diff --git a/debian/frr.logrotate b/debian/frr.logrotate
index 0dd68fb257..9a1fa2149b 100644
--- a/debian/frr.logrotate
+++ b/debian/frr.logrotate
@@ -7,11 +7,21 @@
         create 640 frr frrvty
 
         postrotate
-		for i in zebra bgpd ripd ospfd ripngd ospf6d isisd pimd; do
-                        if [ -e /var/run/frr/$i.pid ] ; then
-				kill -USR1 `cat /var/run/frr/$i.pid`
-                        fi
-
-                done
+            pid=$(lsof -t -a -c /syslog/ /var/log/frr/* 2>/dev/null)
+            if [ -n "$pid" ]
+            then # using syslog
+                 kill -HUP $pid
+            fi
+            # in case using file logging; if switching back and forth
+            # between file and syslog, rsyslogd might still have file
+            # open, as well as the daemons, so always signal the daemons.
+            # It's safe, a NOP if (only) syslog is being used.
+            for i in babeld bgpd eigrpd isisd ldpd nhrpd ospf6d ospfd \
+                pimd ripd ripngd zebra ; do
+                if [ -e /var/run/frr/$i.pid ] ; then
+                    pids="$pids $(cat /var/run/frr/$i.pid)"
+                fi
+            done
+            [ -n "$pids" ] && kill -USR1 $pids
         endscript
 }
diff --git a/redhat/frr.logrotate b/redhat/frr.logrotate
index f43a86efe7..25a5587787 100644
--- a/redhat/frr.logrotate
+++ b/redhat/frr.logrotate
@@ -1,3 +1,11 @@
+/var/log/frr/frr.log {
+    notifempty
+    missingok
+    postrotate
+	/bin/kill -HUP `cat /var/run/*syslog*.pid 2> /dev/null` 2> /dev/null || true
+    endscript
+}
+
 /var/log/frr/zebra.log {
     notifempty
     missingok
diff --git a/tools/etc/frr/frr.conf b/tools/etc/frr/frr.conf
index 2cd05bf803..61f7a65620 100644
--- a/tools/etc/frr/frr.conf
+++ b/tools/etc/frr/frr.conf
@@ -1,2 +1,3 @@
-log file /var/log/frr/frr.log
-log timestamp precision 6
+# default to using syslog. /etc/rsyslog.d/45-frr.conf places the log
+# in /var/log/frr/frr.log
+log syslog informational
diff --git a/tools/etc/rsyslog.d/45-frr.conf b/tools/etc/rsyslog.d/45-frr.conf
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ff7cd48318
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/etc/rsyslog.d/45-frr.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+# The lines below cause all FRR daemons and process to go
+# to /var/log/frr/frr.log, then drops the message so it does
+# not also go to /var/log/syslog, so the messages are not duplicated
+
+$outchannel frr_log,/var/log/frr/frr.log
+if  $programname == 'babeld' or
+    $programname == 'bgpd' or
+    $programname == 'eigrpd' or
+    $programname == 'frr' or
+    $programname == 'isisd' or
+    $programname == 'ldpd' or
+    $programname == 'nhrpd' or
+    $programname == 'ospf6d' or
+    $programname == 'ospfd' or
+    $programname == 'pimd' or
+    $programname == 'ripd' or
+    $programname == 'ripngd' or
+    $programname == 'watchfrr' or
+    $programname == 'zebra'
+    then :omfile:$frr_log
+
+if  $programname == 'babeld' or
+    $programname == 'bgpd' or
+    $programname == 'eigrpd' or
+    $programname == 'frr' or
+    $programname == 'isisd' or
+    $programname == 'ldpd' or
+    $programname == 'nhrpd' or
+    $programname == 'ospf6d' or
+    $programname == 'ospfd' or
+    $programname == 'pimd' or
+    $programname == 'ripd' or
+    $programname == 'ripngd' or
+    $programname == 'watchfrr' or
+    $programname == 'zebra'
+    then stop