diff --git a/docs/offlineimap.txt b/docs/offlineimap.txt
index e547f6d..f4a2dd7 100644
--- a/docs/offlineimap.txt
+++ b/docs/offlineimap.txt
@@ -105,6 +105,10 @@ included), implies the single-thread option -1.
 
    Send logs to <file.log>.
 
+-s::
+
+   Send logs to syslog.
+
 
 -f <folder1[,folder1[,...]]>::
 
diff --git a/offlineimap/init.py b/offlineimap/init.py
index c6b8a64..5c90377 100644
--- a/offlineimap/init.py
+++ b/offlineimap/init.py
@@ -89,6 +89,11 @@ class OfflineImap:
         parser.add_option("-l", dest="logfile", metavar="FILE",
                   help="log to FILE")
 
+        parser.add_option("-s",
+                  action="store_true", dest="syslog",
+                  default=False,
+                  help="log to syslog")
+
         parser.add_option("-f", dest="folders",
                   metavar="folder1[,folder2[,...]]",
                   help="only sync the specified folders")
@@ -196,6 +201,10 @@ class OfflineImap:
         if options.logfile:
             self.ui.setlogfile(options.logfile)
 
+        #set up syslog
+        if options.syslog:
+            self.ui.setup_sysloghandler()
+
         #welcome blurb
         self.ui.init_banner()
 
diff --git a/offlineimap/ui/UIBase.py b/offlineimap/ui/UIBase.py
index 3e698ab..f5ba5ba 100644
--- a/offlineimap/ui/UIBase.py
+++ b/offlineimap/ui/UIBase.py
@@ -91,6 +91,18 @@ class UIBase(object):
         self.logger.info(offlineimap.banner)
         return ch
 
+    def setup_sysloghandler(self):
+        """Backend specific syslog handler."""
+
+        # create console handler with a higher log level
+        ch = logging.SysLogHandler(sys.stdout)
+        #ch.setLevel(logging.DEBUG)
+        # create formatter and add it to the handlers
+        self.formatter = logging.Formatter("%(message)s")
+        ch.setFormatter(self.formatter)
+        # add the handlers to the logger
+        self.logger.addHandler(ch)
+
     def setlogfile(self, logfile):
         """Create file handler which logs to file."""