diff --git a/daemon/libvirtd-config.c b/daemon/libvirtd-config.c
index e8d1b4d50d..cff2a7ed1c 100644
--- a/daemon/libvirtd-config.c
+++ b/daemon/libvirtd-config.c
@@ -268,8 +268,6 @@ daemonConfigNew(bool privileged ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED)
     data->max_requests = 20;
     data->max_client_requests = 5;
 
-    data->log_buffer_size = 64;
-
     data->audit_level = 1;
     data->audit_logging = 0;
 
@@ -433,7 +431,6 @@ daemonConfigLoadOptions(struct daemonConfig *data,
     GET_CONF_INT(conf, filename, log_level);
     GET_CONF_STR(conf, filename, log_filters);
     GET_CONF_STR(conf, filename, log_outputs);
-    GET_CONF_INT(conf, filename, log_buffer_size);
 
     GET_CONF_INT(conf, filename, keepalive_interval);
     GET_CONF_INT(conf, filename, keepalive_count);
diff --git a/daemon/libvirtd-config.h b/daemon/libvirtd-config.h
index 8d3d085ae2..c9969955b8 100644
--- a/daemon/libvirtd-config.h
+++ b/daemon/libvirtd-config.h
@@ -74,7 +74,6 @@ struct daemonConfig {
     int log_level;
     char *log_filters;
     char *log_outputs;
-    int log_buffer_size;
 
     int audit_level;
     int audit_logging;
diff --git a/daemon/libvirtd.c b/daemon/libvirtd.c
index 4ee4316fb4..4179147e50 100644
--- a/daemon/libvirtd.c
+++ b/daemon/libvirtd.c
@@ -662,8 +662,6 @@ daemonSetupLogging(struct daemonConfig *config,
 
     virLogSetFromEnv();
 
-    virLogSetBufferSize(config->log_buffer_size);
-
     if (virLogGetNbFilters() == 0)
         virLogParseFilters(config->log_filters);
 
diff --git a/daemon/libvirtd.conf b/daemon/libvirtd.conf
index 64c215d6c3..aeba11d77c 100644
--- a/daemon/libvirtd.conf
+++ b/daemon/libvirtd.conf
@@ -349,11 +349,11 @@
 #log_outputs="3:syslog:libvirtd"
 #
 
-# Log debug buffer size: default 64
-# The daemon keeps an internal debug log buffer which will be dumped in case
-# of crash or upon receiving a SIGUSR2 signal. This setting allows to override
-# the default buffer size in kilobytes.
-# If value is 0 or less the debug log buffer is deactivated
+# Log debug buffer size:
+#
+# This configuration option is no longer used, since the global
+# log buffer functionality has been removed. Please configure
+# suitable log_outputs/log_filters settings to obtain logs.
 #log_buffer_size = 64
 
 
diff --git a/docs/logging.html.in b/docs/logging.html.in
index a8cb53846e..d8d8f1e899 100644
--- a/docs/logging.html.in
+++ b/docs/logging.html.in
@@ -38,12 +38,6 @@
           all messages to a debugging file but only allow errors to be
           logged through syslog.</li>
     </ul>
-    <p>Note that the logging module saves all logs to a <b>debug buffer</b>
-       filled in a round-robin fashion as to keep a full log of the
-       recent logs including all debug. The debug buffer can be resized
-       or deactivated in the daemon using the log_buffer_size variable,
-       default is 64 kB. This can be used when debugging the library
-       (see the virLogBuffer variable content).</p>
 
