diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 8b1ced5..b1e2a46 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ BINARY   = $(NAME)
 VERSION  = 3.1
 CODENAME = Dungeon Edition
 
-SOURCES = src/$(NAME).c src/file.c src/menu.c src/string.c src/platform.c src/session.c src/options.c
+SOURCES = src/$(NAME).c src/file.c src/menu.c src/string.c src/platform.c src/session.c src/options.c src/log.c
 HEADERS = src/files.h src/filetypes.h
 OBJECTS = $(SOURCES:.c=.o)
 README  = README.md
diff --git a/gophernicus.1 b/gophernicus.1
index 3494e89..29dd864 100644
--- a/gophernicus.1
+++ b/gophernicus.1
@@ -202,6 +202,11 @@ Print debug output in
 .Xr syslog 3
 and
 .Pa /server-status .
+When
+.Fl ns
+(disable
+.Xr syslog 3 )
+is used this option has no effect.
 .It Fl v
 Display version information and build date.
 .It Fl b
diff --git a/src/file.c b/src/file.c
index 2e1e31a..391a80e 100644
--- a/src/file.c
+++ b/src/file.c
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ void send_binary_file(state *st)
 	int fd;
 	off_t offset = 0;
 
-	if (st->debug) syslog(LOG_INFO, "outputting binary file \"%s\"", st->req_realpath);
+	log_debug("send binary file \"%s\"", st->req_realpath);
 
 	if ((fd = open(st->req_realpath, O_RDONLY)) == ERROR) return;
 	sendfile(1, fd, &offset, st->req_filesize);
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ void send_binary_file(state *st)
 	char buf[BUFSIZE];
 	int bytes;
 
-	if (st->debug) syslog(LOG_INFO, "outputting binary file \"%s\"", st->req_realpath);
+	log_debug("send binary file \"%s\"", st->req_realpath);
 
 	if ((fp = fopen(st->req_realpath , "r")) == NULL) return;
 	while ((bytes = fread(buf, 1, sizeof(buf), fp)) > 0)
@@ -72,7 +72,8 @@ void send_text_file(state *st)
 	char out[BUFSIZE];
 	int line;
 
-	if (st->debug) syslog(LOG_INFO, "outputting text file \"%s\"", st->req_realpath);
+	log_debug("sending text file \"%s\"", st->req_realpath);
+
 	if ((fp = fopen(st->req_realpath , "r")) == NULL) return;
 
 	/* Loop through the file line by line */
@@ -118,15 +119,13 @@ void url_redirect(state *st)
 		sstrncmp(dest, "mailto:") != MATCH)
 		die(st, ERR_ACCESS, "Refusing to HTTP redirect unsafe protocols");
 
-	/* Log the redirect */
-	if (st->opt_syslog) {
-		syslog(LOG_INFO, "request for \"gopher%s://%s:%i/h%s\" from %s",
-			(st->server_port == st->server_tls_port ? "s" : ""),
-			st->server_host,
-			st->server_port,
-			st->req_selector,
-			st->req_remote_addr);
-	}
+	log_info("request for \"gopher%s://%s:%i/h%s\" from %s",
+	         st->server_port == st->server_tls_port ? "s" : "",
+	         st->server_host,
+	         st->server_port,
+	         st->req_selector,
+	         st->req_remote_addr);
+
 	log_combined(st, HTTP_OK);
 
 	/* Output HTML */
@@ -155,14 +154,12 @@ void server_status(state *st, shm_state *shm, int shmid)
 	int sessions;
 	int i;
 
-	/* Log the request */
-	if (st->opt_syslog) {
-		syslog(LOG_INFO, "request for \"gopher%s://%s:%i/0" SERVER_STATUS "\" from %s",
-			(st->server_port == st->server_tls_port ? "s" : ""),
-			st->server_host,
-			st->server_port,
-			st->req_remote_addr);
-	}
+	log_info("request for \"gopher%s://%s:%i/0" SERVER_STATUS "\" from %s",
+	         st->server_port == st->server_tls_port ? "s" : "",
+	         st->server_host,
+	         st->server_port,
+	         st->req_remote_addr);
+
 	log_combined(st, HTTP_OK);
 
