diff --git a/mypy/dmypy/client.py b/mypy/dmypy/client.py
index ee786fdd7436..0e9120608509 100644
--- a/mypy/dmypy/client.py
+++ b/mypy/dmypy/client.py
@@ -244,6 +244,7 @@ def __init__(self, prog: str) -> None:
 p.add_argument(
     "--timeout", metavar="TIMEOUT", type=int, help="Server shutdown timeout (in seconds)"
 )
+p.add_argument("--log-file", metavar="FILE", type=str, help="Direct daemon stdout/stderr to FILE")
 p.add_argument(
     "flags", metavar="FLAG", nargs="*", type=str, help="Regular mypy flags (precede with --)"
 )
@@ -608,21 +609,22 @@ def do_daemon(args: argparse.Namespace) -> None:
     # Lazy import so this import doesn't slow down other commands.
     from mypy.dmypy_server import Server, process_start_options
 
+    if args.log_file:
+        sys.stdout = sys.stderr = open(args.log_file, "a", buffering=1)
+        fd = sys.stdout.fileno()
+        os.dup2(fd, 2)
+        os.dup2(fd, 1)
+
     if args.options_data:
         from mypy.options import Options
 
-        options_dict, timeout, log_file = pickle.loads(base64.b64decode(args.options_data))
+        options_dict = pickle.loads(base64.b64decode(args.options_data))
         options_obj = Options()
         options = options_obj.apply_changes(options_dict)
-        if log_file:
-            sys.stdout = sys.stderr = open(log_file, "a", buffering=1)
-            fd = sys.stdout.fileno()
-            os.dup2(fd, 2)
-            os.dup2(fd, 1)
     else:
         options = process_start_options(args.flags, allow_sources=False)
-        timeout = args.timeout
-    Server(options, args.status_file, timeout=timeout).serve()
+
+    Server(options, args.status_file, timeout=args.timeout).serve()
 
 
 @action(help_parser)
diff --git a/mypy/dmypy_server.py b/mypy/dmypy_server.py
index 1f038397f2ea..c742f3116402 100644
--- a/mypy/dmypy_server.py
+++ b/mypy/dmypy_server.py
@@ -56,8 +56,12 @@ def daemonize(
         It also pickles the options to be unpickled by mypy.
         """
         command = [sys.executable, "-m", "mypy.dmypy", "--status-file", status_file, "daemon"]
-        pickled_options = pickle.dumps((options.snapshot(), timeout, log_file))
+        pickled_options = pickle.dumps(options.snapshot())
         command.append(f'--options-data="{base64.b64encode(pickled_options).decode()}"')
+        if timeout:
+            command.append(f"--timeout={timeout}")
+        if log_file:
+            command.append(f"--log-file={log_file}")
         info = STARTUPINFO()
         info.dwFlags = 0x1  # STARTF_USESHOWWINDOW aka use wShowWindow's value
         info.wShowWindow = 0  # SW_HIDE aka make the window invisible