     <h2>
       <a name="log_config">Configuring logging in the library</a>
@@ -245,9 +239,5 @@ log_outputs="1:file:/var/log/libvirt/libvirtd.log"</pre>
     <p>in libvirtd.conf and restart the daemon will allow to
     gather a copious amount of debugging traces for the operations done
     in those areas.</p>
-    <p>On the other hand to deactivate the logbuffer in the daemon
-    for stable high load servers, set</p>
-    <pre>log_buffer_size=0</pre>
-    <p>in the libvirtd.conf.</p>
   </body>
 </html>
diff --git a/src/libvirt_private.syms b/src/libvirt_private.syms
index aaaac2f73b..3baf766bf8 100644
--- a/src/libvirt_private.syms
+++ b/src/libvirt_private.syms
@@ -1448,7 +1448,6 @@ virLockSpaceReleaseResourcesForOwner;
 # util/virlog.h
 virLogDefineFilter;
 virLogDefineOutput;
-virLogEmergencyDumpAll;
 virLogGetDefaultPriority;
 virLogGetFilters;
 virLogGetNbFilters;
@@ -1462,7 +1461,6 @@ virLogParseOutputs;
 virLogPriorityFromSyslog;
 virLogProbablyLogMessage;
 virLogReset;
-virLogSetBufferSize;
 virLogSetDefaultPriority;
 virLogSetFromEnv;
 virLogUnlock;
diff --git a/src/locking/lock_daemon.c b/src/locking/lock_daemon.c
index 35d3090eab..dbec7161b0 100644
--- a/src/locking/lock_daemon.c
+++ b/src/locking/lock_daemon.c
@@ -478,8 +478,6 @@ virLockDaemonSetupLogging(virLockDaemonConfigPtr config,
 
     virLogSetFromEnv();
 
-    virLogSetBufferSize(config->log_buffer_size);
-
     if (virLogGetNbFilters() == 0)
         virLogParseFilters(config->log_filters);
 
diff --git a/src/locking/lock_daemon_config.c b/src/locking/lock_daemon_config.c
index e90d87908b..42abc56558 100644
--- a/src/locking/lock_daemon_config.c
+++ b/src/locking/lock_daemon_config.c
@@ -115,7 +115,6 @@ virLockDaemonConfigNew(bool privileged ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED)
     if (VIR_ALLOC(data) < 0)
         return NULL;
 
-    data->log_buffer_size = 64;
     data->max_clients = 1024;
 
     return data;
@@ -141,7 +140,6 @@ virLockDaemonConfigLoadOptions(virLockDaemonConfigPtr data,
     GET_CONF_INT(conf, filename, log_level);
     GET_CONF_STR(conf, filename, log_filters);
     GET_CONF_STR(conf, filename, log_outputs);
-    GET_CONF_INT(conf, filename, log_buffer_size);
     GET_CONF_INT(conf, filename, max_clients);
 
     return 0;
diff --git a/src/locking/lock_daemon_config.h b/src/locking/lock_daemon_config.h
index e75d4a9ed3..1c79a4e591 100644
--- a/src/locking/lock_daemon_config.h
+++ b/src/locking/lock_daemon_config.h
@@ -33,7 +33,6 @@ struct _virLockDaemonConfig {
     int log_level;
     char *log_filters;
     char *log_outputs;
-    int log_buffer_size;
     int max_clients;
 };
 
diff --git a/src/locking/virtlockd.conf b/src/locking/virtlockd.conf
index 652e15604d..4c935d0a2c 100644
--- a/src/locking/virtlockd.conf
+++ b/src/locking/virtlockd.conf
@@ -52,11 +52,11 @@
 #log_outputs="3:syslog:virtlockd"
 #
 
-# Log debug buffer size: default 64
-# The daemon keeps an internal debug log buffer which will be dumped in case
-# of crash or upon receiving a SIGUSR2 signal. This setting allows to override
-# the default buffer size in kilobytes.
-# If value is 0 or less the debug log buffer is deactivated
+# Log debug buffer size:
+#
+# This configuration option is no longer used, since the global
+# log buffer functionality has been removed. Please configure
+# suitable log_outputs/log_filters settings to obtain logs.
 #log_buffer_size = 64
 
 # The maximum number of concurrent client connections to allow
diff --git a/src/rpc/virnetserver.c b/src/rpc/virnetserver.c
index e672755c12..cea2b2317b 100644
--- a/src/rpc/virnetserver.c
+++ b/src/rpc/virnetserver.c
@@ -341,34 +341,6 @@ static int virNetServerDispatchNewClient(virNetServerServicePtr svc,
 }
 
