diff --git a/pkg/setting/setting.go b/pkg/setting/setting.go
index 389b6b933b9..77445dd6c4c 100644
--- a/pkg/setting/setting.go
+++ b/pkg/setting/setting.go
@@ -289,10 +289,13 @@ func loadConfiguration(args *CommandLineArgs) {
 
 	// command line props
 	commandLineProps := getCommandLineProperties(args.Args)
-
 	// load default overrides
 	applyCommandLineDefaultProperties(commandLineProps)
 
+	// init logging before specific config so we can log errors from here on
+	DataPath = makeAbsolute(Cfg.Section("paths").Key("data").String(), HomePath)
+	initLogging(args)
+
 	// load specified config file
 	loadSpecifedConfigFile(args.Config)
 
@@ -304,6 +307,10 @@ func loadConfiguration(args *CommandLineArgs) {
 
 	// evaluate config values containing environment variables
 	evalConfigValues()
+
+	// update data path and logging config
+	DataPath = makeAbsolute(Cfg.Section("paths").Key("data").String(), HomePath)
+	initLogging(args)
 }
 
 func pathExists(path string) bool {
@@ -339,9 +346,6 @@ func NewConfigContext(args *CommandLineArgs) {
 	setHomePath(args)
 	loadConfiguration(args)
 
-	DataPath = makeAbsolute(Cfg.Section("paths").Key("data").String(), HomePath)
-	initLogging(args)
-
 	AppName = Cfg.Section("").Key("app_name").MustString("Grafana")
 	Env = Cfg.Section("").Key("app_mode").MustString("development")