diff --git a/server/main.c b/server/main.c
index 556609c..90c6c62 100644
--- a/server/main.c
+++ b/server/main.c
@@ -27,8 +27,9 @@
 int
 main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
-   struct render_context_args ctx_args;
+   render_log_init();
 
+   struct render_context_args ctx_args;
    bool ok = render_server_main(argc, argv, &ctx_args);
 
    /* this is a subprocess */
diff --git a/server/render_common.c b/server/render_common.c
index 3498dff..e51bb88 100644
--- a/server/render_common.c
+++ b/server/render_common.c
@@ -7,6 +7,13 @@
 
 #include <stdarg.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
+#include <syslog.h>
+
+void
+render_log_init(void)
+{
+   openlog(NULL, LOG_NDELAY | LOG_PERROR | LOG_PID, LOG_USER);
+}
 
 void
 render_log(const char *fmt, ...)
@@ -14,10 +21,6 @@ render_log(const char *fmt, ...)
    va_list va;
 
    va_start(va, fmt);
-
-   fprintf(stderr, "render: ");
-   vfprintf(stderr, fmt, va);
-   fprintf(stderr, "\n");
-
+   vsyslog(LOG_DEBUG, fmt, va);
    va_end(va);
 }
diff --git a/server/render_common.h b/server/render_common.h
index 3510fa1..33707ec 100644
--- a/server/render_common.h
+++ b/server/render_common.h
@@ -29,6 +29,9 @@ struct render_virgl;
 struct render_worker;
 struct render_worker_jail;
 
+void
+render_log_init(void);
+
 void
 render_log(const char *fmt, ...);