 
-static void
-virNetServerFatalSignal(int sig, siginfo_t *siginfo ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED,
-                        void *context ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED)
-{
-    struct sigaction sig_action;
-    int origerrno;
-
-    origerrno = errno;
-    virLogEmergencyDumpAll(sig);
-
-    /*
-     * If the signal is fatal, avoid looping over this handler
-     * by deactivating it
-     */
-#ifdef SIGUSR2
-    if (sig != SIGUSR2) {
-#endif
-        memset(&sig_action, 0, sizeof(sig_action));
-        sig_action.sa_handler = SIG_DFL;
-        sigaction(sig, &sig_action, NULL);
-        raise(sig);
-#ifdef SIGUSR2
-    }
-#endif
-    errno = origerrno;
-}
-
-
 virNetServerPtr virNetServerNew(size_t min_workers,
                                 size_t max_workers,
                                 size_t priority_workers,
@@ -429,23 +401,6 @@ virNetServerPtr virNetServerNew(size_t min_workers,
     sig_action.sa_handler = SIG_IGN;
     sigaction(SIGPIPE, &sig_action, NULL);
 
-    /*
-     * catch fatal errors to dump a log, also hook to USR2 for dynamic
-     * debugging purposes or testing
-     */
-    sig_action.sa_sigaction = virNetServerFatalSignal;
-    sig_action.sa_flags = SA_SIGINFO;
-    sigaction(SIGFPE, &sig_action, NULL);
-    sigaction(SIGSEGV, &sig_action, NULL);
-    sigaction(SIGILL, &sig_action, NULL);
-    sigaction(SIGABRT, &sig_action, NULL);
-#ifdef SIGBUS
-    sigaction(SIGBUS, &sig_action, NULL);
-#endif
-#ifdef SIGUSR2
-    sigaction(SIGUSR2, &sig_action, NULL);
-#endif
-
     return srv;
 
 error:
diff --git a/src/util/virlog.c b/src/util/virlog.c
index 21b82da667..5d4d3c7ee3 100644
--- a/src/util/virlog.c
+++ b/src/util/virlog.c
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@
 #include <sys/stat.h>
 #include <fcntl.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
-#include <signal.h>
 #include <execinfo.h>
 #include <regex.h>
 #if HAVE_SYSLOG_H
@@ -62,15 +61,6 @@
 
 VIR_LOG_INIT("util.log");
 
-/*
- * A logging buffer to keep some history over logs
- */
-
-static int virLogSize = 64 * 1024;
-static char *virLogBuffer = NULL;
-static int virLogLen = 0;
-static int virLogStart = 0;
-static int virLogEnd = 0;
 static regex_t *virLogRegex = NULL;
 
 
@@ -194,29 +184,10 @@ virLogPriorityString(virLogPriority lvl)
 static int
 virLogOnceInit(void)
 {
-    const char *pbm = NULL;
-
     if (virMutexInit(&virLogMutex) < 0)
         return -1;
 
     virLogLock();
-    if (VIR_ALLOC_N_QUIET(virLogBuffer, virLogSize + 1) < 0) {
-        /*
-         * The debug buffer is not a critical component, allow startup
-         * even in case of failure to allocate it in case of a
-         * configuration mistake.
-         */
-        virLogSize = 64 * 1024;
-        if (VIR_ALLOC_N_QUIET(virLogBuffer, virLogSize + 1) < 0) {
-            pbm = "Failed to allocate debug buffer: deactivating debug log\n";
-            virLogSize = 0;
-        } else {
-            pbm = "Failed to allocate debug buffer: reduced to 64 kB\n";
-        }
-    }
-    virLogLen = 0;
-    virLogStart = 0;
-    virLogEnd = 0;
     virLogDefaultPriority = VIR_LOG_DEFAULT;
 
     if (VIR_ALLOC_QUIET(virLogRegex) >= 0) {
@@ -225,73 +196,12 @@ virLogOnceInit(void)
     }
 
     virLogUnlock();
-    if (pbm)
-        VIR_WARN("%s", pbm);
     return 0;
 }
 
 VIR_ONCE_GLOBAL_INIT(virLog)
 
