diff --git a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-tools/spring-boot-loader-tools/src/main/resources/org/springframework/boot/loader/tools/launch.script b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-tools/spring-boot-loader-tools/src/main/resources/org/springframework/boot/loader/tools/launch.script
index c3ceaf6fb7b..30e6ca41c74 100755
--- a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-tools/spring-boot-loader-tools/src/main/resources/org/springframework/boot/loader/tools/launch.script
+++ b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-tools/spring-boot-loader-tools/src/main/resources/org/springframework/boot/loader/tools/launch.script
@@ -156,7 +156,15 @@ do_start() {
   pushd "$working_dir" > /dev/null
   if [[ ! -e "$PID_FOLDER" ]]; then
     mkdir -p "$PID_FOLDER" &> /dev/null
-    chown "$run_user" "$PID_FOLDER"
+    if [[ -n "$run_user" ]]; then
+      chown "$run_user" "$PID_FOLDER"
+    fi
+  fi
+  if [[ ! -e "$log_file" ]]; then
+    touch "$log_file" &> /dev/null
+    if [[ -n "$run_user" ]]; then
+      chown "$run_user" "$log_file"
+    fi
   fi
   if [[ -n "$run_user" ]]; then
     checkPermissions || return $?
diff --git a/spring-boot-tests/spring-boot-integration-tests/spring-boot-launch-script-tests/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/launchscript/SysVinitLaunchScriptIT.java b/spring-boot-tests/spring-boot-integration-tests/spring-boot-launch-script-tests/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/launchscript/SysVinitLaunchScriptIT.java
index 3a0f92ebd4c..346cb54ea2c 100644
--- a/spring-boot-tests/spring-boot-integration-tests/spring-boot-launch-script-tests/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/launchscript/SysVinitLaunchScriptIT.java
+++ b/spring-boot-tests/spring-boot-integration-tests/spring-boot-launch-script-tests/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/launchscript/SysVinitLaunchScriptIT.java
@@ -229,7 +229,6 @@ public class SysVinitLaunchScriptIT {
 	@Test
 	public void pidFolderOwnership() throws Exception {
 		String output = doTest("pid-folder-ownership.sh");
-		System.err.println(output);
 		assertThat(output).contains("phil root");
 	}
 
@@ -245,6 +244,18 @@ public class SysVinitLaunchScriptIT {
 		assertThat(output).contains("phil root");
 	}
 
+	@Test
+	public void logFileOwnershipIsChangedWhenCreated() throws Exception {
+		String output = doTest("log-file-ownership-is-changed-when-created.sh");
+		assertThat(output).contains("andy root");
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void logFileOwnershipIsUnchangedWhenExists() throws Exception {
+		String output = doTest("log-file-ownership-is-unchanged-when-exists.sh");
+		assertThat(output).contains("root root");
+	}
+
 	@Test
 	public void launchWithRelativeLogFolder() throws Exception {
 		String output = doTest("launch-with-relative-log-folder.sh");
diff --git a/spring-boot-tests/spring-boot-integration-tests/spring-boot-launch-script-tests/src/test/resources/scripts/log-file-ownership-is-changed-when-created.sh b/spring-boot-tests/spring-boot-integration-tests/spring-boot-launch-script-tests/src/test/resources/scripts/log-file-ownership-is-changed-when-created.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000000..c007f35cadc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spring-boot-tests/spring-boot-integration-tests/spring-boot-launch-script-tests/src/test/resources/scripts/log-file-ownership-is-changed-when-created.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+source ./test-functions.sh
+install_service
+echo 'LOG_FOLDER=log' > /test-service/spring-boot-app.conf
+mkdir -p /test-service/log
+useradd andy
+chown andy /test-service/spring-boot-app.jar
+start_service
+await_app
+ls -al /test-service/log/spring-boot-app.log
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/spring-boot-tests/spring-boot-integration-tests/spring-boot-launch-script-tests/src/test/resources/scripts/log-file-ownership-is-unchanged-when-exists.sh b/spring-boot-tests/spring-boot-integration-tests/spring-boot-launch-script-tests/src/test/resources/scripts/log-file-ownership-is-unchanged-when-exists.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000000..ec28e35ac2f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spring-boot-tests/spring-boot-integration-tests/spring-boot-launch-script-tests/src/test/resources/scripts/log-file-ownership-is-unchanged-when-exists.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+source ./test-functions.sh
+install_service
+echo 'LOG_FOLDER=log' > /test-service/spring-boot-app.conf
+mkdir -p /test-service/log
+touch /test-service/log/spring-boot-app.log
+chmod a+w /test-service/log/spring-boot-app.log
+useradd andy
+chown andy /test-service/spring-boot-app.jar
+start_service
+await_app
+ls -al /test-service/log/spring-boot-app.log
\ No newline at end of file