diff --git a/src/argparse.c b/src/argparse.c
index 351316a3..a7c5f8f2 100644
--- a/src/argparse.c
+++ b/src/argparse.c
@@ -101,7 +101,6 @@ static inline size_t parse_restart_policy(const char *s, size_t *out)
 void neu_cli_args_init(neu_cli_args_t *args, int argc, char *argv[])
 {
     char *        opts           = "c:dh";
-    bool          dev_log        = false;
     struct option long_options[] = {
         { "help", no_argument, NULL, 1 },
         { "daemon", no_argument, NULL, 'd' },
@@ -129,8 +128,7 @@ void neu_cli_args_init(neu_cli_args_t *args, int argc, char *argv[])
             usage();
             goto quit;
         case 'l':
-            zlog_init("./config/dev.conf");
-            dev_log = true;
+            args->dev_log = true;
             break;
         case 'r':
             if (0 != parse_restart_policy(optarg, &args->restart)) {
@@ -155,10 +153,6 @@ void neu_cli_args_init(neu_cli_args_t *args, int argc, char *argv[])
         }
     }
 
-    if (!dev_log) {
-        zlog_init("./config/zlog.conf");
-    }
-
     if (!args->daemonized && args->restart != NEU_RESTART_NEVER) {
         fprintf(stderr,
                 "%s: option '--restart' has no effects without '--daemon'\n",
diff --git a/src/argparse.h b/src/argparse.h
index 4d62997f..a4cc3e7f 100644
--- a/src/argparse.h
+++ b/src/argparse.h
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ extern "C" {
  */
 typedef struct {
     bool   daemonized; // flag indicating whether to run as daemon process
+    bool   dev_log;    // logging for development
     size_t restart;    // restart policy
     bool   disable_auth;
 } neu_cli_args_t;
diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index 5a837464..41bb8c91 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -85,6 +85,12 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
         // become a daemon, this should be before calling `init`
         daemonize();
     }
+
+    if (args.dev_log) {
+        zlog_init("./config/dev.conf");
+    } else {
+        zlog_init("./config/zlog.conf");
+    }
     neuron = zlog_get_category("neuron");
 
     if (neuron_already_running()) {