diff --git a/veilid-server/src/veilid_logs.rs b/veilid-server/src/veilid_logs.rs
index 684dd7f3..10542db6 100644
--- a/veilid-server/src/veilid_logs.rs
+++ b/veilid-server/src/veilid_logs.rs
@@ -238,9 +238,15 @@ impl VeilidLogs {
                 settingsr.logging.file.path
             ))?;
 
-            let appender = tracing_appender::rolling::never(log_parent, Path::new(log_filename));
-            let (non_blocking_appender, non_blocking_guard) =
-                tracing_appender::non_blocking(appender);
+            let (non_blocking_appender, non_blocking_guard) = if settingsr.logging.file.append {
+                let appender =
+                    tracing_appender::rolling::never(log_parent, Path::new(log_filename));
+                tracing_appender::non_blocking(appender)
+            } else {
+                tracing_appender::non_blocking::NonBlocking::new(std::fs::File::create(
+                    log_filename,
+                )?)
+            };
             file_guard = Some(non_blocking_guard);
 
             let filter = veilid_core::VeilidLayerFilter::new(
@@ -254,6 +260,7 @@ impl VeilidLogs {
             let layer = fmt::Layer::new()
                 .compact()
                 .with_writer(non_blocking_appender)
+                .with_ansi(false)
                 .with_filter(filter.clone());
 
             filters.insert("file", filter);