diff --git a/README b/README
index 0fbd648e8..26a5b4ab6 100644
--- a/README
+++ b/README
@@ -73,8 +73,6 @@ MAXSCALE_HOME can be overriden by use of the -c flag on the command
 line. This should be immediately followed by the path to the MaxScale
 home directory.
 
-The -f flag can be used to set the name of the configuration file
-to read in place of the one in the MaxScale home directory. Merely
-pass the name of the file to read followinf the -f flag.
-
+The -f flag can be used to set the name and the location of the configuration 
+file. Without path expression the file is read from $MAXSCALE_HOME/etc directory.
 */
diff --git a/log_manager/log_manager.cc b/log_manager/log_manager.cc
index bdb43d187..3cc1d0aca 100644
--- a/log_manager/log_manager.cc
+++ b/log_manager/log_manager.cc
@@ -43,6 +43,12 @@
 extern char *program_invocation_name;
 extern char *program_invocation_short_name;
 
+/**
+ * Variable holding the enabled logfiles information.
+ * Used from log users to check enabled logs prior calling
+ * actual library calls such as skygw_log_write.
+ */
+int lm_enabled_logfiles_bitmask = 0;
 
 /**
  * BUFSIZ comes from the system. It equals with block size or
@@ -340,6 +346,11 @@ static bool logmanager_init_nomutex(
         fw = &lm->lm_filewriter;
         fn->fn_state  = UNINIT;
         fw->fwr_state = UNINIT;
+
+        /**
+         * Set global variable
+         */
+        lm_enabled_logfiles_bitmask = lm->lm_enabled_logfiles;
         
         /** Initialize configuration including log file naming info */
         if (!fnames_conf_init(fn, argc, argv)) {
@@ -1016,6 +1027,10 @@ int skygw_log_enable(
 
         if (logfile_set_enabled(id, true)) {
                 lm->lm_enabled_logfiles |= id;
+                /**
+                 * Set global variable
+                 */
+                lm_enabled_logfiles_bitmask = lm->lm_enabled_logfiles;
         }
         
         logmanager_unregister();
@@ -1038,6 +1053,10 @@ int skygw_log_disable(
 
         if (logfile_set_enabled(id, false)) {
             lm->lm_enabled_logfiles &= ~id;
+            /**
+             * Set global variable
+             */
+            lm_enabled_logfiles_bitmask = lm->lm_enabled_logfiles;
         }
 
         logmanager_unregister();
diff --git a/server/core/gateway.c b/server/core/gateway.c
index a0c19abda..ec97ee4b2 100644
--- a/server/core/gateway.c
+++ b/server/core/gateway.c
@@ -66,6 +66,13 @@
 extern char *program_invocation_name;
 extern char *program_invocation_short_name;
 
+/**
+ * Variable holding the enabled logfiles information.
+ * Used from log users to check enabled logs prior calling
+ * actual library calls such as skygw_log_write.
+ */
+extern int lm_enabled_logfiles_bitmask;
+
 /*
  * Server options are passed to the mysql_server_init. Each gateway must have a unique
  * data directory that is passed to the mysql_server_init, therefore the data directory
@@ -345,6 +352,7 @@ static bool resolve_maxscale_conf_fname(
         
         if (cnf_file_arg != NULL)
         {
+                char* home_etc_dir;
                 /**
                  * 1. argument is valid full pathname
                  * '- /home/jdoe/MaxScale/myconf.cnf'
@@ -360,9 +368,15 @@ static bool resolve_maxscale_conf_fname(
                  * directory.
                  * '-f MaxScale.cnf' 
                  */
+                home_etc_dir = (char*)malloc(strlen(home_dir)+strlen("/etc")+1);
+                snprintf(home_etc_dir,
+                         strlen(home_dir)+strlen("/etc")+1,
+                         "%s/etc",
+                         home_dir);
                 *cnf_full_path = get_expanded_pathname(NULL,
-                                                       home_dir,
+                                                       home_etc_dir,
                                                        cnf_file_arg);
+                free(home_etc_dir);
 
                 if (*cnf_full_path != NULL)
                 {
@@ -1215,7 +1229,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
                               "Configuration file : %s",
                               cnf_file_path);
 
-
         /* Update the server options */
         for (i = 0; server_options[i]; i++)
         {