diff --git a/vl.c b/vl.c
index 7f4fe0d5df59b50f0635ffcb7fb222441035890d..63f4d5585c4b9580e65fbc2b7d2065937c1e29ea 100644
--- a/vl.c
+++ b/vl.c
@@ -3879,8 +3879,10 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
         qemu_set_log(mask);
     }
 
-    if (!trace_backend_init(trace_events, trace_file)) {
-        exit(1);
+    if (!is_daemonized()) {
+        if (!trace_backend_init(trace_events, trace_file)) {
+            exit(1);
+        }
     }
 
     /* If no data_dir is specified then try to find it relative to the
@@ -4379,6 +4381,12 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
 
     os_setup_post();
 
+    if (is_daemonized()) {
+        if (!trace_backend_init(trace_events, trace_file)) {
+            exit(1);
+        }
+    }
+
     main_loop();
     bdrv_close_all();
     pause_all_vcpus();