diff --git a/library/Icinga/Logger/Writer/SyslogWriter.php b/library/Icinga/Logger/Writer/SyslogWriter.php
index d176e1cbb..f67c618d2 100644
--- a/library/Icinga/Logger/Writer/SyslogWriter.php
+++ b/library/Icinga/Logger/Writer/SyslogWriter.php
@@ -4,27 +4,24 @@
 
 namespace Icinga\Logger\Writer;
 
-use Exception;
 use Zend_Config;
 use Icinga\Logger\Logger;
 use Icinga\Logger\LogWriter;
-use Icinga\Exception\ConfigurationError;
-use Icinga\Exception\IcingaException;
 
 /**
- * Class to write messages to syslog
+ * Log to the syslog service
  */
 class SyslogWriter extends LogWriter
 {
     /**
-     * The facility where to write messages to
+     * Syslog facility
      *
-     * @var string
+     * @var int
      */
     protected $facility;
 
     /**
-     * The prefix to prepend to each message
+     * Prefix to prepend to each message
      *
      * @var string
      */
@@ -35,79 +32,42 @@ class SyslogWriter extends LogWriter
      *
      * @var array
      */
-    protected $facilities = array(
-        'LOG_USER' => LOG_USER
+    public static $facilities = array(
+        'user' => LOG_USER
     );
 
     /**
-     * Create a new log writer initialized with the given configuration
+     * Log level to syslog severity map
+     *
+     * @var array
+     */
+    public static $severityMap = array(
+        Logger::ERROR   => LOG_ERR,
+        Logger::WARNING => LOG_WARNING,
+        Logger::INFO    => LOG_INFO,
+        Logger::DEBUG   => LOG_DEBUG
+    );
+
+    /**
+     * Create a new syslog log writer
+     *
+     * @param Zend_Config $config
      */
     public function __construct(Zend_Config $config)
     {
-        if (!array_key_exists($config->facility, $this->facilities)) {
-            throw new ConfigurationError(
-                'Cannot create syslog writer with unknown facility "%s"',
-                $config->facility
-            );
-        }
-
-        $this->ident = $config->application;
-        $this->facility = $this->facilities[$config->facility];
+        $this->ident = $config->get('application', 'icingaweb');
+        $this->facility = static::$facilities['user'];
     }
 
     /**
-     * Log a message with the given severity
+     * Log a message
      *
-     * @param   int     $severity   The severity to use
-     * @param   string  $message    The message to log
-     *
-     * @throws  Exception           In case the given severity cannot be mapped to a valid syslog priority
+     * @param   int     $level      The logging level
+     * @param   string  $message    The log message
      */
-    public function log($severity, $message)
+    public function log($level, $message)
     {
-        $priorities = array(
-            Logger::$ERROR      => LOG_ERR,
-            Logger::$WARNING    => LOG_WARNING,
-            Logger::$INFO       => LOG_INFO,
-            Logger::$DEBUG      => LOG_DEBUG
-        );
-
-        if (!array_key_exists($severity, $priorities)) {
-            throw new IcingaException(
-                'Severity "%s" cannot be mapped to a valid syslog priority',
-                $severity
-            );
-        }
-
-        $this->open();
-        $this->write($priorities[$severity], $message);
-        $this->close();
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * Open a new syslog connection
-     */
-    protected function open()
-    {
-        openlog($this->ident, 0, $this->facility);
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * Write a message to the syslog connection
-     *
-     * @param   int     $priority   The priority to use
-     * @param   string  $message    The message to write
-     */
-    protected function write($priority, $message)
-    {
-        syslog($priority, $message);
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * Close the syslog connection
-     */
-    protected function close()
-    {
-        closelog();
+        openlog($this->ident, LOG_PID, $this->facility);
+        syslog(static::$severityMap[$level], $message);
     }
 }