diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index fa56bd244..9ceeae55e 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ ver 0.15 - (200?/??/??)
 * Add RVA2 tag support
 * the option "error_file" was removed, all messages are logged into
   "log_file"
+* support logging to syslog
 
 ver 0.14 (2008/12/25)
 * audio outputs:
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 37085d475..864eb1184 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -54,6 +54,21 @@ if test -z "$prefix" || test "x$prefix" = xNONE; then
 fi
 
 
+dnl
+dnl libc features
+dnl
+
+AC_CHECK_FUNCS(syslog)
+if test $ac_cv_func_syslog = no; then
+	# syslog is not in the default libraries.  See if it's in some other.
+	for lib in bsd socket inet; do
+		AC_CHECK_LIB($lib, syslog,
+			[AC_DEFINE(HAVE_SYSLOG)
+			LIBS="$LIBS -l$lib"; break])
+	done
+fi
+
+
 dnl
 dnl build options
 dnl
diff --git a/doc/mpd.conf.5 b/doc/mpd.conf.5
index fc31c7e67..5feefc36e 100644
--- a/doc/mpd.conf.5
+++ b/doc/mpd.conf.5
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ This specifies where the db file will be stored.
 .TP
 .B log_file <file>
 This specifies where the log file should be located.
+The special value "syslog" makes MPD use the local syslog daemon.
 .SH OPTIONAL PARAMETERS
 .TP
 .B pid_file <file>
diff --git a/doc/mpdconf.example b/doc/mpdconf.example
index 797549da4..2de2e05e5 100644
--- a/doc/mpdconf.example
+++ b/doc/mpdconf.example
@@ -25,6 +25,10 @@ db_file				"~/.mpd/database"
 # These logs are great for troubleshooting, depending on your log_level
 # settings.
 #
+# The special value "syslog" makes MPD use the local syslog daemon.
+# On most systems, log messages will appear in /var/log/daemon.log
+# then.
+#
 log_file			"~/.mpd/log"
 ###############################################################################
 
diff --git a/src/log.c b/src/log.c
index fdb470447..9797abe71 100644
--- a/src/log.c
+++ b/src/log.c
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@
 
 #include "log.h"
 #include "conf.h"
+#include "utils.h"
+#include "config.h"
 
 #include <assert.h>
 #include <sys/types.h>
@@ -33,6 +35,10 @@
 #include <pthread.h>
 #include <glib.h>
 
+#ifdef HAVE_SYSLOG
+#include <syslog.h>
+#endif
+
 #define LOG_LEVEL_SECURE G_LOG_LEVEL_INFO
 
 #define LOG_DATE_BUF_SIZE 16
@@ -119,6 +125,68 @@ log_init_file(const char *path, unsigned line)
 	g_log_set_default_handler(file_log_func, NULL);
 }
 
+#ifdef HAVE_SYSLOG
+
+static int
+glib_to_syslog_level(GLogLevelFlags log_level)
+{
+	switch (log_level & G_LOG_LEVEL_MASK) {
+	case G_LOG_LEVEL_ERROR:
+	case G_LOG_LEVEL_CRITICAL:
+		return LOG_ERR;
+
+	case G_LOG_LEVEL_WARNING:
+		return LOG_WARNING;
+
+	case G_LOG_LEVEL_MESSAGE:
+		return LOG_NOTICE;
+
+	case G_LOG_LEVEL_INFO:
+		return LOG_INFO;
+
+	case G_LOG_LEVEL_DEBUG:
+		return LOG_DEBUG;
+
+	default:
+		return LOG_NOTICE;
+	}
+}
+
+static void
+syslog_log_func(const gchar *log_domain,
+		GLogLevelFlags log_level, const gchar *message,
+		G_GNUC_UNUSED gpointer user_data)
+{
+	if (stdout_mode) {
+		/* fall back to the file log function during
+		   startup */
+		file_log_func(log_domain, log_level,
+			      message, user_data);
+		return;
+	}
+
+	if (log_level > log_threshold)
+		return;
+
+	if (log_domain == NULL)
+		log_domain = "";
+
+	syslog(glib_to_syslog_level(log_level), "%s%s%s",
+	       log_domain, *log_domain == 0 ? "" : ": ",
+	       message);
+}
+
+static void
+log_init_syslog(void)
+{
+	assert(out_filename == NULL);
+
+	openlog(PACKAGE, 0, LOG_DAEMON);
+	g_log_set_default_handler(syslog_log_func, NULL);
+}
+
+#endif
+
 static inline GLogLevelFlags
 parse_log_level(const char *value, unsigned line)
 {
@@ -147,8 +215,31 @@ void log_init(bool verbose, bool use_stdout)
 	if (use_stdout) {
 		log_init_stdout();
 	} else {
-		param = parseConfigFilePath(CONF_LOG_FILE, 1);
-		log_init_file(param->value, param->line);
+		param = getConfigParam(CONF_LOG_FILE);
+		if (param == NULL) {
+#ifdef HAVE_SYSLOG
+			/* no configuration: default to syslog (if
+			   available) */
+			log_init_syslog();
+#else
+			FATAL("config parameter \"%s\" not found\n",
+			      CONF_LOG_FILE);
+#endif
+#ifdef HAVE_SYSLOG
+		} else if (strcmp(param->value, "syslog") == 0) {
+			log_init_syslog();
+#endif
+		} else {
+			char *path = parsePath(param->value);
+			g_free(param->value);
+
+			if (path == NULL)
+				FATAL("error parsing \"%s\" at line %i\n",
+				      CONF_LOG_FILE, param->line);
+			param->value = path;
+
+			log_init_file(param->value, param->line);
+		}
 	}
 }
 
@@ -156,7 +247,8 @@ void setup_log_output(bool use_stdout)
 {
 	fflush(NULL);
 	if (!use_stdout) {
-		redirect_logs();
+		if (out_filename != NULL)
+			redirect_logs();
 		stdout_mode = false;
 		log_charset = NULL;
 	}
@@ -192,7 +284,7 @@ G_GNUC_PRINTF(1, 2) G_GNUC_NORETURN void FATAL(const char *fmt, ...)
 
 int cycle_log_files(void)
 {
-	if (stdout_mode)
+	if (stdout_mode || out_filename == NULL)
 		return 0;
 	assert(out_filename);
 
@@ -214,7 +306,12 @@ void close_log_files(void)
 {
 	if (stdout_mode)
 		return;
-	assert(out_fd >= 0);
-	close(out_fd);
+
+	if (out_filename == NULL)
+		closelog();
+	else {
+		assert(out_fd >= 0);
+		close(out_fd);
+	}
 }