diff --git a/cmd/doctor.go b/cmd/doctor.go
index 67a4ecc9c..a11848405 100644
--- a/cmd/doctor.go
+++ b/cmd/doctor.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 package cmd
 
 import (
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	golog "log"
 	"os"
@@ -123,6 +124,47 @@ func runRecreateTable(ctx *cli.Context) error {
 	})
 }
 
+func setDoctorLogger(ctx *cli.Context) {
+	logFile := ctx.String("log-file")
+	if !ctx.IsSet("log-file") {
+		logFile = "doctor.log"
+	}
+	colorize := log.CanColorStdout
+	if ctx.IsSet("color") {
+		colorize = ctx.Bool("color")
+	}
+
+	if len(logFile) == 0 {
+		log.NewLogger(1000, "doctor", "console", fmt.Sprintf(`{"level":"NONE","stacktracelevel":"NONE","colorize":%t}`, colorize))
+		return
+	}
+
+	defer func() {
+		recovered := recover()
+		if recovered == nil {
+			return
+		}
+
+		err, ok := recovered.(error)
+		if !ok {
+			panic(recovered)
+		}
+		if errors.Is(err, os.ErrPermission) {
+			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "ERROR: Unable to write logs to provided file due to permissions error: %s\n       %v\n", logFile, err)
+		} else {
+			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "ERROR: Unable to write logs to provided file: %s\n       %v\n", logFile, err)
+		}
+		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "WARN: Logging will be disabled\n       Use `--log-file` to configure log file location\n")
+		log.NewLogger(1000, "doctor", "console", fmt.Sprintf(`{"level":"NONE","stacktracelevel":"NONE","colorize":%t}`, colorize))
+	}()
+
+	if logFile == "-" {
+		log.NewLogger(1000, "doctor", "console", fmt.Sprintf(`{"level":"trace","stacktracelevel":"NONE","colorize":%t}`, colorize))
+	} else {
+		log.NewLogger(1000, "doctor", "file", fmt.Sprintf(`{"filename":%q,"level":"trace","stacktracelevel":"NONE"}`, logFile))
+	}
+}
+
 func runDoctor(ctx *cli.Context) error {
 	stdCtx, cancel := installSignals()
 	defer cancel()
@@ -132,24 +174,13 @@ func runDoctor(ctx *cli.Context) error {
 	log.DelNamedLogger(log.DEFAULT)
 
 	// Now setup our own
-	logFile := ctx.String("log-file")
-	if !ctx.IsSet("log-file") {
-		logFile = "doctor.log"
-	}
+	setDoctorLogger(ctx)
 
 	colorize := log.CanColorStdout
 	if ctx.IsSet("color") {
 		colorize = ctx.Bool("color")
 	}
 
-	if len(logFile) == 0 {
-		log.NewLogger(1000, "doctor", "console", fmt.Sprintf(`{"level":"NONE","stacktracelevel":"NONE","colorize":%t}`, colorize))
-	} else if logFile == "-" {
-		log.NewLogger(1000, "doctor", "console", fmt.Sprintf(`{"level":"trace","stacktracelevel":"NONE","colorize":%t}`, colorize))
-	} else {
-		log.NewLogger(1000, "doctor", "file", fmt.Sprintf(`{"filename":%q,"level":"trace","stacktracelevel":"NONE"}`, logFile))
-	}
-
 	// Finally redirect the default golog to here
 	golog.SetFlags(0)
 	golog.SetPrefix("")
diff --git a/modules/log/multichannel.go b/modules/log/multichannel.go
index 273df81df..519abf663 100644
--- a/modules/log/multichannel.go
+++ b/modules/log/multichannel.go
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ func newLogger(name string, buffer int64) *MultiChannelledLogger {
 func (l *MultiChannelledLogger) SetLogger(name, provider, config string) error {
 	eventLogger, err := NewChannelledLog(l.ctx, name, provider, config, l.bufferLength)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Failed to create sublogger (%s): %v", name, err)
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to create sublogger (%s): %w", name, err)
 	}
 
 	l.MultiChannelledLog.DelLogger(name)
@@ -41,9 +41,9 @@ func (l *MultiChannelledLogger) SetLogger(name, provider, config string) error {
 	err = l.MultiChannelledLog.AddLogger(eventLogger)
 	if err != nil {
 		if IsErrDuplicateName(err) {
-			return fmt.Errorf("Duplicate named sublogger %s %v", name, l.MultiChannelledLog.GetEventLoggerNames())
+			return fmt.Errorf("%w other names: %v", err, l.MultiChannelledLog.GetEventLoggerNames())
 		}
-		return fmt.Errorf("Failed to add sublogger (%s): %v", name, err)
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to add sublogger (%s): %w", name, err)
 	}
 
 	return nil