 
-/**
- * virLogSetBufferSize:
- * @size: size of the buffer in kilobytes or <= 0 to deactivate
- *
- * Dynamically set the size or deactivate the logging buffer used to keep
- * a trace of all recent debug output. Note that the content of the buffer
- * is lost if it gets reallocated.
- *
- * Return -1 in case of failure or 0 in case of success
- */
-int
-virLogSetBufferSize(int size)
-{
-    int ret = 0;
-    int oldsize;
-    char *oldLogBuffer;
-    const char *pbm = NULL;
-
-    if (size < 0)
-        size = 0;
-
-    if (virLogInitialize() < 0)
-        return -1;
-
-    if (size * 1024 == virLogSize)
-        return ret;
-
-    virLogLock();
-
-    oldsize = virLogSize;
-    oldLogBuffer = virLogBuffer;
-
-    if (INT_MAX / 1024 <= size) {
-        pbm = "Requested log size of %d kB too large\n";
-        ret = -1;
-        goto error;
-    }
-
-    virLogSize = size * 1024;
-    if (VIR_ALLOC_N_QUIET(virLogBuffer, virLogSize + 1) < 0) {
-        pbm = "Failed to allocate debug buffer of %d kB\n";
-        virLogBuffer = oldLogBuffer;
-        virLogSize = oldsize;
-        ret = -1;
-        goto error;
-    }
-    VIR_FREE(oldLogBuffer);
-    virLogLen = 0;
-    virLogStart = 0;
-    virLogEnd = 0;
-
-error:
-    virLogUnlock();
-    if (pbm)
-        VIR_ERROR(pbm, size);
-    return ret;
-}
-
-
 /**
  * virLogReset:
  *
@@ -308,172 +218,11 @@ virLogReset(void)
     virLogLock();
     virLogResetFilters();
     virLogResetOutputs();
-    virLogLen = 0;
-    virLogStart = 0;
-    virLogEnd = 0;
     virLogDefaultPriority = VIR_LOG_DEFAULT;
     virLogUnlock();
     return 0;
 }
 
-
-/*
- * Store a string in the ring buffer
- */
-static void
-virLogStr(const char *str)
-{
-    int tmp;
-    int len;
-
-    if ((str == NULL) || (virLogBuffer == NULL) || (virLogSize <= 0))
-        return;
-    len = strlen(str);
-    if (len >= virLogSize)
-        return;
-
-    /*
-     * copy the data and reset the end, we cycle over the end of the buffer
-     */
-    if (virLogEnd + len >= virLogSize) {
-        tmp = virLogSize - virLogEnd;
-        memcpy(&virLogBuffer[virLogEnd], str, tmp);
-        memcpy(&virLogBuffer[0], &str[tmp], len - tmp);
-        virLogEnd = len - tmp;
-    } else {
-        memcpy(&virLogBuffer[virLogEnd], str, len);
-        virLogEnd += len;
-    }
-    virLogBuffer[virLogEnd] = 0;
-    /*
-     * Update the log length, and if full move the start index
-     */
-    virLogLen += len;
-    if (virLogLen > virLogSize) {
-        tmp = virLogLen - virLogSize;
-        virLogLen = virLogSize;
-        virLogStart += tmp;
-        if (virLogStart >= virLogSize)
-            virLogStart -= virLogSize;
-    }
-}
-
-
-static void
-virLogDumpAllFD(const char *msg, int len)
-{
-    size_t i;
-    bool found = false;
-
-    if (len <= 0)
-        len = strlen(msg);
-
-    for (i = 0; i < virLogNbOutputs; i++) {
-        if (virLogOutputs[i].f == virLogOutputToFd) {
-            int fd = (intptr_t) virLogOutputs[i].data;
-
-            if (fd >= 0) {
-                ignore_value(safewrite(fd, msg, len));
-                found = true;
-            }
-        }
-    }
-    if (!found)
-        ignore_value(safewrite(STDERR_FILENO, msg, len));
-}
-
-
-/**
- * virLogEmergencyDumpAll:
- * @signum: the signal number
- *
- * Emergency function called, possibly from a signal handler.
- * It need to output the debug ring buffer through the log
- * output which are safe to use from a signal handler.
- * In case none is found it is emitted to standard error.
- */
-void
-virLogEmergencyDumpAll(int signum)
-{
-    int len;
-    int oldLogStart, oldLogLen;
-
-    switch (signum) {
-#ifdef SIGFPE
-        case SIGFPE:
-            virLogDumpAllFD("Caught signal Floating-point exception", -1);
-            break;
-#endif
-#ifdef SIGSEGV
-        case SIGSEGV:
-            virLogDumpAllFD("Caught Segmentation violation", -1);
-            break;
-#endif
-#ifdef SIGILL
-        case SIGILL:
-            virLogDumpAllFD("Caught illegal instruction", -1);
-            break;
-#endif
-#ifdef SIGABRT
-        case SIGABRT:
-            virLogDumpAllFD("Caught abort signal", -1);
-            break;
-#endif
-#ifdef SIGBUS
-        case SIGBUS:
-            virLogDumpAllFD("Caught bus error", -1);
-            break;
-#endif
-#ifdef SIGUSR2
-        case SIGUSR2:
-            virLogDumpAllFD("Caught User-defined signal 2", -1);
-            break;
-#endif
-        default:
-            virLogDumpAllFD("Caught unexpected signal", -1);
-            break;
-    }
-    if ((virLogBuffer == NULL) || (virLogSize <= 0)) {
-        virLogDumpAllFD(" internal log buffer deactivated\n", -1);
-        return;
-    }
-
-    virLogDumpAllFD(" dumping internal log buffer:\n", -1);
-    virLogDumpAllFD("\n\n    ====== start of log =====\n\n", -1);
-
-    /*
-     * Since we can't lock the buffer safely from a signal handler
-     * we mark it as empty in case of concurrent access, and proceed
-     * with the data, at worse we will output something a bit weird
-     * if another thread start logging messages at the same time.
-     * Note that virLogStr() uses virLogEnd for the computations and
-     * writes to the buffer and only then updates virLogLen and virLogStart
-     * so it's best to reset it first.
-     */
-    oldLogStart = virLogStart;
-    oldLogLen = virLogLen;
-    virLogEnd = 0;
-    virLogLen = 0;
-    virLogStart = 0;
-
-    while (oldLogLen > 0) {
-        if (oldLogStart + oldLogLen < virLogSize) {
-            virLogBuffer[oldLogStart + oldLogLen] = 0;
-            virLogDumpAllFD(&virLogBuffer[oldLogStart], oldLogLen);
-            oldLogStart += oldLogLen;
-            oldLogLen = 0;
-        } else {
-            len = virLogSize - oldLogStart;
-            virLogBuffer[virLogSize] = 0;
-            virLogDumpAllFD(&virLogBuffer[oldLogStart], len);
-            oldLogLen -= len;
-            oldLogStart = 0;
-        }
-    }
-    virLogDumpAllFD("\n\n     ====== end of log =====\n\n", -1);
-}
-
-
 /**
  * virLogSetDefaultPriority:
  * @priority: the default priority level
@@ -840,19 +589,12 @@ virLogVMessage(virLogSourcePtr source,
     if (virTimeStringNowRaw(timestamp) < 0)
         timestamp[0] = '\0';
 
