diff --git a/src/app/qgisapp.cpp b/src/app/qgisapp.cpp
index 7560d39fbe48..8bbf8eb25c81 100644
--- a/src/app/qgisapp.cpp
+++ b/src/app/qgisapp.cpp
@@ -1298,8 +1298,8 @@ QgisApp::QgisApp( QSplashScreen *splash, bool restorePlugins, bool skipVersionCh
   addDockWidget( Qt::BottomDockWidgetArea, mLogDock );
   mLogDock->setWidget( mLogViewer );
   mLogDock->hide();
-  connect( mMessageButton, &QAbstractButton::toggled, mLogDock, &QWidget::setVisible );
-  connect( mLogDock, &QDockWidget::visibilityChanged, mMessageButton, &QAbstractButton::setChecked );
+  connect( mMessageButton, &QAbstractButton::toggled, mLogDock, &QgsDockWidget::setUserVisible );
+  connect( mLogDock, &QgsDockWidget::visibilityChanged, mMessageButton, &QAbstractButton::setChecked );
   connect( QgsApplication::messageLog(), static_cast < void ( QgsMessageLog::* )( bool ) >( &QgsMessageLog::messageReceived ), this, &QgisApp::toggleLogMessageIcon );
   connect( mMessageButton, &QAbstractButton::toggled, this, &QgisApp::toggleLogMessageIcon );
   mVectorLayerTools = new QgsGuiVectorLayerTools();
@@ -4687,7 +4687,7 @@ void QgisApp::toggleLogMessageIcon( bool hasLogMessage )
 
 void QgisApp::openMessageLog()
 {
-  mMessageButton->setChecked( true );
+  mLogDock->setUserVisible( true );
 }
 
 void QgisApp::addUserInputWidget( QWidget *widget )