diff --git a/src/couch_log_writer_syslog.erl b/src/couch_log_writer_syslog.erl
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..738d162
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/couch_log_writer_syslog.erl
@@ -0,0 +1,155 @@
+% Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may not
+% use this file except in compliance with the License. You may obtain a copy of
+% the License at
+%
+%   http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+%
+% Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+% distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT
+% WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the
+% License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations under
+% the License.
+
+-module(couch_log_writer_syslog).
+-behavior(couch_log_writer).
+
+
+-export([
+    init/0,
+    terminate/2,
+    write/2
+]).
+
+
+-include("couch_log.hrl").
+
+
+-record(st, {
+    socket,
+    host,
+    port,
+    hostname,
+    os_pid,
+    appid,
+    facility
+}).
+
+
+-define(SYSLOG_VERSION, 1).
+
+
+-ifdef(TEST).
+-compile(export_all).
+-endif.
+
+
+init() ->
+    {ok, Socket} = gen_udp:open(0),
+
+    SysLogHost = config:get("log", "syslog_host"),
+    Host = case inet:getaddr(SysLogHost, inet) of
+        {ok, Address} when SysLogHost /= undefined ->
+            Address;
+        _ ->
+            undefined
+    end,
+
+    {ok, #st{
+        socket = Socket,
+        host = Host,
+        port = config:get_integer("log", "syslog_port", 514),
+        hostname = net_adm:localhost(),
+        os_pid = os:getpid(),
+        appid = config:get("log", "syslog_appid", "couchdb"),
+        facility = get_facility(config:get("log", "syslog_facility", "local2"))
+    }}.
+
+
+terminate(_Reason, St) ->
+    gen_udp:close(St#st.socket).
+
+
+write(Entry, St) ->
+    #log_entry{
+        level = Level,
+        pid = Pid,
+        msg = Msg,
+        msg_id = MsgId,
+        time_stamp = TimeStamp
+    } = Entry,
+    Fmt = "<~B>~B ~s ~s ~s ~p ~s - ",
+    Args = [
+        St#st.facility bor get_level(Level),
+        ?SYSLOG_VERSION,
+        TimeStamp,
+        St#st.hostname,
+        St#st.appid,
+        Pid,
+        MsgId
+    ],
+    Pre = io_lib:format(Fmt, Args),
+    ok = send(St, [Pre, Msg, $\n]),
+    {ok, St}.
+
+
+send(#st{host=undefined}, Packet) ->
+    io:format(standard_error, "~s", [Packet]);
+
+send(St, Packet) ->
+    #st{
+        socket = Socket,
+        host = Host,
+        port = Port
+    } = St,
+    gen_udp:send(Socket, Host, Port, Packet).
+
+
+get_facility(Name) ->
+    FacId = case Name of
+        "kern"      ->  0; % Kernel messages
+        "user"      ->  1; % Random user-level messages
+        "mail"      ->  2; % Mail system
+        "daemon"    ->  3; % System daemons
+        "auth"      ->  4; % Security/Authorization messages
+        "syslog"    ->  5; % Internal Syslog messages
+        "lpr"       ->  6; % Line printer subsystem
+        "news"      ->  7; % Network news subsystems
+        "uucp"      ->  8; % UUCP subsystem
+        "clock"     ->  9; % Clock daemon
+        "authpriv"  -> 10; % Security/Authorization messages
+        "ftp"       -> 11; % FTP daemon
+        "ntp"       -> 12; % NTP subsystem
+        "audit"     -> 13; % Log audit
+        "alert"     -> 14; % Log alert
+        "cron"      -> 15; % Scheduling daemon
+        "local0"    -> 16; % Local use 0
+        "local1"    -> 17; % Local use 1
+        "local2"    -> 18; % Local use 2
+        "local3"    -> 19; % Local use 3
+        "local4"    -> 20; % Local use 4
+        "local5"    -> 21; % Local use 5
+        "local6"    -> 22; % Local use 6
+        "local7"    -> 23; % Local use 7
+        _ ->
+            try list_to_integer(Name) of
+                N when N >= 0, N =< 23 -> N;
+                _ -> 23
+            catch _:_ ->
+                23
+            end
+    end,
+    FacId bsl 3.
+
+
+get_level(Name) when is_atom(Name) ->
+    case Name of
+        debug       -> 7;
+        info        -> 6;
+        notice      -> 5;
+        warning     -> 4;
+        error       -> 3;
+        critical    -> 2;
+        alert       -> 1;
+        emergency   -> 0;
+        _           -> 3
+    end.