diff --git a/src/global.cpp b/src/global.cpp
index 1e9c11ee..26dfcc09 100644
--- a/src/global.cpp
+++ b/src/global.cpp
@@ -7,6 +7,16 @@
 
 #include <string>
 #include <sstream>
+#if __has_include(<filesystem>)
+  #include <filesystem>
+  namespace fs = std::filesystem;
+#elif __has_include(<experimental/filesystem>)
+  #include <experimental/filesystem>
+  namespace fs = std::experimental::filesystem;
+#else
+  #error "Missing the <filesystem> header."
+#endif
+
 #include "idefix.hpp"
 #include "global.hpp"
 #include "profiler.hpp"
@@ -26,6 +36,7 @@ bool warningsAreErrors{false};
 
 IdefixOutStream cout;
 IdefixErrStream cerr;
+std::string logFileDir;
 Profiler prof;
 LoopPattern defaultLoopPattern;
 
@@ -103,11 +114,30 @@ void IdefixOutStream::init(int rank) {
 // disable the log file
 void IdefixOutStream::enableLogFile() {
   std::stringstream sslogFileName;
-  sslogFileName << "idefix." << idfx::prank << ".log";
 
+  sslogFileName << idfx::logFileDir << "/./"  << "idefix." << idfx::prank << ".log";
   std::string logFileName(sslogFileName.str());
-  this->my_fstream.open(logFileName.c_str());
 
+  if(idfx::prank==0) {
+    if(!fs::is_directory(logFileDir)) {
+      try {
+        if(!fs::create_directories(logFileDir)) {
+          std::stringstream msg;
+          msg << "Cannot create directory " << logFileDir << std::endl;
+          IDEFIX_ERROR(msg);
+        }
+      } catch(std::exception &e) {
+        std::stringstream msg;
+        msg << "Cannot create directory " << logFileDir << std::endl;
+        msg << e.what();
+        IDEFIX_ERROR(msg);
+      }
+    }
+  }
+#ifdef WITH_MPI
+  MPI_Barrier(MPI_COMM_WORLD);
+#endif
+  this->my_fstream.open(logFileName.c_str());
   this->logFileEnabled = true;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/global.hpp b/src/global.hpp
index 47fca42e..78747f57 100644
--- a/src/global.hpp
+++ b/src/global.hpp
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ class Profiler;
 
 extern int prank;                       //< parallel rank
 extern int psize;
+extern std::string logFileDir;       //< logfileDir
 extern IdefixOutStream cout;              //< custom cout for idefix
 extern IdefixErrStream cerr;              //< custom cerr for idefix
 extern Profiler prof;                   //< profiler (for memory & performance usage)
diff --git a/src/input.cpp b/src/input.cpp
index 33641495..2e628f85 100644
--- a/src/input.cpp
+++ b/src/input.cpp
@@ -43,6 +43,8 @@ Input::Input(int argc, char* argv[] ) {
   bool haveBlock = false;
   std::stringstream msg;
   int nParameters = 0;    // # of parameters in current block
+  // Log files are enabled by default
+  this->enableLogs = true;
 
   // Tell the system we want to catch the SIGUSR2 signals
   signal(SIGUSR2, signalHandler);
@@ -108,12 +110,20 @@ Input::Input(int argc, char* argv[] ) {
     }
   }
   file.close();
+
+  if(this->enableLogs) {
+      if(CheckEntry("Output","log_dir")>=0) {
+        idfx::logFileDir = Get<std::string>("Output", "log_dir", 0);
+      } else {
+        idfx::logFileDir = "./";
+      }
+      idfx::cout.enableLogFile();
+    }
 }
 
 // This routine parse command line options
 void Input::ParseCommandLine(int argc, char **argv) {
   std::stringstream msg;
-  bool enableLogs = true;
   for(int i = 1 ; i < argc ; i++) {
     // MPI decomposition argument
     if(std::string(argv[i]) == "-dec") {
@@ -171,9 +181,9 @@ void Input::ParseCommandLine(int argc, char **argv) {
       this->forceInitRequested = true;
     } else if(std::string(argv[i]) == "-nowrite") {
       this->forceNoWrite = true;
-      enableLogs = false;
+      this->enableLogs = false;
     } else if(std::string(argv[i]) == "-nolog") {
-      enableLogs = false;
+      this->enableLogs = false;
     } else if(std::string(argv[i]) == "-profile") {
       idfx::prof.EnablePerformanceProfiling();
     } else if(std::string(argv[i]) == "-Werror") {
@@ -190,9 +200,6 @@ void Input::ParseCommandLine(int argc, char **argv) {
       IDEFIX_ERROR(msg);
     }
   }
-  if(enableLogs) {
-    idfx::cout.enableLogFile();
-  }
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/input.hpp b/src/input.hpp
index 18fcf260..72792059 100644
--- a/src/input.hpp
+++ b/src/input.hpp
@@ -25,6 +25,9 @@ class Input {
   Input (int, char ** );
   void ShowConfig();
 
+  // flag if logging is to be done
+  bool enableLogs;
+
   // Accessor to input parameters
   // the parameters are always: BlockName, EntryName, ParameterNumber (starting from 0)
   // These specialised functions are deprecated. Use the template Get<T> function.