diff --git a/api/runner/runner.go b/api/runner/runner.go
index fad4ef251..228158ac6 100644
--- a/api/runner/runner.go
+++ b/api/runner/runner.go
@@ -172,9 +172,8 @@ func (r *Runner) run(ctx context.Context, cfg *task.Config) (drivers.RunResult,
 		cfg.Memory = 128
 	}
 
-	cfg.Stderr = r.flog.Writer(ctx, cfg.AppName, cfg.Path, cfg.Image, cfg.ID)
-	defer cfg.Stderr.Close() // TODO we should prob log this err but hey
 	if cfg.Stdout == nil {
+		// TODO why? async?
 		cfg.Stdout = cfg.Stderr
 	}
 
diff --git a/api/runner/worker.go b/api/runner/worker.go
index 7c7e0c1e3..c0be3f740 100644
--- a/api/runner/worker.go
+++ b/api/runner/worker.go
@@ -255,16 +255,46 @@ func newhtfn(cfg *task.Config, tasks <-chan task.Request, rnr *Runner, once func
 	}
 }
 
+// ghostWriter is a writer who will pass writes to an inner writer
+// (that may be changed at will).
+type ghostWriter struct {
+	sync.Mutex
+	inner io.Writer
+}
+
+func (g *ghostWriter) swap(w io.Writer) {
+	g.Lock()
+	g.inner = w
+	g.Unlock()
+}
+
+func (g *ghostWriter) Write(b []byte) (int, error) {
+	// we don't need to serialize writes but swapping g.inner could be a race if unprotected
+	g.Lock()
+	w := g.inner
+	g.Unlock()
+	return w.Write(b)
+}
+
+func (g *ghostWriter) Close() error { return nil }
+
 func (hc *htfn) serve(ctx context.Context) {
-	lctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(ctx)
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(ctx)
 	defer cancel()
 	cfg := *hc.cfg
 	logger := logrus.WithFields(logrus.Fields{"hot_id": hc.id, "app": cfg.AppName, "route": cfg.Path, "image": cfg.Image, "memory": cfg.Memory, "format": cfg.Format, "idle_timeout": cfg.IdleTimeout})
 
+	// TODO go through FuncLogger probably
+	// if there's no active call, log any errors to stderr (for debugging issues)
+	bwLog := newLineWriter(&logWriter{ctx: ctx, appName: cfg.AppName, path: cfg.Path, image: cfg.Image, reqID: hc.id})
+	defer bwLog.Close()
+
+	stderr := &ghostWriter{inner: bwLog}
+
 	go func() {
 		for {
 			select {
-			case <-lctx.Done():
+			case <-ctx.Done():
 			case <-cfg.Ready:
 				// on first execution, wait before starting idle timeout / stopping wait time clock,
 				// since docker pull / container create need to happen.
@@ -272,21 +302,28 @@ func (hc *htfn) serve(ctx context.Context) {
 			}
 
 			select {
-			case <-lctx.Done():
+			case <-ctx.Done():
 				return
 			case <-time.After(cfg.IdleTimeout):
 				logger.Info("Canceling inactive hot function")
 				cancel()
 			case t := <-hc.tasks:
+				// swap logs to log to the task logger instead of stderr
+				tlog := hc.rnr.flog.Writer(ctx, cfg.AppName, cfg.Path, cfg.Image, cfg.ID)
+				stderr.swap(tlog)
+
 				start := time.Now()
-				err := hc.proto.Dispatch(lctx, t)
+				err := hc.proto.Dispatch(ctx, t)
 				status := "success"
 				if err != nil {
 					status = "error"
-					logrus.WithField("ctx", lctx).Info("task failed")
+					logrus.WithField("ctx", ctx).Info("task failed")
 				}
 				hc.once()
 
+				stderr.swap(bwLog) // swap back out before flush
+				tlog.Close()       // write to db/flush
+
 				t.Response <- task.Response{
 					Result: &runResult{start: start, status: status, error: err},
 					Err:    err,
@@ -299,9 +336,9 @@ func (hc *htfn) serve(ctx context.Context) {
 	cfg.Timeout = 0 // add a timeout to simulate ab.end. failure.
 	cfg.Stdin = hc.containerIn
 	cfg.Stdout = hc.containerOut
-	// NOTE: cfg.Stderr is overwritten in rnr.Run()
+	cfg.Stderr = stderr
 
-	result, err := hc.rnr.run(lctx, &cfg)
+	result, err := hc.rnr.run(ctx, &cfg)
 	if err != nil {
 		logger.WithError(err).Error("hot function failure detected")
 	}
@@ -310,6 +347,11 @@ func (hc *htfn) serve(ctx context.Context) {
 
 // TODO make Default protocol a real thing and get rid of this in favor of Dispatch
 func runTaskReq(rnr *Runner, t task.Request) {
+	// TODO this will not be such a shit storm after the above TODO is TODONE
+	cfg := t.Config
+	t.Config.Stderr = rnr.flog.Writer(t.Ctx, cfg.AppName, cfg.Path, cfg.Image, cfg.ID)
+	defer t.Config.Stderr.Close()
+
 	result, err := rnr.run(t.Ctx, t.Config)
 	select {
 	case t.Response <- task.Response{result, err}: