diff --git a/builtin/audit/file/backend.go b/builtin/audit/file/backend.go
index 0b05b0a3d3dc..4f39cc7bfb8f 100644
--- a/builtin/audit/file/backend.go
+++ b/builtin/audit/file/backend.go
@@ -159,6 +159,18 @@ func (b *Backend) LogRequest(auth *logical.Auth, req *logical.Request, outerErr
 		return err
 	}
 
+	if err := b.formatter.FormatRequest(b.f, b.formatConfig, auth, req, outerErr); err == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	// Opportunistically try to re-open the FD, once per call
+	b.f.Close()
+	b.f = nil
+
+	if err := b.open(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	return b.formatter.FormatRequest(b.f, b.formatConfig, auth, req, outerErr)
 }
 
@@ -175,6 +187,18 @@ func (b *Backend) LogResponse(
 		return err
 	}
 
+	if err := b.formatter.FormatResponse(b.f, b.formatConfig, auth, req, resp, err); err == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	// Opportunistically try to re-open the FD, once per call
+	b.f.Close()
+	b.f = nil
+
+	if err := b.open(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	return b.formatter.FormatResponse(b.f, b.formatConfig, auth, req, resp, err)
 }