diff --git a/man/systemd-journal-gatewayd.service.xml b/man/systemd-journal-gatewayd.service.xml
index 9ed85c3950d..2cb114f6e33 100644
--- a/man/systemd-journal-gatewayd.service.xml
+++ b/man/systemd-journal-gatewayd.service.xml
@@ -100,6 +100,16 @@
         with <option>--cert=</option>.</para></listitem>
       </varlistentry>
 
+      <varlistentry>
+        <term><option>-D <replaceable>DIR</replaceable></option></term>
+        <term><option>--directory=<replaceable>DIR</replaceable></option></term>
+
+        <listitem><para>Takes a directory path as argument. If
+        specified, <command>systemd-journal-gatewayd</command> will serve the
+        specified journal directory <replaceable>DIR</replaceable> instead of
+        the default runtime and system journal paths.</para></listitem>
+      </varlistentry>
+
       <xi:include href="standard-options.xml" xpointer="help" />
       <xi:include href="standard-options.xml" xpointer="version" />
     </variablelist>
diff --git a/src/journal-remote/journal-gatewayd.c b/src/journal-remote/journal-gatewayd.c
index a1627fab39e..4d785c819f7 100644
--- a/src/journal-remote/journal-gatewayd.c
+++ b/src/journal-remote/journal-gatewayd.c
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@
 static char *arg_key_pem = NULL;
 static char *arg_cert_pem = NULL;
 static char *arg_trust_pem = NULL;
+static char *arg_directory = NULL;
 
 typedef struct RequestMeta {
         sd_journal *journal;
@@ -115,7 +116,10 @@ static int open_journal(RequestMeta *m) {
         if (m->journal)
                 return 0;
 
-        return sd_journal_open(&m->journal, SD_JOURNAL_LOCAL_ONLY|SD_JOURNAL_SYSTEM);
+        if (arg_directory)
+                return sd_journal_open_directory(&m->journal, arg_directory, 0);
+        else
+                return sd_journal_open(&m->journal, SD_JOURNAL_LOCAL_ONLY|SD_JOURNAL_SYSTEM);
 }
 
 static int request_meta_ensure_tmp(RequestMeta *m) {
@@ -878,7 +882,8 @@ static void help(void) {
                "     --version        Show package version\n"
                "     --cert=CERT.PEM  Server certificate in PEM format\n"
                "     --key=KEY.PEM    Server key in PEM format\n"
-               "     --trust=CERT.PEM Certificat authority certificate in PEM format\n",
+               "     --trust=CERT.PEM Certificat authority certificate in PEM format\n"
+               "  -D --directory=PATH Serve journal files in directory\n",
                program_invocation_short_name);
 }
 
@@ -893,11 +898,12 @@ static int parse_argv(int argc, char *argv[]) {
         int r, c;
 
         static const struct option options[] = {
-                { "help",    no_argument,       NULL, 'h'         },
-                { "version", no_argument,       NULL, ARG_VERSION },
-                { "key",     required_argument, NULL, ARG_KEY     },
-                { "cert",    required_argument, NULL, ARG_CERT    },
-                { "trust",   required_argument, NULL, ARG_TRUST   },
+                { "help",      no_argument,       NULL, 'h'           },
+                { "version",   no_argument,       NULL, ARG_VERSION   },
+                { "key",       required_argument, NULL, ARG_KEY       },
+                { "cert",      required_argument, NULL, ARG_CERT      },
+                { "trust",     required_argument, NULL, ARG_TRUST     },
+                { "directory", required_argument, NULL, 'D' },
                 {}
         };
 
@@ -951,6 +957,9 @@ static int parse_argv(int argc, char *argv[]) {
 #else
                         log_error("Option --trust is not available.");
 #endif
+                case 'D':
+                        arg_directory = optarg;
+                        break;
 
                 case '?':
                         return -EINVAL;