diff --git a/cmdlets/init/init.go b/cmdlets/init/init.go
index 46883c5..b05d355 100644
--- a/cmdlets/init/init.go
+++ b/cmdlets/init/init.go
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ func Theme(cfg config.HlwmConfig) {
 }
 
 func SetRules() {
-	sFmt := "windowtype~\"_NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE_%s\""
+	sFmt := "windowtype~_NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE_%s"
 	logError(hlcl.Rule("focus=on"))
 	logError(hlcl.Rule("floatplacement=smart"))
 	logError(hlcl.Rule("fixedsize", "floating=on"))
@@ -288,10 +288,6 @@ func (command) Invoke(args ...string) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("setting cfg values to hlwm: %s", err)
 	}
 
-	if err := hlcl.Lock(); err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed lock: %w", err)
-	}
-
 	exec.Command("xsetroot", "-solid", "black").Run()
 	logError(hlcl.KeyUnbind())
 
diff --git a/ctllog/log.go b/ctllog/log.go
index 2a7b304..ca87bce 100644
--- a/ctllog/log.go
+++ b/ctllog/log.go
@@ -2,11 +2,31 @@ package ctllog
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"io"
 	"os"
 	"runtime/debug"
 	"strings"
 )
 
+var (
+	logfile io.Writer
+)
+
+func init() {
+	if os.Getenv("debug") == "true" {
+		path := fmt.Sprintf("%s/.hlctl.log", os.Getenv("HOME"))
+		file, err := os.Create(path)
+		if err != nil {
+			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "Could not open [%s] for logging: %s\n", path, err)
+			fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "Defaulting to stderr")
+			logfile = os.Stderr
+		}
+		logfile = file
+	} else {
+		logfile = os.Stderr
+	}
+}
+
 type Logger struct {
 	coloredName string
 }
@@ -24,7 +44,7 @@ func (l Logger) print(str string) {
 		lines[i] = fmt.Sprintf("%s: %s", l.coloredName, line)
 	}
 	str = strings.Join(lines, "\n")
-	fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, str)
+	fmt.Fprintln(logfile, str)
 }
 
 func (l Logger) colored(color ColorRGB, args ...any) {
diff --git a/hlcl/herbstclient.go b/hlcl/herbstclient.go
index 69c0eb6..2dd5953 100644
--- a/hlcl/herbstclient.go
+++ b/hlcl/herbstclient.go
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ var log = ctllog.Logger{}.New("hlcl", ctllog.Purple)
 
 func runGeneric(command string, stdin string, args ...string) (string, error) {
 	cmd := exec.Command(command, args...)
-	// log.Printf("Running command [%s] with args: %v", command, args)
+	log.Printf("Running command [%s] with args: %v", command, args)
 	var stdout, stderr = bytes.Buffer{}, bytes.Buffer{}
 	cmd.Stderr = &stderr
 	cmd.Stdout = &stdout