diff --git a/synapse/config/logger.py b/synapse/config/logger.py
index 9e8003ad6..092212518 100644
--- a/synapse/config/logger.py
+++ b/synapse/config/logger.py
@@ -74,7 +74,6 @@ class LoggingConfig(Config):
         self.log_file = self.abspath(config.get("log_file"))
 
     def default_config(self, config_dir_path, server_name, **kwargs):
-        log_file = self.abspath("homeserver.log")
         log_config = self.abspath(
             os.path.join(config_dir_path, server_name + ".log.config")
         )
@@ -117,9 +116,10 @@ class LoggingConfig(Config):
     def generate_files(self, config):
         log_config = config.get("log_config")
         if log_config and not os.path.exists(log_config):
+            log_file = self.abspath("homeserver.log")
             with open(log_config, "wb") as log_config_file:
                 log_config_file.write(
-                    DEFAULT_LOG_CONFIG.substitute(log_file=config["log_file"])
+                    DEFAULT_LOG_CONFIG.substitute(log_file=log_file)
                 )
 
 
diff --git a/tests/config/test_generate.py b/tests/config/test_generate.py
index 8f57fbeb2..879159cce 100644
--- a/tests/config/test_generate.py
+++ b/tests/config/test_generate.py
@@ -12,9 +12,12 @@
 # WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
+
 import os.path
+import re
 import shutil
 import tempfile
+
 from synapse.config.homeserver import HomeServerConfig
 from tests import unittest
 
@@ -23,7 +26,6 @@ class ConfigGenerationTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
 
     def setUp(self):
         self.dir = tempfile.mkdtemp()
-        print self.dir
         self.file = os.path.join(self.dir, "homeserver.yaml")
 
     def tearDown(self):
@@ -48,3 +50,16 @@ class ConfigGenerationTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
             ]),
             set(os.listdir(self.dir))
         )
+
+        self.assert_log_filename_is(
+            os.path.join(self.dir, "lemurs.win.log.config"),
+            os.path.join(os.getcwd(), "homeserver.log"),
+        )
+
+    def assert_log_filename_is(self, log_config_file, expected):
+        with open(log_config_file) as f:
+            config = f.read()
+            # find the 'filename' line
+            matches = re.findall("^\s*filename:\s*(.*)$", config, re.M)
+            self.assertEqual(1, len(matches))
+            self.assertEqual(matches[0], expected)