@@ -330,6 +330,15 @@ func (s *journald) readLogs(logWatcher *logger.LogWatcher, config logger.ReadCon

 		close(logWatcher.Msg)

 		return

 	}

+	if config.Follow {

+		// Initialize library inotify watches early

+		rc = C.sd_journal_get_fd(j)

+		if rc < 0 {

+			logWatcher.Err <- errors.New("error getting journald fd: " + CErr(rc))

+			close(logWatcher.Msg)

+			return

+		}

+	}

 	// If we end up following the log, we can set the journal context

 	// pointer and the channel pointer to nil so that we won't close them

 	// here, potentially while the goroutine that uses them is still

@@ -402,21 +411,16 @@ func (s *journald) readLogs(logWatcher *logger.LogWatcher, config logger.ReadCon

 	}

 	cursor, _ = s.drainJournal(logWatcher, j, nil, untilUnixMicro)

 	if config.Follow {

-		// Allocate a descriptor for following the journal, if we'll

-		// need one.  Do it here so that we can report if it fails.

-		if fd := C.sd_journal_get_fd(j); fd < C.int(0) {

-			logWatcher.Err <- fmt.Errorf("error opening journald follow descriptor: %q", C.GoString(C.strerror(-fd)))

+		// Create a pipe that we can poll at the same time as

+		// the journald descriptor.

+		ret := C.pipe(&pipes[0])

+		if ret < 0 {

+			logWatcher.Err <- fmt.Errorf("error creating journald notification pipe")

 		} else {

-			// Create a pipe that we can poll at the same time as

-			// the journald descriptor.

-			if C.pipe(&pipes[0]) == C.int(-1) {

-				logWatcher.Err <- fmt.Errorf("error opening journald close notification pipe")

-			} else {

-				cursor = s.followJournal(logWatcher, j, pipes, cursor, untilUnixMicro)

-				// Let followJournal handle freeing the journal context

-				// object and closing the channel.

-				following = true

-			}

+			cursor = s.followJournal(logWatcher, j, pipes, cursor, untilUnixMicro)

+			// Let followJournal handle freeing the journal context

+			// object and closing the channel.

+			following = true

 		}

 	}