 	/* Quit if shared memory isn't initialized yet */
@@ -230,14 +227,12 @@ void server_status(state *st, shm_state *shm, int shmid)
  */
 void caps_txt(state *st, shm_state *shm)
 {
-	/* Log the request */
-	if (st->opt_syslog) {
-		syslog(LOG_INFO, "request for \"gopher%s://%s:%i/0" CAPS_TXT "\" from %s",
-			(st->server_port == st->server_tls_port ? "s" : ""),
-			st->server_host,
-			st->server_port,
-			st->req_remote_addr);
-	}
+	log_info("request for \"gopher%s://%s:%i/0" CAPS_TXT "\" from %s",
+	         st->server_port == st->server_tls_port ? "s" : "",
+	         st->server_host,
+	         st->server_port,
+	         st->req_remote_addr);
+
 	log_combined(st, HTTP_OK);
 
 	/* Update counters */
@@ -369,13 +364,14 @@ static void run_cgi(state *st, char *script, char *arg)
 {
 	if (st->opt_exec) {
 
-	/* Setup environment & execute the binary */
-	if (st->debug) syslog(LOG_INFO, "executing script \"%s\"", script);
+		/* Setup environment & execute the binary */
+		log_debug("executing script \"%s\"", script);
 
-	setenv_cgi(st, script);
-	execl(script, script, arg, NULL);
+		setenv_cgi(st, script);
+		execl(script, script, arg, NULL);
+	} else {
+		log_debug("execution of script \"%s\" blocked by `-nx'", script);
 	}
-	else if (st->debug) syslog(LOG_INFO, "script \"%s\" was blocked by -nx", script);
 
 	/* Didn't work - die */
 	die(st, ERR_ACCESS, NULL);
diff --git a/src/gophernicus.c b/src/gophernicus.c
index d0a5c44..412ea36 100644
--- a/src/gophernicus.c
+++ b/src/gophernicus.c
@@ -34,11 +34,12 @@
  * Libwrap needs these defined
  */
 #ifdef HAVE_LIBWRAP
+#include <syslog.h>
+
 int allow_severity = LOG_DEBUG;
 int deny_severity = LOG_ERR;
 #endif
 
-
 /*
  * Print gopher menu line
  */
@@ -112,17 +113,12 @@ void footer(state *st)
  */
 void die(state *st, const char *message, const char *description)
 {
-	int en = errno;
 	static const char error_gif[] = ERROR_GIF;
 
-	/* Handle NULL description */
-	if (description == NULL) description = strerror(en);
+	log_fatal("error \"%s %s\" for request \"%s\" from %s",
+	          message, description ? description : "",
+	          st->req_selector, st->req_remote_addr);
 
-	/* Log the error */
-	if (st->opt_syslog) {
-		syslog(LOG_ERR, "error \"%s %s\" for request \"%s\" from %s",
-			message, description, st->req_selector, st->req_remote_addr);
-	}
 	log_combined(st, HTTP_404);
 
 	/* Handle menu errors */
@@ -221,10 +217,8 @@ static void selector_to_path(state *st)
 				st->rewrite[i].replace,
 				st->req_selector + strlen(st->rewrite[i].match));
 
-			if (st->debug) {
-				syslog(LOG_INFO, "rewriting selector \"%s\" -> \"%s\"",
-					st->req_selector, buf);
-			}
+			log_debug("rewriting selector \"%s\" -> \"%s\"",
+			          st->req_selector, buf);
 
 			sstrlcpy(st->req_selector, buf);
 		}
@@ -530,8 +524,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	/* Handle command line arguments */
 	parse_args(&st, argc, argv);
 
-	/* Open syslog() */
-	if (st.opt_syslog) openlog(self, LOG_PID, LOG_DAEMON);
+	log_init(st.opt_syslog, st.debug);
 
 #ifdef __OpenBSD__
 	/* unveil(2) support.
@@ -543,8 +536,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 		if (st.extra_unveil_paths != NULL) {
 			die(&st, NULL, "-U and executable maps cannot co-exist");
 		}
-		if (st.debug)
-			syslog(LOG_INFO, "executable gophermaps are enabled, no unveil(2)");
+		log_debug("executable gophermaps are enabled, no unveil(2)");
 	} else {
 		if (unveil(st.server_root, "r") == -1)
 			die(&st, NULL, "unveil");
@@ -556,8 +548,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 		 * to unveil it anyway.
 		 */
 		if (st.opt_personal_spaces) {
-			if (st.debug)
-				syslog(LOG_INFO, "unveiling /etc/pwd.db");
+			log_debug("unveiling /etc/pwd.db");
 			if (unveil("/etc/pwd.db", "r") == -1)
 				die(&st, NULL, "unveil");
 		}
@@ -569,8 +560,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 			if (*extra_unveil == '\0')
 				continue; /* empty path */
 
