diff --git a/bin/emqx b/bin/emqx
index 63aae6e70..36762f1b1 100755
--- a/bin/emqx
+++ b/bin/emqx
@@ -24,9 +24,6 @@ REL_DIR="$RUNNER_ROOT_DIR/releases/$REL_VSN"
 
 WHOAMI=$(whoami)
 
-# Make sure log directory exists
-mkdir -p "$RUNNER_LOG_DIR"
-
 # hocon try to read environment variables starting with "EMQX_"
 export HOCON_ENV_OVERRIDE_PREFIX='EMQX_'
 
@@ -262,6 +259,9 @@ if [ "$ES" -ne 0 ]; then
     exit $ES
 fi
 
+# Make sure log directory exists
+mkdir -p "$RUNNER_LOG_DIR"
+
 COMPATIBILITY_CHECK='
     io:format("BEAM_OK~n", []),
     try
diff --git a/rel/emqx_vars b/rel/emqx_vars
index 1ec95b4de..e3965d40c 100644
--- a/rel/emqx_vars
+++ b/rel/emqx_vars
@@ -9,9 +9,9 @@ ERL_OPTS="{{ erl_opts }}"
 RUNNER_BIN_DIR="{{ runner_bin_dir }}"
 RUNNER_LIB_DIR="{{ runner_lib_dir }}"
 IS_ELIXIR="${IS_ELIXIR:-{{ is_elixir }}}"
-## Allow users to pre-set `RUNNER_LOG_DIR` because it only affects boot commands like `start` and `console`,
+## Allow users to pre-set `EMQX_LOG_DIR` because it only affects boot commands like `start` and `console`,
 ## but not other commands such as `ping` and `ctl`.
-RUNNER_LOG_DIR="${RUNNER_LOG_DIR:-{{ runner_log_dir }}}"
+RUNNER_LOG_DIR="${EMQX_LOG_DIR:-${RUNNER_LOG_DIR:-{{ runner_log_dir }}}}"
 EMQX_ETC_DIR="{{ emqx_etc_dir }}"
 RUNNER_USER="{{ runner_user }}"
 SCHEMA_MOD="{{ emqx_schema_mod }}"