diff --git a/UI/log-viewer.cpp b/UI/log-viewer.cpp
index f95cb0265..b1e2bf535 100644
--- a/UI/log-viewer.cpp
+++ b/UI/log-viewer.cpp
@@ -37,8 +37,11 @@ OBSLogViewer::OBSLogViewer(QWidget *parent) : QDialog(parent)
 	QPushButton *closeButton = new QPushButton(QTStr("Close"));
 	connect(closeButton, &QPushButton::clicked, this, &QDialog::hide);
 
+	bool showLogViewerOnStartup = config_get_bool(
+		App()->GlobalConfig(), "LogViewer", "ShowLogStartup");
+
 	QCheckBox *showStartup = new QCheckBox(QTStr("ShowOnStartup"));
-	showStartup->setChecked(ShowOnStartup());
+	showStartup->setChecked(showLogViewerOnStartup);
 	connect(showStartup, SIGNAL(toggled(bool)), this,
 		SLOT(ToggleShowStartup(bool)));
 
@@ -81,12 +84,6 @@ void OBSLogViewer::ToggleShowStartup(bool checked)
 			checked);
 }
 
-bool OBSLogViewer::ShowOnStartup()
-{
-	return config_get_bool(App()->GlobalConfig(), "LogViewer",
-			       "ShowLogStartup");
-}
-
 extern QPointer<OBSLogViewer> obsLogViewer;
 
 void OBSLogViewer::InitLog()
diff --git a/UI/log-viewer.hpp b/UI/log-viewer.hpp
index ed43828cf..2ca753745 100644
--- a/UI/log-viewer.hpp
+++ b/UI/log-viewer.hpp
@@ -20,6 +20,4 @@ private slots:
 public:
 	OBSLogViewer(QWidget *parent = 0);
 	~OBSLogViewer();
-
-	bool ShowOnStartup();
 };
diff --git a/UI/window-basic-main.cpp b/UI/window-basic-main.cpp
index 83a41e627..16b5960c3 100644
--- a/UI/window-basic-main.cpp
+++ b/UI/window-basic-main.cpp
@@ -193,9 +193,6 @@ extern void RegisterRestreamAuth();
 OBSBasic::OBSBasic(QWidget *parent)
 	: OBSMainWindow(parent), ui(new Ui::OBSBasic)
 {
-	/* setup log viewer */
-	logView = new OBSLogViewer();
-
 	qRegisterMetaTypeStreamOperators<SignalContainer<OBSScene>>(
 		"SignalContainer<OBSScene>");
 
@@ -1955,8 +1952,14 @@ void OBSBasic::OnFirstLoad()
 
 	Auth::Load();
 
-	if (logView && logView->ShowOnStartup())
+	bool showLogViewerOnStartup = config_get_bool(
+		App()->GlobalConfig(), "LogViewer", "ShowLogStartup");
+
+	if (showLogViewerOnStartup) {
+		if (!logView)
+			logView = new OBSLogViewer();
 		logView->show();
+	}
 }
 
 void OBSBasic::DeferredSysTrayLoad(int requeueCount)
@@ -5331,6 +5334,9 @@ void OBSBasic::on_actionUploadLastLog_triggered()
 
 void OBSBasic::on_actionViewCurrentLog_triggered()
 {
+	if (!logView)
+		logView = new OBSLogViewer();
+
 	if (!logView->isVisible()) {
 		logView->setVisible(true);
 	} else {
diff --git a/UI/window-basic-main.hpp b/UI/window-basic-main.hpp
index 8e960c675..c4d3bb777 100644
--- a/UI/window-basic-main.hpp
+++ b/UI/window-basic-main.hpp
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ private:
 	QPointer<QDockWidget> statsDock;
 	QPointer<OBSAbout> about;
 
-	OBSLogViewer *logView;
+	OBSLogViewer *logView = nullptr;
 
 	QPointer<QTimer> cpuUsageTimer;
 	QPointer<QTimer> diskFullTimer;