diff --git a/server/server.go b/server/server.go
index 51bee64b2..88f4c4f5d 100644
--- a/server/server.go
+++ b/server/server.go
@@ -123,14 +123,9 @@ func (m *Command) SetupServer() error {
 	m.Server.Cluster = cluster
 
 	// Setup logging output.
-	if m.Config.LogPath == "" {
-		m.Server.LogOutput = m.Stderr
-	} else {
-		logFile, err := os.OpenFile(m.Config.LogPath, os.O_RDWR|os.O_CREATE|os.O_APPEND, 0600)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-		m.Server.LogOutput = logFile
+	m.Server.LogOutput, err = GetLogWriter(m.Config.LogPath, m.Stderr)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
 	}
 
 	// Configure holder.
@@ -203,6 +198,20 @@ func (m *Command) SetupServer() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+// GetLogWriter opens a file for logging, or a default io.Writer (such as stderr) for an empty path.
+func GetLogWriter(path string, defaultWriter io.Writer) (io.Writer, error) {
+	// This is split out so it can be used in NewServeCmd as well as SetupServer
+	if path == "" {
+		return defaultWriter, nil
+	} else {
+		logFile, err := os.OpenFile(path, os.O_RDWR|os.O_CREATE|os.O_APPEND, 0600)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		return logFile, nil
+	}
+}
+
 func normalizeHost(host string) (string, error) {
 	if !strings.Contains(host, ":") {
 		host = host + ":"