diff --git a/cmd/ethereum/flags.go b/cmd/ethereum/flags.go
index f829744dc..885cdfe5b 100644
--- a/cmd/ethereum/flags.go
+++ b/cmd/ethereum/flags.go
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ var (
 	ConfigFile      string
 	DebugFile       string
 	LogLevel        int
+	LogFormat       string
 	Dump            bool
 	DumpHash        string
 	DumpNumber      int
@@ -110,6 +111,7 @@ func Init() {
 	flag.StringVar(&ConfigFile, "conf", defaultConfigFile, "config file")
 	flag.StringVar(&DebugFile, "debug", "", "debug file (no debugging if not set)")
 	flag.IntVar(&LogLevel, "loglevel", int(logger.InfoLevel), "loglevel: 0-5: silent,error,warn,info,debug,debug detail)")
+	flag.StringVar(&LogFormat, "logformat", "std", "logformat: std,raw)")
 	flag.BoolVar(&DiffTool, "difftool", false, "creates output for diff'ing. Sets LogLevel=0")
 	flag.StringVar(&DiffType, "diff", "all", "sets the level of diff output [vm, all]. Has no effect if difftool=false")
 	flag.BoolVar(&ShowGenesis, "genesis", false, "Dump the genesis block")
diff --git a/cmd/ethereum/main.go b/cmd/ethereum/main.go
index b816c678e..b7997d485 100644
--- a/cmd/ethereum/main.go
+++ b/cmd/ethereum/main.go
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ func main() {
 		DataDir:    Datadir,
 		LogFile:    LogFile,
 		LogLevel:   LogLevel,
+		LogFormat:  LogFormat,
 		Identifier: Identifier,
 		MaxPeers:   MaxPeer,
 		Port:       OutboundPort,
diff --git a/eth/backend.go b/eth/backend.go
index c3c7d1287..da75da051 100644
--- a/eth/backend.go
+++ b/eth/backend.go
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ type Config struct {
 	DataDir    string
 	LogFile    string
 	LogLevel   int
+	LogFormat  string
 	KeyRing    string
 
 	MaxPeers   int
@@ -80,7 +81,7 @@ type Ethereum struct {
 
 func New(config *Config) (*Ethereum, error) {
 	// Boostrap database
-	logger := ethlogger.New(config.DataDir, config.LogFile, config.LogLevel)
+	logger := ethlogger.New(config.DataDir, config.LogFile, config.LogLevel, config.LogFormat)
 	db, err := ethdb.NewLDBDatabase("blockchain")
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
diff --git a/logger/log.go b/logger/log.go
index 53065f870..baa3dfaf2 100644
--- a/logger/log.go
+++ b/logger/log.go
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ func openLogFile(datadir string, filename string) *os.File {
 	return file
 }
 
-func New(datadir string, logFile string, logLevel int) LogSystem {
+func New(datadir string, logFile string, logLevel int, logFormat string) LogSystem {
 	var writer io.Writer
 	if logFile == "" {
 		writer = os.Stdout
@@ -26,7 +26,13 @@ func New(datadir string, logFile string, logLevel int) LogSystem {
 		writer = openLogFile(datadir, logFile)
 	}
 
-	sys := NewStdLogSystem(writer, log.LstdFlags, LogLevel(logLevel))
+	var sys LogSystem
+	switch logFormat {
+	case "raw":
+		sys = NewRawLogSystem(writer, 0, LogLevel(logLevel))
+	default:
+		sys = NewStdLogSystem(writer, log.LstdFlags, LogLevel(logLevel))
+	}
 	AddLogSystem(sys)
 
 	return sys