diff --git a/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-control/hyracks-control-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/control/common/controllers/ControllerConfig.java b/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-control/hyracks-control-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/control/common/controllers/ControllerConfig.java
index 07e61ba..79ad71f 100644
--- a/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-control/hyracks-control-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/control/common/controllers/ControllerConfig.java
+++ b/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-control/hyracks-control-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/control/common/controllers/ControllerConfig.java
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
  */
 package org.apache.hyracks.control.common.controllers;
 
+import java.io.File;
 import java.io.Serializable;
 import java.net.URL;
 import java.util.function.Function;
@@ -40,8 +41,8 @@
         CONFIG_FILE_URL(OptionTypes.URL, (URL) null, "Specify URL to master configuration file"),
         DEFAULT_DIR(
                 OptionTypes.STRING,
-                "Directory where files are written to by default",
-                FileUtil.joinPath(System.getProperty(ConfigurationUtil.JAVA_IO_TMPDIR), "hyracks")),
+                FileUtil.joinPath(System.getProperty(ConfigurationUtil.JAVA_IO_TMPDIR), "hyracks"),
+                "Directory where files are written to by default"),
         LOG_DIR(
                 OptionTypes.STRING,
                 (Function<IApplicationConfig, String>) appConfig -> FileUtil
@@ -120,6 +121,8 @@
     }
 
     public String getLogDir() {
-        return configManager.getAppConfig().getString(ControllerConfig.Option.LOG_DIR);
+        String relPath = configManager.getAppConfig().getString(ControllerConfig.Option.LOG_DIR);
+        String fullPath = new File(relPath).getAbsolutePath();
+        return fullPath;
     }
 }
diff --git a/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-control/hyracks-control-nc/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/control/nc/NCLogConfigurationFactory.java b/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-control/hyracks-control-nc/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/control/nc/NCLogConfigurationFactory.java
index 990d6c9..587696c 100644
--- a/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-control/hyracks-control-nc/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/control/nc/NCLogConfigurationFactory.java
+++ b/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-control/hyracks-control-nc/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/control/nc/NCLogConfigurationFactory.java
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 import org.apache.logging.log4j.core.config.builder.api.LayoutComponentBuilder;
 import org.apache.logging.log4j.core.config.builder.impl.BuiltConfiguration;
 
+import java.io.File;
 import java.net.URI;
 
 public class NCLogConfigurationFactory extends ConfigurationFactory {
@@ -41,7 +42,7 @@
 
     public Configuration createConfiguration(ConfigurationBuilder<BuiltConfiguration> builder) {
         String nodeId = config.getNodeId();
-        String logDir = config.getLogDir();
+        File logDir = new File(config.getLogDir());
         builder.setStatusLevel(Level.WARN);
         builder.setConfigurationName("RollingBuilder");
         // create a rolling file appender
@@ -50,10 +51,11 @@
         ComponentBuilder triggeringPolicy = builder.newComponent("Policies")
                 .addComponent(builder.newComponent("CronTriggeringPolicy").addAttribute("schedule", "0 0 0 * * ?"))
                 .addComponent(builder.newComponent("SizeBasedTriggeringPolicy").addAttribute("size", "50M"));
-        AppenderComponentBuilder defaultRoll =
-                builder.newAppender("default", "RollingFile").addAttribute("fileName", logDir + "nc-" + nodeId + ".log")
-                        .addAttribute("filePattern", logDir + "nc-" + nodeId + "-%d{MM-dd-yy}.log.gz")
-                        .add(defaultLayout).addComponent(triggeringPolicy);
+        AppenderComponentBuilder defaultRoll = builder.newAppender("default", "RollingFile")
+                .addAttribute("fileName", new File(logDir, "nc-" + nodeId + ".log").getAbsolutePath())
+                .addAttribute("filePattern",
+                        new File(logDir, "nc-" + nodeId + "-%d{MM-dd-yy}.log.gz").getAbsolutePath())
+                .add(defaultLayout).addComponent(triggeringPolicy);
         builder.add(defaultRoll);
 
         // create the new logger
@@ -61,9 +63,10 @@
 
         LayoutComponentBuilder accessLayout = builder.newLayout("PatternLayout").addAttribute("pattern", "%m%n");
         AppenderComponentBuilder accessRoll = builder.newAppender("access", "RollingFile")
-                .addAttribute("fileName", logDir + "access-" + nodeId + ".log")
-                .addAttribute("filePattern", logDir + "access-" + nodeId + "-%d{MM-dd-yy}.log.gz").add(accessLayout)
-                .addComponent(triggeringPolicy);
+                .addAttribute("fileName", new File(logDir, "access-" + nodeId + ".log").getAbsolutePath())
+                .addAttribute("filePattern",
+                        new File(logDir, "access-" + nodeId + "-%d{MM-dd-yy}.log.gz").getAbsolutePath())
+                .add(accessLayout).addComponent(triggeringPolicy);
         builder.add(accessRoll);
         builder.add(builder.newLogger("org.apache.hyracks.http.server.CLFLogger", Level.forName("ACCESS", 550))
                 .add(builder.newAppenderRef("access")).addAttribute("additivity", false));