diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b0c0a8efeed..e82093cb601 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -191,6 +191,7 @@ require'nvim-tree'.setup {
   },
   log = {
     enable = false,
+    truncate = false,
     types = {
       all = false,
       config = false,
diff --git a/doc/nvim-tree-lua.txt b/doc/nvim-tree-lua.txt
index 9c452729e98..76d46d04026 100644
--- a/doc/nvim-tree-lua.txt
+++ b/doc/nvim-tree-lua.txt
@@ -164,6 +164,7 @@ function.
       },
       log = {
 	enable = false,
+	truncate = false,
 	types = {
 	  all = false,
 	  config = false,
@@ -476,6 +477,10 @@ Here is a list of the options available in the setup call:
       type: `boolean`
       default: `false`
 
+  - |log.truncate|: remove existing log file at startup
+      type: `boolean`
+      default: `false`
+
   - |log.types|: specify which information to log
 
     - |log.types.all|: everything
diff --git a/lua/nvim-tree.lua b/lua/nvim-tree.lua
index 0e34056144d..4800ab1af9d 100644
--- a/lua/nvim-tree.lua
+++ b/lua/nvim-tree.lua
@@ -395,6 +395,7 @@ local DEFAULT_OPTS = {
   },
   log = {
     enable = false,
+    truncate = false,
     types = {
       all = false,
       config = false,
diff --git a/lua/nvim-tree/log.lua b/lua/nvim-tree/log.lua
index 3cd4d92adeb..f94eeb69a41 100644
--- a/lua/nvim-tree/log.lua
+++ b/lua/nvim-tree/log.lua
@@ -19,20 +19,23 @@ function M.raw(typ, fmt, ...)
   io.close(file)
 end
 
--- Write to log file
+-- Write to log file via M.raw
 -- time and typ are prefixed and a trailing newline is added
 function M.line(typ, fmt, ...)
   if not M.path or not M.config.types[typ] and not M.config.types.all then
     return
   end
 
-  M.raw(typ, string.format("[%s] [%s] %s\n", os.date "%H:%M:%S", typ, fmt), ...)
+  M.raw(typ, string.format("[%s] [%s] %s\n", os.date "%Y:%m:%d %H:%M:%S", typ, fmt), ...)
 end
 
 function M.setup(opts)
   M.config = opts.log
   if M.config and M.config.enable and M.config.types then
-    M.path = string.format("%s/nvim-tree-%s-%s.log", vim.fn.stdpath "cache", os.date "%H:%M:%S", vim.env.USER)
+    M.path = string.format("%s/nvim-tree.log", vim.fn.stdpath "cache", os.date "%H:%M:%S", vim.env.USER)
+    if M.config.truncate then
+      os.remove(M.path)
+    end
     print("nvim-tree.lua logging to " .. M.path)
   end
 end