-			if (st.debug)
-				syslog(LOG_INFO, "unveiling extra path: %s\n", extra_unveil);
+			log_debug("unveiling extra path: %s\n", extra_unveil);
 			if (unveil(extra_unveil, "r") == -1)
 				die(&st, NULL, "unveil");
 		}
@@ -582,8 +572,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	/* pledge(2) support */
 	if (st.opt_shm) {
 		/* pledge(2) never allows shared memory */
-		if (st.debug)
-			syslog(LOG_INFO, "shared-memory enabled, can't pledge(2)");
+		log_debug("shared-memory enabled, can't pledge(2)");
 	} else {
 		strlcpy(pledges,
 				"stdio rpath inet sendfd recvfd proc",
@@ -592,21 +581,13 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 		/* Executable maps shell-out using popen(3) */
 		if (st.opt_exec) {
 			strlcat(pledges, " exec", sizeof(pledges));
-			if (st.debug) {
-				syslog(LOG_INFO,
-					   "executable gophermaps enabled, "
-					   "adding 'exec' to pledge(2)");
-			}
+			log_debug("executable gophermaps enabled, adding `exec' to pledge(2)");
 		}
 
 		/* Personal spaces require getpwnam(3) and getpwent(3) */
 		if (st.opt_personal_spaces) {
 			strlcat(pledges, " getpw", sizeof(pledges));
-			if (st.debug) {
-				syslog(LOG_INFO,
-					   "personal gopherspaces enabled, "
-					   "adding 'getpw' to pledge(2)");
-			}
+			log_debug("personal gopherspaces enabled, adding `getpw' to pledge(2)");
 		}
 
 		if (pledge(pledges, NULL) == -1)
@@ -680,12 +661,12 @@ get_selector:
 	/* Remove trailing CRLF */
 	chomp(selector);
 
-	if (st.debug) syslog(LOG_INFO, "client sent us \"%s\"", selector);
+	log_debug("client sent \"%s\"", selector);
 
 	/* Handle HAproxy/Stunnel proxy protocol v1 */
 #ifdef ENABLE_HAPROXY1
 	if (sstrncmp(selector, "PROXY TCP") == MATCH && st.opt_proxy) {
-		if (st.debug) syslog(LOG_INFO, "got proxy protocol header \"%s\"", selector);
+		log_debug("got proxy protocol header \"%s\"", selector);
 
 		sscanf(selector, "PROXY TCP%d %s %s %d %d",
 			&dummy, remote, local, &dummy, &st.server_port);
@@ -716,7 +697,7 @@ get_selector:
 		printf("+VIEWS:" CRLF " application/gopher+-menu: <512b>" CRLF);
 		printf("." CRLF);
 
-		if (st.debug) syslog(LOG_INFO, "got a request for gopher+ root menu");
+		log_debug("got a request for gopher+ root menu");
 		return OK;
 	}
 
@@ -730,7 +711,7 @@ get_selector:
 
 		st.req_protocol = PROTO_HTTP;
 
-		if (st.debug) syslog(LOG_INFO, "got HTTP request for \"%s\"", selector);
+		log_debug("got HTTP request for \"%s\"", selector);
 	}
 
 	/* Save default server_host & fetch session data (including new server_host) */
@@ -800,7 +781,7 @@ get_selector:
 
 	/* Convert seletor to path & stat() */
 	selector_to_path(&st);
-	if (st.debug) syslog(LOG_INFO, "path to resource is \"%s\"", st.req_realpath);
+	log_debug("path to resource is \"%s\"", st.req_realpath);
 
 	if (stat(st.req_realpath, &file) == ERROR) {
 
@@ -858,15 +839,13 @@ get_selector:
 #endif
 
 	/* Log the request */
-	if (st.opt_syslog) {
-		syslog(LOG_INFO, "request for \"gopher%s://%s:%i/%c%s\" from %s",
-			(st.server_port == st.server_tls_port ? "s" : ""),
-			st.server_host,
-			st.server_port,
-			st.req_filetype,
-			st.req_selector,
-			st.req_remote_addr);
-	}
+	log_info("request for \"gopher%s://%s:%i/%c%s\" from %s",
+	         st.server_port == st.server_tls_port ? "s" : "",
+	         st.server_host,
+	         st.server_port,
+	         st.req_filetype,
+	         st.req_selector,
+	         st.req_remote_addr);
 
