diff --git a/gddebug.cc b/gddebug.cc
index b4c2d918..57cd7ab1 100644
--- a/gddebug.cc
+++ b/gddebug.cc
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 #include <QString>
 #include "gddebug.hh"
 
-QFile logFile;
+QFile * logFilePtr;
 static QTextCodec * utf8Codec;
 
 void gdWarning(const char *msg, ...)
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ va_list ap;
 va_start(ap, msg);
 QTextCodec *localeCodec = 0;
 
-  if( logFile.isOpen() )
+  if( logFilePtr && logFilePtr->isOpen() )
   {
     if( utf8Codec == 0 )
       utf8Codec = QTextCodec::codecForName( "UTF8" );
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ QTextCodec *localeCodec = 0;
 
   qWarning( "%s", QString().vsprintf( msg, ap ).toUtf8().data() );
 
-  if( logFile.isOpen() )
+  if( logFilePtr && logFilePtr->isOpen() )
   {
     QTextCodec::setCodecForLocale( localeCodec );
   }
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ va_list ap;
 va_start(ap, msg);
 QTextCodec *localeCodec = 0;
 
-  if( logFile.isOpen() )
+  if( logFilePtr && logFilePtr->isOpen() )
   {
     if( utf8Codec == 0 )
       utf8Codec = QTextCodec::codecForName( "UTF8" );
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ QTextCodec *localeCodec = 0;
 
   qDebug( "%s", QString().vsprintf( msg, ap ).toUtf8().data() );
 
-  if( logFile.isOpen() )
+  if( logFilePtr && logFilePtr->isOpen() )
   {
     QTextCodec::setCodecForLocale( localeCodec );
   }
diff --git a/gddebug.hh b/gddebug.hh
index 682e5cc7..36d8af6f 100644
--- a/gddebug.hh
+++ b/gddebug.hh
@@ -23,6 +23,6 @@ void gdDebug(const char *, ...)
 #endif
 ;
 
-extern QFile logFile;
+extern QFile * logFilePtr;
 
 #endif // __GDDEBUG_HH_INCLUDED__
diff --git a/main.cc b/main.cc
index 27119035..02d72c65 100644
--- a/main.cc
+++ b/main.cc
@@ -58,32 +58,32 @@ void gdMessageHandler( QtMsgType type, const char *msg_ )
   switch (type) {
 
     case QtDebugMsg:
-      if( logFile.isOpen() )
+      if( logFilePtr && logFilePtr->isOpen() )
         message.insert( 0, "Debug: " );
       else
         fprintf(stderr, "Debug: %s\n", msg.constData());
       break;
 
     case QtWarningMsg:
-      if( logFile.isOpen() )
+      if( logFilePtr && logFilePtr->isOpen() )
         message.insert( 0, "Warning: " );
       else
         fprintf(stderr, "Warning: %s\n", msg.constData());
       break;
 
     case QtCriticalMsg:
-      if( logFile.isOpen() )
+      if( logFilePtr && logFilePtr->isOpen() )
         message.insert( 0, "Critical: " );
       else
         fprintf(stderr, "Critical: %s\n", msg.constData());
       break;
 
     case QtFatalMsg:
-      if( logFile.isOpen() )
+      if( logFilePtr && logFilePtr->isOpen() )
       {
-        logFile.write( "Fatal: " );
-        logFile.write( msg );
-        logFile.flush();
+        logFilePtr->write( "Fatal: " );
+        logFilePtr->write( msg );
+        logFilePtr->flush();
       }
       else
         fprintf(stderr, "Fatal: %s\n", msg.constData());
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ void gdMessageHandler( QtMsgType type, const char *msg_ )
 
 #if QT_VERSION >= QT_VERSION_CHECK( 5, 5, 0 )
     case QtInfoMsg:
-      if( logFile.isOpen() )
+      if( logFilePtr && logFilePtr->isOpen() )
         message.insert( 0, "Info: " );
       else
         fprintf(stderr, "Info: %s\n", msg.constData());
@@ -99,11 +99,11 @@ void gdMessageHandler( QtMsgType type, const char *msg_ )
 #endif
   }
 
-  if( logFile.isOpen() )
+  if( logFilePtr && logFilePtr->isOpen() )
   {
     message.append( "\n" );
-    logFile.write( message.toUtf8() );
-    logFile.flush();
+    logFilePtr->write( message.toUtf8() );
+    logFilePtr->flush();
   }
 }
 
@@ -276,6 +276,8 @@ int main( int argc, char ** argv )
 #endif
 
   QHotkeyApplication app( "GoldenDict", argc, argv );
+  QFile logFile;
+  logFilePtr = &logFile;
 
   if ( app.isRunning() )
   {
diff --git a/termination.cc b/termination.cc
index 6aec0b12..d45cd538 100644
--- a/termination.cc
+++ b/termination.cc
@@ -26,8 +26,8 @@ using std::string;
 
 static void termHandler()
 {
-  if( logFile.isOpen() )
-    logFile.close();
+  if( logFilePtr && logFilePtr->isOpen() )
+    logFilePtr->close();
 
   std::string message( "GoldenDict has crashed with an unexpected exception\n\n" );
 
diff --git a/termination.hh b/termination.hh
index 020a3ec7..3d63dbb6 100644
--- a/termination.hh
+++ b/termination.hh
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 
 #include <QFile>
 
-extern QFile logFile;
+extern QFile * logFilePtr;
 
 // Installs the termination handler which attempts to pop Qt's dialog showing
 // the exception and backtrace, and then aborts.