diff --git a/sysdep/unix/log.c b/sysdep/unix/log.c
index 7cb26360..b90bbbd2 100644
--- a/sysdep/unix/log.c
+++ b/sysdep/unix/log.c
@@ -284,17 +284,18 @@ log_switch(int debug, list *l, char *new_syslog_name)
   current_log_list = l;
 
 #ifdef HAVE_SYSLOG
-  if (current_syslog_name && new_syslog_name &&
-      !strcmp(current_syslog_name, new_syslog_name))
+  char *old_syslog_name = current_syslog_name;
+  current_syslog_name = new_syslog_name;
+
+  if (old_syslog_name && new_syslog_name &&
+      !strcmp(old_syslog_name, new_syslog_name))
     return;
 
-  if (current_syslog_name)
+  if (old_syslog_name)
     closelog();
 
   if (new_syslog_name)
     openlog(new_syslog_name, LOG_CONS | LOG_NDELAY, LOG_DAEMON);
-
-  current_syslog_name = new_syslog_name;
 #endif
 }