diff --git a/src/lshd.c b/src/lshd.c
index 7e5426d6a4fa6fc1f52a84d9caaa64a5486c4f2d..351cda30c5d9c843d7ec369c86dbee6303604297 100644
--- a/src/lshd.c
+++ b/src/lshd.c
@@ -1202,9 +1202,9 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 #else /* !HAVE_SYSLOG */
 	  werror("lshd: No syslog. Further messages will be directed to /dev/null.\n");
 #endif /* !HAVE_SYSLOG */
+	  if (!daemon_dup_null(STDERR_FILENO))
+	    return EXIT_FAILURE;
 	}
-      else if (!daemon_dup_null(STDERR_FILENO))
-	return EXIT_FAILURE;
 
       if (mode != DAEMON_INETD)
 	{