diff --git a/src/core/ngx_log.c b/src/core/ngx_log.c
index 8769bcd..2828712 100644
--- a/src/core/ngx_log.c
+++ b/src/core/ngx_log.c
@@ -207,6 +207,14 @@
 
     ngx_linefeed(p);
 
+#if (NGX_WIN32)
+
+    if (ngx_stderr_fileno == NULL) {
+        ngx_stderr_fileno = GetStdHandle(STD_ERROR_HANDLE);
+    }
+
+#endif
+
     (void) ngx_write_fd(ngx_stderr_fileno, errstr, p - errstr);
 }
 
@@ -219,8 +227,6 @@
 
 #if (NGX_WIN32)
 
-    ngx_stderr_fileno = GetStdHandle(STD_ERROR_HANDLE);
-
     ngx_stderr.fd = ngx_open_file((u_char *) NGX_ERROR_LOG_PATH,
                                   NGX_FILE_APPEND,
                                   NGX_FILE_CREATE_OR_OPEN,