diff --git a/src/log.c b/src/log.c
index c6f817c66..a2d4dc841 100644
--- a/src/log.c
+++ b/src/log.c
@@ -1089,7 +1089,10 @@ struct logger *dup_logger(struct logger *def)
 		if (!cpy->conf.file)
 			goto error;
 	}
-	cpy->ref = def;
+
+	/* inherit from original reference if set */
+	cpy->ref = (def->ref) ? def->ref : def;
+
 	return cpy;
 
  error: