diff --git a/src/common/rclinit.cpp b/src/common/rclinit.cpp
index f7cff7b6..145a7520 100644
--- a/src/common/rclinit.cpp
+++ b/src/common/rclinit.cpp
@@ -274,12 +274,19 @@ RclConfig *recollinit(RclInitFlags flags,
 	return 0;
     }
 
-    // Retrieve the log file name and level
+    // Retrieve the log file name and level. Daemon and batch indexing
+    // processes may use specific values, else fall back on common
+    // ones.
     string logfilename, loglevel;
     if (flags & RCLINIT_DAEMON) {
 	config->getConfParam(string("daemlogfilename"), logfilename);
 	config->getConfParam(string("daemloglevel"), loglevel);
     }
+    if ((flags & RCLINIT_IDX) && logfilename.empty())
+	config->getConfParam(string("idxlogfilename"), logfilename);
+    if ((flags & RCLINIT_IDX) && loglevel.empty()) 
+	config->getConfParam(string("idxloglevel"), loglevel);
+
     if (logfilename.empty())
 	config->getConfParam(string("logfilename"), logfilename);
     if (loglevel.empty())
diff --git a/src/common/rclinit.h b/src/common/rclinit.h
index 23b8aae2..5a41f67e 100644
--- a/src/common/rclinit.h
+++ b/src/common/rclinit.h
@@ -30,7 +30,8 @@ class RclConfig;
  * up the global signal handling. other threads must call recoll_threadinit()
  * when starting.
  *
- * @param flags   misc modifiers
+ * @param flags   misc modifiers. These are currently only used to customize 
+ *      the log file and verbosity.
  * @param cleanup function to call before exiting (atexit)
  * @param sigcleanup function to call on terminal signal (INT/HUP...) This 
  *       should typically set a flag which tells the program (recoll, 
@@ -41,7 +42,7 @@ class RclConfig;
  *               default and environment
  * @return the parsed configuration.
  */
-enum RclInitFlags {RCLINIT_NONE=0, RCLINIT_DAEMON=1};
+enum RclInitFlags {RCLINIT_NONE=0, RCLINIT_DAEMON=1, RCLINIT_IDX=2};
 extern RclConfig *recollinit(RclInitFlags flags,
 			     void (*cleanup)(void), void (*sigcleanup)(int), 
 			     string &reason, const string *argcnf = 0);
diff --git a/src/index/recollindex.cpp b/src/index/recollindex.cpp
index 2db53a37..ca55c2be 100644
--- a/src/index/recollindex.cpp
+++ b/src/index/recollindex.cpp
@@ -502,7 +502,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     }
     string reason;
     RclInitFlags flags = (op_flags & OPT_m) && !(op_flags&OPT_D) ? 
-	RCLINIT_DAEMON : RCLINIT_NONE;
+	RCLINIT_DAEMON : RCLINIT_IDX;
     config = recollinit(flags, cleanup, sigcleanup, reason, &a_config);
     if (config == 0 || !config->ok()) {
 	cerr << "Configuration problem: " << reason << endl;