diff --git a/src/logging.h b/src/logging.h
index 61718756..88b9d8e7 100644
--- a/src/logging.h
+++ b/src/logging.h
@@ -39,12 +39,13 @@ uint64_t log_start;
 // 	logArray.clear();
 // }
 
-void *logging(void *){
+void *logging(void *params_test){
+  overlay_params *params = reinterpret_cast<overlay_params *>(params_test);
   time_t now_log = time(0);
   tm *log_time = localtime(&now_log);
 	string date = to_string(log_time->tm_year + 1900) + "-" + to_string(1 + log_time->tm_mon) + "-" + to_string(log_time->tm_mday) + "_" + to_string(1 + log_time->tm_hour) + "-" + to_string(1 + log_time->tm_min) + "-" + to_string(1 + log_time->tm_sec);
   log_start = os_time_get();
-  out.open(mangohud_output_env + date, ios::out | ios::app);
+  out.open(params->output_file + date, ios::out | ios::app);
   out << "os," << "cpu," << "gpu," << "ram," << "kernel," << "driver" << endl;
   out << os << "," << cpu << "," << gpu << "," << ram << "," << kernel << "," << driver << endl;
 	while (loggingOn){
diff --git a/src/overlay.cpp b/src/overlay.cpp
index e332af95..02469f27 100644
--- a/src/overlay.cpp
+++ b/src/overlay.cpp
@@ -332,8 +332,6 @@ static struct instance_data *new_instance_data(VkInstance instance)
 
 static void destroy_instance_data(struct instance_data *data)
 {
-   if (data->params.output_file)
-      fclose(data->params.output_file);
    if (data->params.control >= 0)
       os_socket_close(data->params.control);
    unmap_object(HKEY(data->instance));
@@ -886,14 +884,14 @@ void check_keybinds(struct overlay_params& params){
    elapsedF12 = (double)(now - last_f12_press);
    elapsedReloadCfg = (double)(now - reload_cfg_press);
   
-  if (elapsedF2 >= 500000 && mangohud_output_env){
+  if (elapsedF2 >= 500000 && !params.output_file.empty()){
      if (key_is_pressed(params.toggle_logging)){
        last_f2_press = now;
        log_start = now;
        loggingOn = !loggingOn;
 
        if (loggingOn && log_period != 0)
-         pthread_create(&f2, NULL, &logging, NULL);
+         pthread_create(&f2, NULL, &logging, &params);
 
      }
    }
@@ -2622,13 +2620,6 @@ static VkResult overlay_CreateInstance(
       }
    }
 
-   /* If there's no control file, and an output_file was specified, start
-    * capturing fps data right away.
-    */
-   instance_data->capture_enabled =
-      instance_data->params.output_file && instance_data->params.control < 0;
-   instance_data->capture_started = instance_data->capture_enabled;
-
    return result;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/overlay_params.cpp b/src/overlay_params.cpp
index 27981efe..38b53a70 100644
--- a/src/overlay_params.cpp
+++ b/src/overlay_params.cpp
@@ -155,6 +155,7 @@ parse_str(const char *str)
 #define parse_offset_x(s) parse_unsigned(s)
 #define parse_offset_y(s) parse_unsigned(s)
 #define parse_time_format(s) parse_str(s)
+#define parse_output_file(s) parse_str(s)
 #define parse_io_read(s) parse_unsigned(s)
 #define parse_io_write(s) parse_unsigned(s)
 
diff --git a/src/overlay_params.h b/src/overlay_params.h
index b57af2ae..a62ae8a5 100644
--- a/src/overlay_params.h
+++ b/src/overlay_params.h
@@ -115,7 +115,6 @@ enum overlay_param_enabled {
 struct overlay_params {
    bool enabled[OVERLAY_PARAM_ENABLED_MAX];
    enum overlay_param_position position;
-   FILE *output_file;
    int control;
    uint32_t fps_sampling_period; /* us */
    uint32_t fps_limit;
@@ -136,7 +135,7 @@ struct overlay_params {
    KeySym toggle_hud;
    KeySym toggle_logging;
    KeySym reload_cfg;
-   std::string time_format;
+   std::string time_format, output_file;
 };
 
 const extern char *overlay_param_names[];