diff --git a/logreader.c b/logreader.c
index dc68352f..7dd3bb20 100644
--- a/logreader.c
+++ b/logreader.c
@@ -327,6 +327,9 @@ static int LogReader(SConnection * pCon, SicsInterp * pSics, void *pData,
       return 0;
     }
     nows[0] = LoggerGetLastLife(NULL);
+    if (nows[0] == 0) {
+      nows[0] = LoggerGetLastLife(dirs[0]);
+    }
     if (dirs[1] == NULL) {
       dirs[1] = IFindOption(pSICSOptions, "LoggerDir2");
       nows[1] = LoggerGetLastLife(dirs[1]);
@@ -341,7 +344,10 @@ static int LogReader(SConnection * pCon, SicsInterp * pSics, void *pData,
         *colon = '\0';
       }
       if (ndirs == 0) {
-        nows[0] = LoggerGetLastLife(NULL);
+        nows[0] = LoggerGetLastLife(NULL); /* get from internal variable instead of file */
+        if (nows[0] == 0) { // internal value not available
+          nows[0] = LoggerGetLastLife(dirPath);
+        }
       } else {
         nows[ndirs] = LoggerGetLastLife(dirPath);
       }