diff --git a/lib/charms/mongodb/v0/helpers.py b/lib/charms/mongodb/v0/helpers.py
index 98f3ca6c3..f64740a0c 100644
--- a/lib/charms/mongodb/v0/helpers.py
+++ b/lib/charms/mongodb/v0/helpers.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 
 # Increment this PATCH version before using `charmcraft publish-lib` or reset
 # to 0 if you are raising the major API version
-LIBPATCH = 5
+LIBPATCH = 6
 
 
 # path to store mongodb ketFile
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
 
 DATA_DIR = "/var/lib/mongodb"
 CONF_DIR = "/etc/mongod"
+MONGODB_LOG_FILENAME = "mongodb.log"
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
@@ -82,9 +83,11 @@ def get_mongod_args(
     Returns:
         A string representing the command used to start MongoDB.
     """
-    #
     full_data_dir = f"{MONGODB_COMMON_DIR}{DATA_DIR}" if snap_install else DATA_DIR
     full_conf_dir = f"{MONGODB_SNAP_DATA_DIR}{CONF_DIR}" if snap_install else CONF_DIR
+    # in k8s the default logging options that are used for the vm charm are ignored and logs are
+    # the output of the container. To enable logging to a file it must be set explicitly
+    logging_options = "" if snap_install else f"--logpath={full_data_dir}/{MONGODB_LOG_FILENAME}"
     cmd = [
         # bind to localhost and external interfaces
         "--bind_ip_all",
@@ -92,6 +95,7 @@ def get_mongod_args(
         f"--replSet={config.replset}",
         # db must be located within the snap common directory since the snap is strictly confined
         f"--dbpath={full_data_dir}",
+        logging_options,
     ]
     if auth:
         cmd.extend(["--auth"])
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_mongodb_helpers.py b/tests/unit/test_mongodb_helpers.py
index 1e6a8f7c8..0880fc059 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_mongodb_helpers.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_mongodb_helpers.py
@@ -9,17 +9,14 @@
 
 class TestMongoDBHelpers(unittest.TestCase):
     def test_get_mongod_args(self):
-        service_args_auth = " ".join(
-            [
-                "--bind_ip_all",
-                "--replSet=my_repl_set",
-                "--dbpath=/var/snap/charmed-mongodb/common/var/lib/mongodb",
-                "--auth",
-                "--clusterAuthMode=keyFile",
-                "--keyFile=/var/snap/charmed-mongodb/current/etc/mongod/keyFile",
-                "\n",
-            ]
-        )
+        service_args_auth = [
+            "--bind_ip_all",
+            "--replSet=my_repl_set",
+            "--dbpath=/var/snap/charmed-mongodb/common/var/lib/mongodb",
+            "--auth",
+            "--clusterAuthMode=keyFile",
+            "--keyFile=/var/snap/charmed-mongodb/current/etc/mongod/keyFile",
+        ]
 
         config = mock.Mock()
         config.replset = "my_repl_set"
@@ -27,22 +24,33 @@ def test_get_mongod_args(self):
         config.tls_internal = False
 
         self.assertEqual(
-            get_mongod_args(config, auth=True, snap_install=True),
+            get_mongod_args(config, auth=True, snap_install=True).split(),
             service_args_auth,
         )
 
-        service_args = " ".join(
-            [
-                # bind to localhost and external interfaces
-                "--bind_ip_all",
-                # part of replicaset
-                "--replSet=my_repl_set",
-                "--dbpath=/var/snap/charmed-mongodb/common/var/lib/mongodb",
-                "\n",
-            ]
+        service_args = [
+            # bind to localhost and external interfaces
+            "--bind_ip_all",
+            # part of replicaset
+            "--replSet=my_repl_set",
+            "--dbpath=/var/snap/charmed-mongodb/common/var/lib/mongodb",
+        ]
+
+        self.assertEqual(
+            get_mongod_args(config, auth=False, snap_install=True).split(),
+            service_args,
         )
 
+        service_args = [
+            # bind to localhost and external interfaces
+            "--bind_ip_all",
+            # part of replicaset
+            "--replSet=my_repl_set",
+            "--dbpath=/var/lib/mongodb",
+            "--logpath=/var/lib/mongodb/mongodb.log",
+        ]
+
         self.assertEqual(
-            get_mongod_args(config, auth=False, snap_install=True),
+            get_mongod_args(config, auth=False, snap_install=False).split(),
             service_args,
         )