diff --git a/source/common/common/logger_delegates.cc b/source/common/common/logger_delegates.cc
index 52975cd22129..1ab47bb0b503 100644
--- a/source/common/common/logger_delegates.cc
+++ b/source/common/common/logger_delegates.cc
@@ -9,14 +9,19 @@
 
 namespace Envoy {
 namespace Logger {
-FileSinkDelegate::FileSinkDelegate(const std::string& log_path,
-                                   AccessLog::AccessLogManager& log_manager,
-                                   DelegatingLogSinkSharedPtr log_sink)
-    : SinkDelegate(log_sink) {
+absl::StatusOr<std::unique_ptr<FileSinkDelegate>>
+FileSinkDelegate::create(const std::string& log_path, AccessLog::AccessLogManager& log_manager,
+                         DelegatingLogSinkSharedPtr log_sink) {
   auto file_or_error = log_manager.createAccessLog(
       Filesystem::FilePathAndType{Filesystem::DestinationType::File, log_path});
-  THROW_IF_NOT_OK_REF(file_or_error.status());
-  log_file_ = file_or_error.value();
+  RETURN_IF_NOT_OK_REF(file_or_error.status());
+  return std::unique_ptr<FileSinkDelegate>(
+      new FileSinkDelegate(std::move(*file_or_error), log_sink));
+}
+
+FileSinkDelegate::FileSinkDelegate(AccessLog::AccessLogFileSharedPtr&& log_file,
+                                   DelegatingLogSinkSharedPtr log_sink)
+    : SinkDelegate(log_sink), log_file_(std::move(log_file)) {
   setDelegate();
 }
 
diff --git a/source/common/common/logger_delegates.h b/source/common/common/logger_delegates.h
index c85d0b1b46a0..1b4659ab1426 100644
--- a/source/common/common/logger_delegates.h
+++ b/source/common/common/logger_delegates.h
@@ -19,14 +19,19 @@ namespace Logger {
  */
 class FileSinkDelegate : public SinkDelegate {
 public:
-  FileSinkDelegate(const std::string& log_path, AccessLog::AccessLogManager& log_manager,
-                   DelegatingLogSinkSharedPtr log_sink);
+  static absl::StatusOr<std::unique_ptr<FileSinkDelegate>>
+  create(const std::string& log_path, AccessLog::AccessLogManager& log_manager,
+         DelegatingLogSinkSharedPtr log_sink);
   ~FileSinkDelegate() override;
 
   // SinkDelegate
   void log(absl::string_view msg, const spdlog::details::log_msg& log_msg) override;
   void flush() override;
 
+protected:
+  FileSinkDelegate(AccessLog::AccessLogFileSharedPtr&& log_file,
+                   DelegatingLogSinkSharedPtr log_sink);
+
 private:
   AccessLog::AccessLogFileSharedPtr log_file_;
 };
diff --git a/source/server/server.cc b/source/server/server.cc
index 7486062863db..89e4980fa4c3 100644
--- a/source/server/server.cc
+++ b/source/server/server.cc
@@ -386,8 +386,10 @@ void InstanceBase::initialize(Network::Address::InstanceConstSharedPtr local_add
                               ComponentFactory& component_factory) {
   std::function set_up_logger = [&] {
     TRY_ASSERT_MAIN_THREAD {
-      file_logger_ = std::make_unique<Logger::FileSinkDelegate>(
-          options_.logPath(), access_log_manager_, Logger::Registry::getSink());
+      file_logger_ = THROW_OR_RETURN_VALUE(
+          Logger::FileSinkDelegate::create(options_.logPath(), access_log_manager_,
+                                           Logger::Registry::getSink()),
+          std::unique_ptr<Logger::FileSinkDelegate>);
     }
     END_TRY
     CATCH(const EnvoyException& e, {
diff --git a/test/test_runner.cc b/test/test_runner.cc
index 0770cfca3a2c..158de9299c73 100644
--- a/test/test_runner.cc
+++ b/test/test_runner.cc
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ int TestRunner::runTests(int argc, char** argv) {
   // However do not redirect to file from death test children as the parent typically
   // looks for specific output in stderr
   if (!TestEnvironment::getOptions().logPath().empty() && !is_death_test_child) {
-    file_logger = std::make_unique<Logger::FileSinkDelegate>(
+    file_logger = *Logger::FileSinkDelegate::create(
         TestEnvironment::getOptions().logPath(), access_log_manager, Logger::Registry::getSink());
   }
 
diff --git a/tools/code_format/config.yaml b/tools/code_format/config.yaml
index be06ac1c392c..0ff97816a6aa 100644
--- a/tools/code_format/config.yaml
+++ b/tools/code_format/config.yaml
@@ -142,7 +142,6 @@ paths:
     - source/common/secret/sds_api.cc
     - source/common/router/router.cc
     - source/common/config/config_provider_impl.h
-    - source/common/common/logger_delegates.cc
     - source/common/grpc/async_client_impl.cc
     - source/common/grpc/google_grpc_creds_impl.cc
     - source/common/local_reply/local_reply.cc