diff --git a/log.go b/log.go
index 0221ef9..3f29cdc 100644
--- a/log.go
+++ b/log.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"errors"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 
@@ -23,6 +24,10 @@ func setupLog() (func() error, error) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 	if err := os.MkdirAll(filepath.Dir(logFile), 0o644); err != nil {
+		if errors.Is(err, os.ErrPermission) {
+			// log disabled
+			return nil, nil
+		}
 		return nil, err
 	}
 	f, err := os.OpenFile(logFile, os.O_WRONLY|os.O_CREATE|os.O_APPEND, 0o644)