 	/* Check file type & act accordingly */
 	switch (file.st_mode & S_IFMT) {
diff --git a/src/gophernicus.h b/src/gophernicus.h
index f332db5..1e8ce21 100644
--- a/src/gophernicus.h
+++ b/src/gophernicus.h
@@ -113,7 +113,6 @@
 #include <string.h>
 #include <libgen.h>
 #include <time.h>
-#include <syslog.h>
 #include <errno.h>
 #include <pwd.h>
 #include <limits.h>
@@ -250,6 +249,7 @@ size_t strlcat(char *dst, const char *src, size_t siz);
 /* Strings */
 #define SERVER_SOFTWARE    "Gophernicus"
 #define SERVER_SOFTWARE_FULL SERVER_SOFTWARE "/" VERSION " (%s)"
+#define PROGNAME             "gophernicus"
 
 #define HEADER_FORMAT    "[%s]"
 #define FOOTER_FORMAT    "Gophered by Gophernicus/" VERSION " on %s"
@@ -484,4 +484,12 @@ void update_shm_session(state *st, shm_state *shm);
 /* options.c */
 void add_ftype_mapping(state *st, char *suffix);
 void parse_args(state *st, int argc, char *argv[]);
+
+/* log.c */
+void log_init(int enable, int debug);
+void log_fatal(const char *fmt, ...);
+void log_warning(const char *fmt, ...);
+void log_info(const char *fmt, ...);
+void log_debug(const char *fmt, ...);
+
 #endif
diff --git a/src/log.c b/src/log.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5da10af
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/log.c
@@ -0,0 +1,88 @@
+#include <stdarg.h>
+#include <syslog.h>
+
+#include "gophernicus.h"
+
+#if defined(LOG_UPTO)
+#define _LOG_UPTO LOG_UPTO
+#else
+#define _LOG_UPTO(pri)							\
+	(								\
+	((pri) == LOG_EMERG)   ? (LOG_MASK(LOG_EMERG)) :		\
+	((pri) == LOG_ALERT)   ? (LOG_MASK(LOG_EMERG) | LOG_MASK(LOG_ALERT)) : \
+	((pri) == LOG_CRIT)    ? (LOG_MASK(LOG_EMERG) | LOG_MASK(LOG_ALERT) | LOG_MASK(LOG_CRIT)) : \
+	((pri) == LOG_ERR)     ? (LOG_MASK(LOG_EMERG) | LOG_MASK(LOG_ALERT) | LOG_MASK(LOG_CRIT) | LOG_MASK(LOG_ERR)) : \
+	((pri) == LOG_WARNING) ? (LOG_MASK(LOG_EMERG) | LOG_MASK(LOG_ALERT) | LOG_MASK(LOG_CRIT) | LOG_MASK(LOG_ERR) | LOG_MASK(LOG_WARNING)) : \
+	((pri) == LOG_NOTICE)  ? (LOG_MASK(LOG_EMERG) | LOG_MASK(LOG_ALERT) | LOG_MASK(LOG_CRIT) | LOG_MASK(LOG_ERR) | LOG_MASK(LOG_WARNING) | LOG_MASK(LOG_NOTICE)) : \
+	((pri) == LOG_INFO)    ? (LOG_MASK(LOG_EMERG) | LOG_MASK(LOG_ALERT) | LOG_MASK(LOG_CRIT) | LOG_MASK(LOG_ERR) | LOG_MASK(LOG_WARNING) | LOG_MASK(LOG_NOTICE) | LOG_MASK(LOG_INFO)) : \
+	((pri) == LOG_DEBUG)   ? (LOG_MASK(LOG_EMERG) | LOG_MASK(LOG_ALERT) | LOG_MASK(LOG_CRIT) | LOG_MASK(LOG_ERR) | LOG_MASK(LOG_WARNING) | LOG_MASK(LOG_NOTICE) | LOG_MASK(LOG_INFO) | LOG_MASK(LOG_DEBUG)) : \
+	0)
+#endif
+
+static int _enable = 0;
+
+void log_init(int enable, int debug)
+{
+	if (!enable) return;
+
+	_enable = enable;
+
+	openlog(PROGNAME,
+	        LOG_PID | (debug ? LOG_PERROR : 0),
+	        LOG_DAEMON);
+
+	setlogmask(_LOG_UPTO(debug ? LOG_DEBUG : LOG_INFO));
+}
+
+static void _vlog(int priority, const char *fmt, va_list ap)
+{
+	char buf[BUFSIZE];
+
+	if (!_enable) return;
+
+	vsnprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), fmt, ap);
+
+	syslog(priority, "%s", buf);
+}
+
+static void _log(int priority, const char *fmt, ...)
+{
+	va_list ap;
+
+	va_start(ap, fmt);
+	_vlog(priority, fmt, ap);
+	va_end(ap);
+}
+
+
+void log_fatal(const char *fmt, ...)
+{
+	va_list ap;
+	va_start(ap, fmt);
+
+	if (errno) {
+		int en = errno;
+		char buf[BUFSIZE];
+
+		vsnprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), fmt, ap);
+		_log(LOG_CRIT, "%s (%s)", buf, strerror(en));
+	} else {
+		_vlog(LOG_CRIT, fmt, ap);
+	}
+	va_end(ap);
+
+}
+
+#define _GOPHERNICUS_MK_LOG_FUNCTION(FCT_LVL, LOG_LVL)	\
+void FCT_LVL(const char *fmt, ...)			\
+{							\
+	va_list ap;					\
+							\
+	va_start(ap, fmt);				\
+	_vlog(LOG_LVL, fmt, ap);			\
+	va_end(ap);					\
+}
+_GOPHERNICUS_MK_LOG_FUNCTION(log_warning, LOG_WARNING)
+_GOPHERNICUS_MK_LOG_FUNCTION(log_info, LOG_INFO)
+_GOPHERNICUS_MK_LOG_FUNCTION(log_debug, LOG_DEBUG)
+#undef _GOPHERNICUS_MK_LOG_FUNCTION
diff --git a/src/menu.c b/src/menu.c
index 7d8cf24..9b534cd 100644
--- a/src/menu.c
+++ b/src/menu.c
@@ -339,16 +339,10 @@ static int gophermap(state *st, char *mapfile, int depth)
 		exe = TRUE;
 	}
 
