diff --git a/core/dbt/cli/flags.py b/core/dbt/cli/flags.py
index e7f8f06d036..3506049ba4b 100644
--- a/core/dbt/cli/flags.py
+++ b/core/dbt/cli/flags.py
@@ -13,8 +13,8 @@
 from dbt.config.profile import read_user_config
 from dbt.contracts.project import UserConfig
 from dbt.helper_types import WarnErrorOptions
-from dbt.config.project import PartialProject
-from dbt.exceptions import DbtProjectError
+from dbt.cli.resolvers import default_project_dir, default_log_path
+
 
 if os.name != "nt":
     # https://bugs.python.org/issue41567
@@ -132,23 +132,9 @@ def assign_params(ctx, params_assigned_from_default):
 
         # Default LOG_PATH from PROJECT_DIR, if available.
         if getattr(self, "LOG_PATH", None) is None:
-            log_path = "logs"
-            project_dir = getattr(self, "PROJECT_DIR", None)
-            # If available, set LOG_PATH from log-path in dbt_project.yml
-            # Known limitations:
-            #  1. Using PartialProject here, so no jinja rendering of log-path.
-            #  2. Programmatic invocations of the cli via dbtRunner may pass a Project object directly,
-            #     which is not being used here to extract log-path.
-            if project_dir:
-                try:
-                    partial = PartialProject.from_project_root(
-                        project_dir, verify_version=getattr(self, "VERSION_CHECK", True)
-                    )
-                    log_path = str(partial.project_dict.get("log-path", log_path))
-                except DbtProjectError:
-                    pass
-
-            object.__setattr__(self, "LOG_PATH", log_path)
+            project_dir = getattr(self, "PROJECT_DIR", default_project_dir())
+            version_check = getattr(self, "VERSION_CHECK", True)
+            object.__setattr__(self, "LOG_PATH", default_log_path(project_dir, version_check))
 
         # Support console DO NOT TRACK initiave
         if os.getenv("DO_NOT_TRACK", "").lower() in ("1", "t", "true", "y", "yes"):
diff --git a/core/dbt/cli/resolvers.py b/core/dbt/cli/resolvers.py
index a1ba148fc27..48ba92c365a 100644
--- a/core/dbt/cli/resolvers.py
+++ b/core/dbt/cli/resolvers.py
@@ -1,11 +1,31 @@
 from pathlib import Path
+from dbt.config.project import PartialProject
+from dbt.exceptions import DbtProjectError
 
 
-def default_project_dir():
+def default_project_dir() -> Path:
     paths = list(Path.cwd().parents)
     paths.insert(0, Path.cwd())
     return next((x for x in paths if (x / "dbt_project.yml").exists()), Path.cwd())
 
 
-def default_profiles_dir():
+def default_profiles_dir() -> Path:
     return Path.cwd() if (Path.cwd() / "profiles.yml").exists() else Path.home() / ".dbt"
+
+
+def default_log_path(project_dir: Path, verify_version: bool = False) -> Path:
+    """If available, derive a default log path from dbt_project.yml. Otherwise, default to "logs".
+    Known limitations:
+    1. Using PartialProject here, so no jinja rendering of log-path.
+    2. Programmatic invocations of the cli via dbtRunner may pass a Project object directly,
+       which is not being taken into consideration here to extract a log-path.
+    """
+    default_log_path = Path("logs")
+    try:
+        partial = PartialProject.from_project_root(str(project_dir), verify_version=verify_version)
+        partial_log_path = partial.project_dict.get("log-path") or default_log_path
+        default_log_path = Path(project_dir) / partial_log_path
+    except DbtProjectError:
+        pass
+
+    return default_log_path
diff --git a/core/dbt/docs/build/doctrees/environment.pickle b/core/dbt/docs/build/doctrees/environment.pickle
index 082c8168167..24041fc88a2 100644
Binary files a/core/dbt/docs/build/doctrees/environment.pickle and b/core/dbt/docs/build/doctrees/environment.pickle differ
diff --git a/tests/functional/cli/test_resolvers.py b/tests/functional/cli/test_resolvers.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..2ce8e17ceba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/functional/cli/test_resolvers.py
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+import pytest
+from dbt.cli.resolvers import default_log_path
+from pathlib import Path
+
+
+class TestDefaultLogPathNoProject:
+    def test_default_log_path_no_project(self):
+        expected_log_path = Path("logs")
+        actual_log_path = default_log_path("nonexistent_project_dir")
+
+        assert actual_log_path == expected_log_path
+
+
+class TestDefaultLogPathWithProject:
+    @pytest.fixture(scope="class")
+    def project_config_update(self):
+        return {"log-path": "test_default_log_path"}
+
+    def test_default_log_path_with_project(self, project, project_config_update):
+        expected_log_path = Path(project.project_root) / "test_default_log_path"
+        actual_log_path = default_log_path(project.project_root)
+
+        assert actual_log_path == expected_log_path
+
+
+class TestDefaultLogPathWithProjectNoConfiguredLogPath:
+    @pytest.fixture(scope="class")
+    def project_config_update(self):
+        return {"log-path": None}
+
+    def test_default_log_path_with_project(self, project, project_config_update):
+        expected_log_path = Path(project.project_root) / "logs"
+        actual_log_path = default_log_path(project.project_root)
+
+        assert actual_log_path == expected_log_path
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_cli_flags.py b/tests/unit/test_cli_flags.py
index 5b10b3f6f08..5df2ab24a88 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_cli_flags.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_cli_flags.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 import click
 from multiprocessing import get_context
+from pathlib import Path
 from typing import List
 
 from dbt.cli.main import cli
@@ -42,7 +43,7 @@ def test_cli_group_flags_from_params(self, run_context, param):
     def test_log_path_default(self, run_context):
         flags = Flags(run_context)
         assert hasattr(flags, "LOG_PATH")
-        assert getattr(flags, "LOG_PATH") == "logs"
+        assert getattr(flags, "LOG_PATH") == Path("logs")
 
     @pytest.mark.parametrize(
         "set_stats_param,do_not_track,expected_anonymous_usage_stats",