diff --git a/examples/syslog_friendly_format.rs b/examples/syslog_friendly_format.rs
index 9809ab3f..eac74adc 100644
--- a/examples/syslog_friendly_format.rs
+++ b/examples/syslog_friendly_format.rs
@@ -1,24 +1,12 @@
-use std::io::Write;
-
 fn main() {
-    match std::env::var("RUST_LOG_STYLE") {
-        Ok(s) if s == "SYSTEMD" => env_logger::builder()
-            .format(|buf, record| {
-                writeln!(
-                    buf,
-                    "<{}>{}: {}",
-                    match record.level() {
-                        log::Level::Error => 3,
-                        log::Level::Warn => 4,
-                        log::Level::Info => 6,
-                        log::Level::Debug => 7,
-                        log::Level::Trace => 7,
-                    },
-                    record.target(),
-                    record.args()
-                )
-            })
-            .init(),
-        _ => env_logger::init(),
-    };
+    env_logger::builder()
+        .parse_default_env()
+        // While journald-logging is auto-detected, you can manually override it.
+        // Especially useful if you are using a different logging system.
+        //.format_syslog(true)
+        .init();
+
+    // Prints in a human readable way if run interactively,
+    // and in a syslog-compatible way if run as a systemd service.
+    log::info!("we are logging");
 }
diff --git a/src/fmt/mod.rs b/src/fmt/mod.rs
index 398dab70..43a210f3 100644
--- a/src/fmt/mod.rs
+++ b/src/fmt/mod.rs
@@ -63,7 +63,6 @@ use std::io::prelude::Write;
 use std::rc::Rc;
 use std::{fmt, io, mem};
 
-#[cfg(feature = "color")]
 use log::Level;
 use log::Record;
 
@@ -275,6 +274,28 @@ impl<T: Display> Display for StyledValue<T> {
 #[cfg(not(feature = "color"))]
 type StyledValue<T> = T;
 
+struct SyslogFormatter;
+
+impl SyslogFormatter {
+    pub(crate) fn build(&mut self) -> FormatFn {
+        Box::new(|buf: &mut Formatter, record: &Record<'_>| {
+            writeln!(
+                buf,
+                "<{}>{}: {}",
+                match record.level() {
+                    Level::Error => 3,
+                    Level::Warn => 4,
+                    Level::Info => 6,
+                    Level::Debug => 7,
+                    Level::Trace => 7,
+                },
+                record.target(),
+                record.args()
+            )
+        })
+    }
+}
+
 /// A [custom format][crate::Builder::format] with settings for which fields to show
 pub struct ConfigurableFormat {
     // This format needs to work with any combination of crate features.
diff --git a/src/logger.rs b/src/logger.rs
index 1ecfcc84..3d777b38 100644
--- a/src/logger.rs
+++ b/src/logger.rs
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ pub struct Builder {
     writer: writer::Builder,
     format: fmt::Builder,
     built: bool,
+    is_syslog: bool,
 }
 
 impl Builder {
@@ -160,6 +161,10 @@ impl Builder {
             self.parse_write_style(&s);
         }
 
+        if env.is_daemon() {
+            self.is_syslog = true;
+        }
+
         self
     }
 
@@ -336,6 +341,14 @@ impl Builder {
         self
     }
 
+    /// If set to true, format log messages in a Syslog-adapted format.
+    ///
+    /// Overrides the auto-detected value.
+    pub fn format_syslog(&mut self, syslog: bool) -> &mut Self {
+        self.is_syslog = syslog;
+        self
+    }
+
     /// Set the format for structured key/value pairs in the log record
     ///
     /// With the default format, this function is called for each record and should format
@@ -533,7 +546,11 @@ impl Builder {
         Logger {
             writer: self.writer.build(),
             filter: self.filter.build(),
-            format: self.format.build(),
+            format: if self.is_syslog {
+                fmt::SyslogFormatter.build()
+            } else {
+                self.format.build()
+            },
         }
     }
 }
@@ -820,6 +837,11 @@ impl<'a> Env<'a> {
     fn get_write_style(&self) -> Option<String> {
         self.write_style.get()
     }
+
+    fn is_daemon(&self) -> bool {
+        // journald detection
+        Var::new("JOURNAL_STREAM").get().is_some()
+    }
 }
 
 impl<'a, T> From<T> for Env<'a>