diff --git a/include/spdlog/sinks/rotating_file_sink.h b/include/spdlog/sinks/rotating_file_sink.h
index 87784f1b..ae0f70f6 100644
--- a/include/spdlog/sinks/rotating_file_sink.h
+++ b/include/spdlog/sinks/rotating_file_sink.h
@@ -31,13 +31,17 @@ template<typename Mutex>
 class rotating_file_sink final : public base_sink<Mutex>
 {
 public:
-    rotating_file_sink(filename_t base_filename, std::size_t max_size, std::size_t max_files)
+    rotating_file_sink(filename_t base_filename, std::size_t max_size, std::size_t max_files, bool rotate_on_open=false)
         : base_filename_(std::move(base_filename))
         , max_size_(max_size)
         , max_files_(max_files)
     {
         file_helper_.open(calc_filename(base_filename_, 0));
         current_size_ = file_helper_.size(); // expensive. called only once
+        if (rotate_on_open && current_size_ > 0)
+        {
+            rotate_();
+        }
     }
 
     // calc filename according to index and file extension if exists.
@@ -146,15 +150,15 @@ using rotating_file_sink_st = rotating_file_sink<details::null_mutex>;
 
 template<typename Factory = default_factory>
 inline std::shared_ptr<logger> rotating_logger_mt(
-    const std::string &logger_name, const filename_t &filename, size_t max_file_size, size_t max_files)
+    const std::string &logger_name, const filename_t &filename, size_t max_file_size, size_t max_files, bool rotate_on_open=false)
 {
-    return Factory::template create<sinks::rotating_file_sink_mt>(logger_name, filename, max_file_size, max_files);
+    return Factory::template create<sinks::rotating_file_sink_mt>(logger_name, filename, max_file_size, max_files, rotate_on_open);
 }
 
 template<typename Factory = default_factory>
 inline std::shared_ptr<logger> rotating_logger_st(
-    const std::string &logger_name, const filename_t &filename, size_t max_file_size, size_t max_files)
+    const std::string &logger_name, const filename_t &filename, size_t max_file_size, size_t max_files, bool rotate_on_open = false)
 {
-    return Factory::template create<sinks::rotating_file_sink_st>(logger_name, filename, max_file_size, max_files);
+    return Factory::template create<sinks::rotating_file_sink_st>(logger_name, filename, max_file_size, max_files, rotate_on_open);
 }
 } // namespace spdlog
diff --git a/tests/test_file_logging.cpp b/tests/test_file_logging.cpp
index c5886f5f..dd0c8999 100644
--- a/tests/test_file_logging.cpp
+++ b/tests/test_file_logging.cpp
@@ -60,7 +60,20 @@ TEST_CASE("rotating_file_logger2", "[rotating_logger]]")
     prepare_logdir();
     size_t max_size = 1024 * 10;
     std::string basename = "logs/rotating_log";
-    auto logger = spdlog::rotating_logger_mt("logger", basename, max_size, 1);
+
+    {
+        // make an initial logger to create the first output file
+        auto logger = spdlog::rotating_logger_mt("logger", basename, max_size, 2, true);
+        for (int i = 0; i < 10; ++i)
+        {
+            logger->info("Test message {}", i);
+        }
+        // drop causes the logger destructor to be called, which is required so the
+        // next logger can rename the first output file. 
+        spdlog::drop(logger->name());
+    }
+
+    auto logger = spdlog::rotating_logger_mt("logger", basename, max_size, 2, true);
     for (int i = 0; i < 10; ++i)
     {
         logger->info("Test message {}", i);