diff --git a/vl.c b/vl.c
index b87e29268c..adeddd98a6 100644
--- a/vl.c
+++ b/vl.c
@@ -4081,6 +4081,9 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
         exit(0);
     }
 
+    if (!trace_init_backends()) {
+        exit(1);
+    }
     trace_init_file(trace_file);
 
     /* Open the logfile at this point and set the log mask if necessary.
@@ -4101,10 +4104,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
         qemu_set_log(0);
     }
 
-    if (!trace_init_backends()) {
-        exit(1);
-    }
-
     /* If no data_dir is specified then try to find it relative to the
        executable path.  */
     if (data_dir_idx < ARRAY_SIZE(data_dir)) {