools/chatgui/transport/node_config.cpp
+++ b/tools/chatgui/transport/node_config.cpp
@@ -182,6 +182,8 @@ bool NodeConfig::create(const QString& nodeName, quint16 listenPort) {
     m_autoSockets = true;
     if (m_dbPath.isEmpty())
         m_dbPath = "chat_data";
+    if (m_debugFile.isEmpty())
+        m_debugFile = "chatgui.log";
     return save();
 }
 
diff --git a/tools/chatgui/transport/node_config.h b/tools/chatgui/transport/node_config.h
index 81597277..2e58d932 100644
--- a/tools/chatgui/transport/node_config.h
+++ b/tools/chatgui/transport/node_config.h
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ public:
     QString dbPath() const { return m_dbPath; }
     void setDbPath(const QString& p) { m_dbPath = p; }
     QString debugFile() const { return m_debugFile; }
+    void setDebugFile(const QString& p) { m_debugFile = p; }
     QString debugLevel() const { return m_debugLevel; }
     QString debugCategories() const { return m_debugCategories; }