diff --git a/debian/control b/debian/control
index 2b5486e..f1b471c 100644
--- a/debian/control
+++ b/debian/control
@@ -1,16 +1,16 @@
 Source: msrprelay
 Section: net
 Priority: optional
 Maintainer: Dan Pascu <dan@ag-projects.com>
 Uploaders: Adrian Georgescu <ag@ag-projects.com>
 Build-Depends: debhelper (>= 9), python(>= 2.7)
 Standards-Version: 3.9.8
 
 Package: msrprelay
 Architecture: all
-Depends: ${python:Depends}, ${misc:Depends}, lsb-base, python-application (>= 2.8.0), python-gnutls (>= 3.0.0), python-twisted-core (>= 2.5.0), python-twisted-names, python-sqlobject (>= 0.10.2)
+Depends: ${python:Depends}, ${misc:Depends}, lsb-base, python-application (>= 2.8.0), python-gnutls (>= 3.0.0), python-twisted-core (>= 2.5.0), python-twisted-names, python-sqlobject (>= 0.10.2), python-systemd
 Description: MSRP Relay, a RFC 4976 compatible IM/File transfer relay
  This software implements an MSRP relay, which is an extension to the MSRP
  protocol (RFC 4975). Its main role is to help NAT traversal of Interactive
  Messaging and file transfer sessions for SIP/MSRP endpoints located behind
  NAT.
diff --git a/msrprelay b/msrprelay
index ea491c7..13d3cac 100644
--- a/msrprelay
+++ b/msrprelay
@@ -1,77 +1,82 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python
 
 """MSRP Relay"""
 
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     import msrp
     import sys
     import signal
 
     from application import log
     from application.process import process, ProcessError
     from argparse import ArgumentParser
 
     name = 'msrprelay'
     fullname = 'MSRP Relay'
     description = 'An open source MSRP Relay'
 
     process.configuration.user_directory = None
     process.configuration.subdirectory = name
     # process.runtime.subdirectory = name
 
     parser = ArgumentParser(usage='%(prog)s [options]')
     parser.add_argument('--version', action='version', version='%(prog)s {}'.format(msrp.__version__))
+    parser.add_argument('--systemd', action='store_true', help='run as a systemd simple service and log to journal')
     parser.add_argument('--no-fork', action='store_false', dest='fork', help='run in the foreground and log to terminal')
     parser.add_argument('--config-dir', dest='config_directory', default=None, help='the configuration directory', metavar='PATH')
     parser.add_argument('--runtime-dir', dest='runtime_directory', default=None, help='the runtime directory ({})'.format(process.runtime.directory), metavar='PATH')
     parser.add_argument('--debug', action='store_true', help='enable verbose logging')
     parser.add_argument('--debug-memory', action='store_true', help='enable memory debugging')
 
     options = parser.parse_args()
 
     log.Formatter.prefix_format = '{record.levelname:<8s} '
 
     if options.config_directory is not None:
         process.configuration.local_directory = options.config_directory
     if options.runtime_directory is not None:
         process.runtime.directory = options.runtime_directory
 
-    if options.fork:
+    if options.systemd:
+        from systemd.journal import JournalHandler
+        log.set_handler(JournalHandler(SYSLOG_IDENTIFIER=name))
+        log.capture_output()
+    elif options.fork:
         try:
             pid_file = '{}.pid'.format(name)
             process.daemonize(pid_file)
         except ProcessError, e:
             log.critical('Cannot start %s: %s' % (fullname, e))
             sys.exit(1)
         log.use_syslog(name)
 
     log.info('Starting %s %s' % (fullname, msrp.__version__))
 
     from msrp.relay import Relay, RelayConfig
 
     log.level.current = log.level.DEBUG if options.debug else RelayConfig.log_level
 
     if options.debug_memory:
         from application.debug.memory import memory_dump
 
     try:
         relay = Relay()
     except Exception, e:
         log.critical('Failed to create %s: %s' % (fullname, e))
         if e.__class__ is not RuntimeError:
             log.exception()
         sys.exit(1)
 
     process.signals.add_handler(signal.SIGHUP, lambda signum, frame: relay.reload())
 
     try:
         relay.run()
     except Exception, e:
         log.critical('Failed to run %s: %s' % (fullname, e))
         if e.__class__ is not RuntimeError:
             log.exception()
         sys.exit(1)
 
     if options.debug_memory:
         memory_dump()