diff --git a/src/scripts/update.sh b/src/scripts/update.sh
index 0f6c70fd9..6cd4d8637 100755
--- a/src/scripts/update.sh
+++ b/src/scripts/update.sh
@@ -14,8 +14,8 @@ if [[ $# == 1 && "$1" == "--check" ]]; then
     exit 0
 fi
 
-if [[ $# != 1 ]]; then
-    echo "sourceDir argument required"
+if [[ $# != 2 ]]; then
+    echo "Usage: update.sh <sourceDir> <logFile> arguments required"
     exit 1
 fi
 
@@ -24,19 +24,17 @@ function log() {
 }
 
 readonly source_dir="${1}"
+readonly log_file="${2}"
+
 readonly installer_path="${source_dir}/scripts/installer.sh"
+readonly ubuntu_version=$(lsb_release -rs)
 
 log "updating Cloudron with ${source_dir}"
 
-systemctl reset-failed "${updater_service}" 2>/dev/null || true
-
 # StandardError will follow StandardOutput in default inherit mode. https://www.freedesktop.org/software/systemd/man/systemd.exec.html
-readonly DATETIME=`date '+%Y-%m-%d_%H-%M-%S'`
-readonly LOG_FILE="/home/yellowtent/platformdata/logs/updater/cloudron-updater-${DATETIME}.log"
-
-log "starting service ${updater_service}. see logs at ${LOG_FILE}"
-
-if ! systemd-run --property=OOMScoreAdjust=-1000 --unit "${updater_service}" -p StandardOutput=file:${LOG_FILE} ${installer_path}; then
+systemctl reset-failed "${updater_service}" 2>/dev/null || true
+[[ "${ubuntu_version}" == "18.04" ]] && file_mode="file" || file_mode="append"
+if ! systemd-run --property=OOMScoreAdjust=-1000 --unit "${updater_service}" -p StandardOutput=${file_mode}:${log_file} ${installer_path}; then
     log "Failed to install cloudron"
     exit 1
 fi
diff --git a/src/taskworker.js b/src/taskworker.js
index 46c9ccf50..648d2bf20 100755
--- a/src/taskworker.js
+++ b/src/taskworker.js
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ async function setupLogging() {
         const callback = typeof args[args.length-1] === 'function' ? args.pop() : function () {}; // callback is required for fs.write
         fs.write.apply(fs, [logFd, ...args, callback]);
     };
+    process.stdout.logFile = logFile; // used by update task
 }
 
 // this is also used as the 'uncaughtException' handler which can only have synchronous functions
diff --git a/src/updater.js b/src/updater.js
index 8cb9f00aa..f3032915f 100644
--- a/src/updater.js
+++ b/src/updater.js
@@ -155,8 +155,7 @@ async function update(boxUpdateInfo, options, progressCallback) {
 
     progressCallback({ percent: 70, message: 'Installing update' });
 
-    // run installer.sh from new box code as a separate service
-    await shell.promises.sudo('update', [ UPDATE_CMD, packageInfo.file ], {});
+    await shell.promises.sudo('update', [ UPDATE_CMD, packageInfo.file, process.stdout.logFile ], {});  // run installer.sh from new box code as a separate service
 
     // Do not add any code here. The installer script will stop the box code any instant
 }