diff --git a/doc/guides/prog_guide/log_lib.rst b/doc/guides/prog_guide/log_lib.rst
index abaedc7212..476dedb097 100644
--- a/doc/guides/prog_guide/log_lib.rst
+++ b/doc/guides/prog_guide/log_lib.rst
@@ -100,6 +100,20 @@ option. There are three possible settings for this option:
 
 If ``--syslog`` option is not specified, then only console (stderr) will be used.
 
+Messages can be redirected to systemd journal which is an enhanced version of syslog with the ``--log-journal`` option.
+
+There are three possible settings for this option:
+
+*auto*
+    If stderr is redirected to journal by ``systemd`` service
+    then use journal socket to instead of stderr for log.
+    This is the default.
+
+*never*
+    Do not try to use journal.
+
+*always*
+    Always try to direct messages to journal socket.
 
 
 Using Logging APIs to Generate Log Messages
diff --git a/lib/eal/common/eal_common_options.c b/lib/eal/common/eal_common_options.c
index 9ca7db04aa..9a82118184 100644
--- a/lib/eal/common/eal_common_options.c
+++ b/lib/eal/common/eal_common_options.c
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ eal_long_options[] = {
 	{OPT_IOVA_MODE,	        1, NULL, OPT_IOVA_MODE_NUM        },
 	{OPT_LCORES,            1, NULL, OPT_LCORES_NUM           },
 	{OPT_LOG_LEVEL,         1, NULL, OPT_LOG_LEVEL_NUM        },
+	{OPT_LOG_JOURNAL,	2, NULL, OPT_LOG_JOURNAL_NUM	  },
 	{OPT_LOG_TIMESTAMP,     2, NULL, OPT_LOG_TIMESTAMP_NUM    },
 	{OPT_TRACE,             1, NULL, OPT_TRACE_NUM            },
 	{OPT_TRACE_DIR,         1, NULL, OPT_TRACE_DIR_NUM        },
@@ -1617,6 +1618,7 @@ eal_log_level_parse(int argc, char * const argv[])
 		switch (opt) {
 		case OPT_LOG_LEVEL_NUM:
 		case OPT_SYSLOG_NUM:
+		case OPT_LOG_JOURNAL_NUM:
 		case OPT_LOG_TIMESTAMP_NUM:
 			if (eal_parse_common_option(opt, optarg, internal_conf) < 0)
 				return -1;
@@ -1843,6 +1845,14 @@ eal_parse_common_option(int opt, const char *optarg,
 			return -1;
 		}
 		break;
+
+	case OPT_LOG_JOURNAL_NUM:
+		if (eal_log_journal(optarg) < 0) {
+			EAL_LOG(ERR, "invalid parameters for --"
+				OPT_LOG_JOURNAL);
+			return -1;
+		}
+		break;
 #endif
 
 	case OPT_LOG_LEVEL_NUM:
@@ -2223,6 +2233,7 @@ eal_common_usage(void)
 	       "  --"OPT_PROC_TYPE"         Type of this process (primary|secondary|auto)\n"
 #ifndef RTE_EXEC_ENV_WINDOWS
 	       "  --"OPT_SYSLOG"[=<when>]   Enable use of syslog\n"
+	       "  --"OPT_LOG_JOURNAL"[=<when>]  Enable use of systemd journal\n"
 #endif
 	       "  --"OPT_LOG_LEVEL"=<level> Set global log level\n"
 	       "  --"OPT_LOG_LEVEL"=<type-match>:<level>\n"
diff --git a/lib/eal/common/eal_options.h b/lib/eal/common/eal_options.h
index e24c9eca53..c5a1c70288 100644
--- a/lib/eal/common/eal_options.h
+++ b/lib/eal/common/eal_options.h
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ enum {
 	OPT_LCORES_NUM,
 #define OPT_LOG_LEVEL         "log-level"
 	OPT_LOG_LEVEL_NUM,
+#define OPT_LOG_JOURNAL       "log-journal"
+	OPT_LOG_JOURNAL_NUM,
 #define OPT_LOG_TIMESTAMP     "log-timestamp"
 	OPT_LOG_TIMESTAMP_NUM,
 #define OPT_TRACE             "trace"
diff --git a/lib/log/log.c b/lib/log/log.c
index ddb8400d73..d97bde984e 100644
--- a/lib/log/log.c
+++ b/lib/log/log.c
@@ -515,6 +515,11 @@ eal_log_init(const char *id)
 #else
 	bool is_terminal = isatty(STDERR_FILENO);
 
