diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index e0e8e1f2..74ebe127 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ Bob versions changelog
 
 
 #### Fixed
+- Fix testmode launch prerequisites (#843)
 
 
 #### Updated
diff --git a/bob-apps/bin/bobd.rs b/bob-apps/bin/bobd.rs
index 5167c47b..b3fefbcf 100755
--- a/bob-apps/bin/bobd.rs
+++ b/bob-apps/bin/bobd.rs
@@ -83,16 +83,9 @@ async fn main() {
         }).expect("Node config parsing error");
 
         check_folders(&node, matches.is_present("init_folders"));
+        initialize_logger(&node, &cluster);
     }
 
-    let mut extra_logstash_fields = HashMap::new();
-    extra_logstash_fields.insert("node_name".to_string(), serde_json::Value::String(node.name().to_string()));
-    if let Some(cluster_node_info) = cluster.nodes().iter().find(|item| item.name() == node.name()) {
-        extra_logstash_fields.insert("node_address".to_string(), serde_json::Value::String(cluster_node_info.address().to_string()));
-    }
-    log4rs::init_file(node.log_config(), log4rs::config::Deserializers::default().with_logstash_extra(extra_logstash_fields))
-        .expect("can't find log config");
-
     let mut mapper = VirtualMapper::new(&node, &cluster);
 
     let bind = node.bind();
@@ -198,9 +191,15 @@ fn configure_testmode(sub_matches: &ArgMatches) -> AnyResult<(ClusterConfig, Nod
         addresses.push(format!("127.0.0.1:{port}"))
     }
     let this_node_index = this_node.ok_or(anyhow!("current node address not found"))?;
-    let cluster = ClusterConfig::get_testmode(
-        sub_matches.value_of("data").unwrap_or(format!("data_{this_node_index}").as_str()).to_string(),
-        addresses)?;
+    let dir = match sub_matches.value_of("data") {
+        Some(d) => d.to_string(),
+        None => {
+            let dir = format!("data_{this_node_index}");
+            create_dir(&dir)?;
+            dir
+        },
+    };
+    let cluster = ClusterConfig::get_testmode(dir, addresses)?;
     let http_api_port = match sub_matches.value_of("restapi-port") {
         Some(v) => Some(v.parse().context("could not parse --restapi-port")?),
         None => None
@@ -344,6 +343,16 @@ fn spawn_signal_handler<A: Authenticator, TFut: futures::Future<Output = &'stati
     });
 }
 
+fn initialize_logger(node: &NodeConfig, cluster: &ClusterConfig) {
+    let mut extra_logstash_fields = HashMap::new();
+    extra_logstash_fields.insert("node_name".to_string(), serde_json::Value::String(node.name().to_string()));
+    if let Some(cluster_node_info) = cluster.nodes().iter().find(|item| item.name() == node.name()) {
+        extra_logstash_fields.insert("node_address".to_string(), serde_json::Value::String(cluster_node_info.address().to_string()));
+    }
+    log4rs::init_file(node.log_config(), log4rs::config::Deserializers::default().with_logstash_extra(extra_logstash_fields))
+        .expect("can't find log config");
+}
+
 fn check_folders(node: &NodeConfig, init_flag: bool) {
     if let BackendType::Pearl = node.backend_type() {
         let root_dir = node.pearl().settings().root_dir_name();