diff --git a/doc/example.conf b/doc/example.conf
index 3e03f1366..2477954ef 100644
--- a/doc/example.conf
+++ b/doc/example.conf
@@ -61,6 +61,10 @@ log {
     # LVM2.  There are three levels of verbosity, 3 being the most 
     # verbose.
     verbose = 0
+
+    # Should we send log messages through syslog?
+    # 1 is yes; 0 is no.
+    syslog = 1
 }
 
 # Configuration of metadata backups and archiving.  In LVM2 when we
diff --git a/lib/log/log.c b/lib/log/log.c
index 40cd3eb0e..1906b36f5 100644
--- a/lib/log/log.c
+++ b/lib/log/log.c
@@ -29,7 +29,8 @@ void fin_log() {
 }
 
 void fin_syslog() {
-	closelog();
+	if (_syslog)
+		closelog();
 	_syslog = 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/man/lvm.conf.5 b/man/lvm.conf.5
index fefd672a6..b2fcb8af3 100644
--- a/man/lvm.conf.5
+++ b/man/lvm.conf.5
@@ -105,6 +105,12 @@ is invoked.  By default tools append messages to the log file.
 .IP
 \fBverbose\fP \(em Default level (0-3) of messages sent to stdout or stderr.
 3 is the most verbose; 0 should produce the least output.
+.IP
+\fBsyslog\fP \(em Set to 1 (the default) to send log messages through syslog.
+Turn off by setting to 0.  If you set to an integer greater than one,
+this is used - unvalidated - as the facility.  The default is LOG_USER.  
+See /usr/include/sys/syslog.h for safe facility values to use.
+For example, LOG_LOCAL0 might be 128.
 .TP
 \fBbackup\fP \(em Configuration for metadata backups.
 .IP
@@ -159,3 +165,5 @@ Use 022 to allow other users to read the files by default.
 .SH SEE ALSO
 .BR lvm (8)
 .BR umask (2)
+.BR syslog (3)
+.BR syslog.conf (5)
diff --git a/tools/lvm.c b/tools/lvm.c
index c98c66cb9..56c3f3acd 100644
--- a/tools/lvm.c
+++ b/tools/lvm.c
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ struct config_info {
 	int debug;
 	int verbose;
 	int test;
+	int syslog;
 
 	int archive;		/* should we archive ? */
 	int backup;		/* should we backup ? */
@@ -710,21 +711,31 @@ static void __init_log(struct config_file *cf)
 {
 	char *open_mode = "a";
 
-	const char *log_file = find_config_str(cf->root, "log/file", '/', 0);
+	const char *log_file;
+
+
+	_default_settings.syslog =
+		find_config_int(cf->root, "log/syslog", '/', 1);
+	if (_default_settings.syslog != 1)
+		fin_syslog();
+
+	if (_default_settings.syslog > 1)
+		init_syslog(_default_settings.syslog);
 
 	_default_settings.debug =
 		find_config_int(cf->root, "log/level", '/', 0);
+	init_debug(_default_settings.debug);
+
 	_default_settings.verbose =
 		find_config_int(cf->root, "log/verbose", '/', 0);
+	init_verbose(_default_settings.verbose);
+
 	_default_settings.test = find_config_int(cf->root, "global/test", 
 						 '/', 0);
-
 	if (find_config_int(cf->root, "log/overwrite", '/', 0))
 		open_mode = "w";
 
-	init_debug(_default_settings.debug);
-	init_verbose(_default_settings.verbose);
-
+	log_file = find_config_str(cf->root, "log/file", '/', 0);
 	if (log_file) {
 		/* set up the logging */
 		if (!(_log = fopen(log_file, open_mode)))
@@ -1078,6 +1089,7 @@ static void fin(void)
 
 	dump_memory();
 	fin_log();
+	fin_syslog();
 
 	if (_log)
 		fclose(_log);