diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index b5e1b73819..1d40714e90 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ RUN \
     # Allow mounting of these files, which have no default
     touch .env ; \
     # Create directories for the volumes to inherit the correct permissions
-    mkdir -p /app/client/public/images /app/api/logs /app/uploads ; \
+    mkdir -p /app/client/public/images /app/logs /app/uploads ; \
     npm config set fetch-retry-maxtimeout 600000 ; \
     npm config set fetch-retries 5 ; \
     npm config set fetch-retry-mintimeout 15000 ; \
diff --git a/api/config/meiliLogger.js b/api/config/meiliLogger.js
index c5e60ea157..398672da5c 100644
--- a/api/config/meiliLogger.js
+++ b/api/config/meiliLogger.js
@@ -1,8 +1,35 @@
 const path = require('path');
+const fs = require('fs');
 const winston = require('winston');
 require('winston-daily-rotate-file');
 
-const logDir = path.join(__dirname, '..', 'logs');
+/**
+ * Determine the log directory.
+ * Priority:
+ * 1. LIBRECHAT_LOG_DIR environment variable (allows user override)
+ * 2. /app/logs if running in Docker (bind-mounted with correct permissions)
+ * 3. api/logs relative to this file (local development)
+ */
+const getLogDir = () => {
+  if (process.env.LIBRECHAT_LOG_DIR) {
+    return process.env.LIBRECHAT_LOG_DIR;
+  }
+
+  // Check if running in Docker container (cwd is /app)
+  if (process.cwd() === '/app') {
+    const dockerLogDir = '/app/logs';
+    // Ensure the directory exists
+    if (!fs.existsSync(dockerLogDir)) {
+      fs.mkdirSync(dockerLogDir, { recursive: true });
+    }
+    return dockerLogDir;
+  }
+
+  // Local development: use api/logs relative to this file
+  return path.join(__dirname, '..', 'logs');
+};
+
+const logDir = getLogDir();
 
 const { NODE_ENV, DEBUG_LOGGING = false } = process.env;
 
diff --git a/api/config/winston.js b/api/config/winston.js
index 12f6053723..93b84f7c46 100644
--- a/api/config/winston.js
+++ b/api/config/winston.js
@@ -1,9 +1,36 @@
 const path = require('path');
+const fs = require('fs');
 const winston = require('winston');
 require('winston-daily-rotate-file');
 const { redactFormat, redactMessage, debugTraverse, jsonTruncateFormat } = require('./parsers');
 
-const logDir = path.join(__dirname, '..', 'logs');
+/**
+ * Determine the log directory.
+ * Priority:
+ * 1. LIBRECHAT_LOG_DIR environment variable (allows user override)
+ * 2. /app/logs if running in Docker (bind-mounted with correct permissions)
+ * 3. api/logs relative to this file (local development)
+ */
+const getLogDir = () => {
+  if (process.env.LIBRECHAT_LOG_DIR) {
+    return process.env.LIBRECHAT_LOG_DIR;
+  }
+
+  // Check if running in Docker container (cwd is /app)
+  if (process.cwd() === '/app') {
+    const dockerLogDir = '/app/logs';
+    // Ensure the directory exists
+    if (!fs.existsSync(dockerLogDir)) {
+      fs.mkdirSync(dockerLogDir, { recursive: true });
+    }
+    return dockerLogDir;
+  }
+
+  // Local development: use api/logs relative to this file
+  return path.join(__dirname, '..', 'logs');
+};
+
+const logDir = getLogDir();
 
 const { NODE_ENV, DEBUG_LOGGING = true, CONSOLE_JSON = false, DEBUG_CONSOLE = false } = process.env;