+#ifdef RTE_EXEC_ENV_LINUX
+	if (log_journal_enabled(id))
+		rte_logs.print_func = journal_print;
+	else
+#endif
 	if (log_syslog_enabled(is_terminal))
 		log_syslog_open(id, is_terminal);
 	else
diff --git a/lib/log/log_internal.h b/lib/log/log_internal.h
index 7c7d44eed2..82fdc21ac2 100644
--- a/lib/log/log_internal.h
+++ b/lib/log/log_internal.h
@@ -29,6 +29,9 @@ int eal_log_save_pattern(const char *pattern, uint32_t level);
 __rte_internal
 int eal_log_syslog(const char *name);
 
+__rte_internal
+int eal_log_journal(const char *opt);
+
 /*
  * Convert log level to string.
  */
diff --git a/lib/log/log_journal.c b/lib/log/log_journal.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f7b5aafc9d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/log/log_journal.c
@@ -0,0 +1,216 @@
+/* SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause */
+
+#include <stdbool.h>
+#include <stdint.h>
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include <string.h>
+#include <sys/socket.h>
+#include <sys/stat.h>
+#include <sys/uio.h>
+#include <sys/un.h>
+#include <unistd.h>
+
+#include <rte_common.h>
+#include <rte_log.h>
+
+#include "log_internal.h"
+#include "log_private.h"
+
+static enum {
+	LOG_JOURNAL_NEVER = 0,	/* do not use journal */
+	LOG_JOURNAL_AUTO,	/* use if stderr is set to journal */
+	LOG_JOURNAL_ALWAYS,	/* always try to use journal */
+} log_journal_opt = LOG_JOURNAL_AUTO;
+
+static int log_journal_fd = -1;
+
+int
+eal_log_journal(const char *str)
+{
+	if (str == NULL || strcmp(str, "auto") == 0)
+		log_journal_opt = LOG_JOURNAL_AUTO;
+	else if (strcmp(str, "always") == 0)
+		log_journal_opt = LOG_JOURNAL_ALWAYS;
+	else if (strcmp(str, "never") == 0)
+		log_journal_opt = LOG_JOURNAL_NEVER;
+	else
+		return -1;
+	return 0;
+}
+
+/*
+ * send structured message using journal protocol
+ * See: https://systemd.io/JOURNAL_NATIVE_PROTOCOL/
+ */
+static int
+journal_send(uint32_t level, const char *buf, size_t len)
+{
+	struct iovec iov[3];
+	const unsigned int niov = RTE_DIM(iov);
+	char msg[] = "MESSAGE=";
+	char pbuf[16];	/* "PRIORITY=N\n" */
+
+	iov[0].iov_base = msg;
+	iov[0].iov_len = strlen(msg);
+
+	iov[1].iov_base = (char *)(uintptr_t)buf;
+	iov[1].iov_len = len;
+
+	/* priority value between 0 ("emerg") and 7 ("debug") */
+	iov[2].iov_base = pbuf;
+	iov[2].iov_len = snprintf(pbuf, sizeof(pbuf),
+				  "PRIORITY=%i\n", level - 1);
+
+	return writev(log_journal_fd, iov, niov);
+}
+
+int
+journal_print(FILE *f __rte_unused, uint32_t level,
+	      const char *format, va_list ap)
+{
+	char *buf = NULL;
+	size_t len;
+	int ret;
+
+	len = vasprintf(&buf, format, ap);
+	if (len == 0)
+		return 0;
+
+	/* check that message ends with newline, if not add one */
+	if (buf[len - 1] != '\n') {
+		char *nbuf;
+
+		nbuf = realloc(buf, len + 1);
+		if (nbuf == NULL) {
+			free(buf);
+			return 0;
+		}
+		buf = nbuf;
+		buf[len++] = '\n';
+	}
+
+	ret = journal_send(level, buf, len);
+	free(buf);
+	return ret;
+}
+
+/* wrapper for log stream to put messages into journal */
+static ssize_t
+journal_log_write(__rte_unused void *c, const char *buf, size_t size)
+{
+	return journal_send(rte_log_cur_msg_loglevel(), buf, size);
+}
+
+static int
+journal_log_close(__rte_unused void *c)
+{
+	close(log_journal_fd);
+	log_journal_fd = -1;
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static cookie_io_functions_t journal_log_func = {
+	.write = journal_log_write,
+	.close = journal_log_close,
+};
+
+/*
+ * Check if stderr is going to system journal.
+ * This is the documented way to handle systemd journal
+ *
+ * See: https://systemd.io/JOURNAL_NATIVE_PROTOCOL/
+ *
+ */
+static bool
+is_journal(int fd)
+{
+	char *jenv, *endp = NULL;
+	struct stat st;
+	unsigned long dev, ino;
+
+	jenv = getenv("JOURNAL_STREAM");
+	if (jenv == NULL)
+		return false;
+
+	if (fstat(fd, &st) < 0)
+		return false;
+
+	/* systemd sets colon-separated list of device and inode number */
+	dev = strtoul(jenv, &endp, 10);
+	if (endp == NULL || *endp != ':')
+		return false;	/* missing colon */
+
+	ino = strtoul(endp + 1, NULL, 10);
+
+	return dev == st.st_dev && ino == st.st_ino;
+}
+
+/* Connect to systemd's journal service */
+static int
+open_journal(void)
+{
+	struct sockaddr_un sun = {
+		.sun_family = AF_UNIX,
+		.sun_path = "/run/systemd/journal/socket",
+	};
+	int s;
+
+	s = socket(AF_UNIX, SOCK_DGRAM, 0);
+	if (s < 0) {
+		perror("socket");
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	if (connect(s, (struct sockaddr *)&sun, sizeof(sun)) < 0) {
+		perror("connect");
+		close(s);
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	return s;
+}
+
+bool log_journal_enabled(const char *id)
+{
+	FILE *log_stream;
+	char *syslog_id = NULL;
+	ssize_t len;
+
+	if (log_journal_opt == LOG_JOURNAL_NEVER)
+		return false;
+
+	if (log_journal_opt == LOG_JOURNAL_AUTO &&
+	    !is_journal(STDERR_FILENO))
+		return false;
+
+	log_journal_fd = open_journal();
+	if (log_journal_fd < 0)
+		return false;
+
+	/* Send identifier as first message */
+	len = asprintf(&syslog_id, "SYSLOG_IDENTIFIER=%s\nSYSLOG_PID=%u",
+		       id, getpid());
+	if (len == 0)
+		goto error;
+
+	if (write(log_journal_fd, syslog_id, len) != len) {
+		perror("write");
+		goto error;
+	}
+
+	free(syslog_id);
+
+	/* redirect other log messages to journal */
+	log_stream = fopencookie(NULL, "w", journal_log_func);
+	if (log_stream != NULL) {
+		rte_openlog_stream(log_stream);
+		return true;
+	}
+
+error:
+	free(syslog_id);
+	close(log_journal_fd);
+	log_journal_fd = -1;
+	return false;
+}
diff --git a/lib/log/log_private.h b/lib/log/log_private.h
index 0e7d10ffca..988579fc08 100644
--- a/lib/log/log_private.h
+++ b/lib/log/log_private.h
@@ -18,5 +18,9 @@ int log_print_with_timestamp(FILE *f, uint32_t level, const char *format, va_lis
 bool log_syslog_enabled(bool is_tty);
 void log_syslog_open(const char *id, bool is_terminal);
 
