diff --git a/src/daemon.rs b/src/daemon.rs
index ccb28d8..e0921a6 100644
--- a/src/daemon.rs
+++ b/src/daemon.rs
@@ -53,11 +53,6 @@ const INOTIFY_EVENT_BUF_SIZE: usize = 32 * 1024;
 
 /// Run until SIGTERM or SIGINT.
 pub async fn run(cfg: Config, backends: Vec<Box<dyn Backend>>) -> Result<(), DaemonError> {
-    tracing::info!(
-        target: "controller",
-        version = VERSION,
-        "io-thread-controller starting"
-    );
     let per_vm_destination = if cfg.enable_per_vm_status_line {
         if cfg.enable_per_vm_main_log {
             "main log".to_string()
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 73770f1..1c0aa80 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ use io_thread_controller::{
     util::Path,
 };
 use thiserror::Error;
-use tracing::{debug, instrument};
+use tracing::{debug, info, instrument};
 use tracing_subscriber::fmt::format::FmtSpan;
 
 #[derive(Error, Debug)]
@@ -124,6 +124,12 @@ async fn main() -> Result<(), IoThreadControllerError> {
         return Err(IoThreadControllerError::NoSuchBackend(name.to_string()));
     }
 
+    info!(
+        target: "controller",
+        version = VERSION,
+        "io-thread-controller starting"
+    );
+
     let mut cfg = load_daemon_config(&cli.config)?;
     debug!("loaded configuration {}", &cli.config);
     if cli.print_status_header {