diff --git a/src/plugin/settings/device_agent.cpp b/src/plugin/settings/device_agent.cpp
index 8f50e5d..a89fff0 100644
--- a/src/plugin/settings/device_agent.cpp
+++ b/src/plugin/settings/device_agent.cpp
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
 
 #include <algorithm>
 
-#define NX_PRINT_PREFIX (this->logUtils.printPrefix)
 #include <nx/kit/debug.h>
 #include <nx/kit/utils.h>
 #include <nx/sdk/helpers/active_setting_changed_response.h>
diff --git a/src/plugin/settings/engine.cpp b/src/plugin/settings/engine.cpp
index fd045cc..f3212d9 100644
--- a/src/plugin/settings/engine.cpp
+++ b/src/plugin/settings/engine.cpp
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 #include <algorithm>
 #include <chrono>
 #include <filesystem>
+#include <fstream>
 #include <openssl/bio.h>
 #include <openssl/buffer.h>
 #include <openssl/evp.h>
@@ -21,8 +22,8 @@
 
 #include "cloudfuse_helper.h"
 
-#define NX_PRINT_PREFIX (this->logUtils.printPrefix)
 #include <nx/kit/debug.h>
+#include <nx/kit/ini_config.h>
 #include <nx/sdk/helpers/active_setting_changed_response.h>
 #include <nx/sdk/helpers/error.h>
 #include <utils.h>
@@ -42,10 +43,15 @@ using namespace nx::kit;
 
 static int maxWaitSecondsAfterMount = 10;
 
+void enableLogging(std::string iniDir);
+
 Engine::Engine(Plugin *plugin)
     : nx::sdk::analytics::Engine(NX_DEBUG_ENABLE_OUTPUT, plugin->instanceId()), m_plugin(plugin), m_cfManager()
 {
+    // logging will begin the _next_ time the mediaserver starts
+    enableLogging(IniConfig::iniFilesDir());
     NX_PRINT << "cloudfuse Engine::Engine";
+
     for (const auto &entry : kActiveSettingsRules)
     {
         const ActiveSettingsBuilder::ActiveSettingKey key = entry.first;
@@ -110,6 +116,26 @@ std::string Engine::manifestString() const
     return result;
 }
 
+void enableLogging(std::string iniDir)
+{
+    // enable logging by touching stdout and stderr redirect files
+    if (!fs::is_directory(iniDir))
+    {
+        fs::create_directories(iniDir);
+    }
+    const std::string processName = utils::getProcessName();
+    const std::string stdoutFilename = iniDir + processName + "_stdout.log";
+    const std::string stderrFilename = iniDir + processName + "_stderr.log";
+    if (!fs::exists(stdoutFilename) || !fs::exists(stderrFilename))
+    {
+        NX_PRINT << "cloudfuse Engine::enableLogging - creating files";
+        std::ofstream stdoutFile(stdoutFilename);
+        std::ofstream stderrFile(stderrFilename);
+        // the service will need to be restarted for logging to actually begin
+    }
+    NX_PRINT << "cloudfuse Engine::enableLogging - plugin stderr logging file: " + stderrFilename;
+}
+
 bool Engine::processActiveSettings(Json::object *model, std::map<std::string, std::string> *values,
                                    const std::vector<std::string> &settingIdsToUpdate) const
 {