-    /*
-     * Log based on defaults, first store in the history buffer,
-     * then if emit push the message on the outputs defined, if none
-     * use stderr.
-     * NOTE: the locking is a single point of contention for multiple
-     *       threads, but avoid intermixing. Maybe set up locks per output
-     *       to improve paralellism.
-     */
     virLogLock();
-    virLogStr(timestamp);
-    virLogStr(": ");
-    virLogStr(msg);
 
+    /*
+     * Push the message to the outputs defined, if none exist then
+     * use stderr.
+     */
     for (i = 0; i < virLogNbOutputs; i++) {
         if (priority >= virLogOutputs[i].priority) {
             if (virLogOutputs[i].logVersion) {
diff --git a/src/util/virlog.h b/src/util/virlog.h
index c73867ae74..5b38891b9a 100644
--- a/src/util/virlog.h
+++ b/src/util/virlog.h
@@ -200,8 +200,6 @@ extern void virLogVMessage(virLogSourcePtr source,
                            virLogMetadataPtr metadata,
                            const char *fmt,
                            va_list vargs) ATTRIBUTE_FMT_PRINTF(7, 0);
-extern int virLogSetBufferSize(int size);
-extern void virLogEmergencyDumpAll(int signum);
 
 bool virLogProbablyLogMessage(const char *str);
 
diff --git a/tests/libvirtdconftest.c b/tests/libvirtdconftest.c
index 41c3e37419..bc22087b32 100644
--- a/tests/libvirtdconftest.c
+++ b/tests/libvirtdconftest.c
@@ -225,6 +225,9 @@ mymain(void)
     VIR_DEBUG("Initial config [%s]", filedata);
     for (i = 0; params[i] != 0; i++) {
         const struct testCorruptData data = { params, filedata, filename, i };
+        /* Skip now ignored config param */
+        if (STRPREFIX(filedata + params[i], "log_buffer_size"))
+            continue;
         if (virtTestRun("Test corruption", testCorrupt, &data) < 0)
             ret = -1;
     }