diff --git a/evennia/settings_default.py b/evennia/settings_default.py
index a4ad4fbf8d..497f8661d2 100644
--- a/evennia/settings_default.py
+++ b/evennia/settings_default.py
@@ -153,7 +153,8 @@ HTTP_LOG_FILE = os.path.join(LOG_DIR, "http_requests.log")
 LOCKWARNING_LOG_FILE = os.path.join(LOG_DIR, "lockwarnings.log")
 # Number of lines to append to rotating channel logs when they rotate
 CHANNEL_LOG_NUM_TAIL_LINES = 20
-# Max size (in bytes) of channel log files before they rotate
+# Max size (in bytes) of channel log files before they rotate.
+# Minimum is 1000 (1kB) but should usually be larger.
 CHANNEL_LOG_ROTATE_SIZE = 1000000
 # Unused by default, but used by e.g. the MapSystem contrib. A place for storing
 # semi-permanent data and avoid it being rebuilt over and over. It is created
diff --git a/evennia/utils/logger.py b/evennia/utils/logger.py
index 9e81b2b5b0..ff01e28555 100644
--- a/evennia/utils/logger.py
+++ b/evennia/utils/logger.py
@@ -384,7 +384,7 @@ class EvenniaLogFile(logfile.LogFile):
         from django.conf import settings
 
         _CHANNEL_LOG_NUM_TAIL_LINES = settings.CHANNEL_LOG_NUM_TAIL_LINES
-    num_lines_to_append = _CHANNEL_LOG_NUM_TAIL_LINES
+    num_lines_to_append = max(1, _CHANNEL_LOG_NUM_TAIL_LINES)
 
     def rotate(self, num_lines_to_append=None):
         """
@@ -463,7 +463,7 @@ def _open_log_file(filename):
         from django.conf import settings
 
         _LOGDIR = settings.LOG_DIR
-        _LOG_ROTATE_SIZE = settings.CHANNEL_LOG_ROTATE_SIZE
+        _LOG_ROTATE_SIZE = max(1000, settings.CHANNEL_LOG_ROTATE_SIZE)
 
     filename = os.path.join(_LOGDIR, filename)
     if filename in _LOG_FILE_HANDLES: