diff --git a/cpu.c b/cpu.c
index 7076ec123a..584ac78baf 100644
--- a/cpu.c
+++ b/cpu.c
@@ -407,7 +407,6 @@ void cpu_abort(CPUState *cpu, const char *fmt, ...)
             cpu_dump_state(cpu, logfile, CPU_DUMP_FPU | CPU_DUMP_CCOP);
             qemu_log_unlock(logfile);
         }
-        qemu_log_close();
     }
     va_end(ap2);
     va_end(ap);
diff --git a/include/qemu/log.h b/include/qemu/log.h
index b6c73376b5..a325bca661 100644
--- a/include/qemu/log.h
+++ b/include/qemu/log.h
@@ -92,7 +92,4 @@ int qemu_str_to_log_mask(const char *str);
  */
 void qemu_print_log_usage(FILE *f);
 
-/* Close the log file */
-void qemu_log_close(void);
-
 #endif
diff --git a/tests/unit/test-logging.c b/tests/unit/test-logging.c
index 7327de7b5f..66dbc82a56 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test-logging.c
+++ b/tests/unit/test-logging.c
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ static void test_logfile_lock(gconstpointer data)
      * Initiate a close file and make sure our handle remains
      * valid since we still have the logfile lock.
      */
-    qemu_log_close();
+    qemu_set_log_filename_flags(NULL, 0, &error_abort);
     fprintf(logfile, "%s 2nd write to file\n", __func__);
     fflush(logfile);
     qemu_log_unlock(logfile);
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
                          tmp_path, test_logfile_lock);
 
     rc = g_test_run();
-    qemu_log_close();
+    qemu_set_log_filename_flags(NULL, 0, &error_abort);
     drain_call_rcu();
 
     rmdir_full(tmp_path);
diff --git a/util/log.c b/util/log.c
index 2152d5591e..491a8f97f9 100644
--- a/util/log.c
+++ b/util/log.c
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ static bool qemu_set_log_internal(const char *filename, bool changed_name,
             if (is_daemonized()) {
                 dup2(fileno(fd), STDERR_FILENO);
                 fclose(fd);
-                /* This will skip closing logfile in qemu_log_close() */
+                /* This will skip closing logfile in qemu_logfile_free. */
                 fd = stderr;
             }
         } else {
@@ -322,21 +322,6 @@ out:
     g_strfreev(ranges);
 }
 
-/* Close the log file */
-void qemu_log_close(void)
-{
-    QemuLogFile *logfile;
-
-    qemu_mutex_lock(&qemu_logfile_mutex);
-    logfile = qemu_logfile;
-
-    if (logfile) {
-        qatomic_rcu_set(&qemu_logfile, NULL);
-        call_rcu(logfile, qemu_logfile_free, rcu);
-    }
-    qemu_mutex_unlock(&qemu_logfile_mutex);
-}
-
 const QEMULogItem qemu_log_items[] = {
     { CPU_LOG_TB_OUT_ASM, "out_asm",
       "show generated host assembly code for each compiled TB" },