-	/* Debug output */
-	if (st->debug) {
-		if (exe) {
-			if (st->opt_exec)
-			 syslog(LOG_INFO, "parsing executable gophermap \"%s\"", mapfile);
-			else
-			 syslog(LOG_INFO, "parsing executable gophermap \"%s\" forbidden by -nx", mapfile);
-		}
-		else syslog(LOG_INFO, "parsing static gophermap \"%s\"", mapfile);
-	}
+	log_debug("parsing %s gophermap \"%s\"%s",
+	          exe ? "executable" : "static",
+	          mapfile,
+	          exe && !st->opt_exec ? ": forbidden by `-nx'" : "");
 
 	/* Try to execute or open the mapfile */
 	if (exe & st->opt_exec) {
diff --git a/src/platform.c b/src/platform.c
index 53f7c47..c4f23d5 100644
--- a/src/platform.c
+++ b/src/platform.c
@@ -280,11 +280,8 @@ void platform(state *st)
 			 machine);
 #endif
 
-	/* Debug */
-	if (st->debug) {
-		syslog(LOG_INFO, "generated platform string \"%s\"",
-			st->server_platform);
-	}
+	log_debug("generated platform string \"%s\"",
+	          st->server_platform);
 
 #else
 	/* Fallback reply */
diff --git a/src/session.c b/src/session.c
index e7fced4..a522560 100644
--- a/src/session.c
+++ b/src/session.c
@@ -143,8 +143,8 @@ void update_shm_session(state *st, shm_state *shm)
 			shm->session[i].hits / st->session_max_hits);
 
 		/* Throttle user */
-		syslog(LOG_INFO, "throttling user from %s for %i seconds",
-			st->req_remote_addr, delay);
+		log_info("throttling user from %s for %i seconds",
+		         st->req_remote_addr, delay);
 		sleep(delay);
 	}
 }