+bool log_journal_enabled(const char *id);
+
+__rte_format_printf(3, 0)
+int journal_print(FILE *f, uint32_t level, const char *format, va_list ap);
 
 #endif /* LOG_PRIVATE_H */
diff --git a/lib/log/log_stubs.c b/lib/log/log_stubs.c
index cb34217af8..803a6e9f6b 100644
--- a/lib/log/log_stubs.c
+++ b/lib/log/log_stubs.c
@@ -26,3 +26,9 @@ eal_log_syslog(const char *str __rte_unused)
 {
 	return -1;
 }
+
+int
+eal_log_journal(const char *str __rte_unused)
+{
+	return -1;
+}
diff --git a/lib/log/meson.build b/lib/log/meson.build
index 37507299e7..5b9be7f6f1 100644
--- a/lib/log/meson.build
+++ b/lib/log/meson.build
@@ -7,10 +7,15 @@ sources = files(
         'log_timestamp.c',
 )
 
+if is_linux
+    sources += files('log_journal.c')
+endif
+
 if is_windows
 	sources += files('log_stubs.c')
 else
 	sources += files('log_syslog.c')
 endif
 
+
 headers = files('rte_log.h')
diff --git a/lib/log/version.map b/lib/log/version.map
index 14d6681a5f..7af97ece43 100644
--- a/lib/log/version.map
+++ b/lib/log/version.map
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ INTERNAL {
 	global:
 
 	eal_log_init;
+	eal_log_journal;
 	eal_log_level2str;
 	eal_log_save_pattern;
 	eal_log_save_regexp;
