diff --git a/sylk/applications/xmppgateway/xmpp/logger.py b/sylk/applications/xmppgateway/xmpp/logger.py
index 00c4365..ce26dda 100644
--- a/sylk/applications/xmppgateway/xmpp/logger.py
+++ b/sylk/applications/xmppgateway/xmpp/logger.py
@@ -1,102 +1,99 @@
 # Copyright (C) 2010-2011 AG Projects. See LICENSE for details.
 #
 
 """
 Logging support for XMPP traffic.
 """
 
 __all__ = ["Logger"]
 
 import os
 import sys
 
 from application.system import makedirs
 from sipsimple.configuration.settings import SIPSimpleSettings
 from sipsimple.threading import run_in_thread
 
 
 class Logger(object):
 
     def __init__(self):
         self.stopped = False
         self._xmpptrace_filename = None
         self._xmpptrace_file = None
         self._xmpptrace_error = False
         self._xmpptrace_start_time = None
         self._xmpptrace_packet_count = 0
 
         self._log_directory_error = False
 
     def start(self):
         # try to create the log directory
         try:
             self._init_log_directory()
+            self._init_log_file()
         except Exception:
             pass
         self.stopped = False
 
     def stop(self):
         self.stopped = True
-        self._close_file()
-
-    @run_in_thread('log-io')
-    def _close_file(self):
         if self._xmpptrace_file is not None:
             self._xmpptrace_file.close()
             self._xmpptrace_file = None
 
     def msg(self, direction, timestamp, packet):
         if self._xmpptrace_start_time is None:
             self._xmpptrace_start_time = timestamp
         self._xmpptrace_packet_count += 1
         buf = ["%s: Packet %d, +%s" % (direction, self._xmpptrace_packet_count, (timestamp - self._xmpptrace_start_time))]
         buf.append(packet)
         buf.append('--')
         message = '\n'.join(buf)
         self._process_log((message, timestamp))
 
     @run_in_thread('log-io')
     def _process_log(self, record):
         if self.stopped:
             return
         message, timestamp = record
         try:
             self._init_log_file()
         except Exception:
             pass
         else:
             self._xmpptrace_file.write('%s [%s %d]: %s\n' % (timestamp, os.path.basename(sys.argv[0]).rstrip('.py'), os.getpid(), message))
             self._xmpptrace_file.flush()
 
     def _init_log_directory(self):
         settings = SIPSimpleSettings()
         log_directory = settings.logs.directory.normalized
         try:
             makedirs(log_directory)
         except Exception, e:
             if not self._log_directory_error:
                 print "failed to create logs directory '%s': %s" % (log_directory, e)
                 self._log_directory_error = True
             self._xmpptrace_error = True
             raise
         else:
             self._log_directory_error = False
             if self._xmpptrace_filename is None:
                 self._xmpptrace_filename = os.path.join(log_directory, 'xmpp_trace.log')
                 self._xmpptrace_error = False
 
     def _init_log_file(self):
         if self._xmpptrace_file is None:
             self._init_log_directory()
             filename = self._xmpptrace_filename
             try:
                 self._xmpptrace_file = open(filename, 'a')
             except Exception, e:
                 if not self._xmpptrace_error:
                     print "failed to create log file '%s': %s" % (filename, e)
                     self._xmpptrace_error = True
                 raise
             else:
                 self._xmpptrace_error = False