diff --git a/logging.h b/logging.h
index df0d7dedce..2ba2ac4965 100644
--- a/logging.h
+++ b/logging.h
@@ -57,23 +57,11 @@
 	} while (0)
 #endif
 
-/* each program must declare this variable and function somewhere */
-extern unsigned char logname[42];
-extern int log_ok(void);
-
-static void log_message (int level, const char *format, ...)
+extern void log_message (int level, const char *format, ...)
 	__attribute__ ((format (printf, 2, 3)));
-static inline void log_message (int level, const char *format, ...)
-{
-	va_list	args;
 
-	if (!log_ok())
-		return;
-
-	va_start(args, format);
-	vsyslog(level, format, args);
-	va_end(args);
-}
+/* each program that uses syslog must declare this variable somewhere */
+extern unsigned char logname[42];
 
 #undef init_logging
 static inline void init_logging(char *program_name)
diff --git a/udev.c b/udev.c
index 0f01fa41d2..9f10cc2125 100644
--- a/udev.c
+++ b/udev.c
@@ -38,12 +38,21 @@
 /* global variables */
 char **main_argv;
 char **main_envp;
-unsigned char logname[42];
 
-int log_ok(void)
+#ifdef LOG
+unsigned char logname[42];
+void log_message (int level, const char *format, ...)
 {
-	return udev_log;
+	va_list	args;
+
+	if (!udev_log)
+		return;
+
+	va_start(args, format);
+	vsyslog(level, format, args);
+	va_end(args);
 }
+#endif
 
 static void sig_handler(int signum)
 {
diff --git a/udevd.c b/udevd.c
index 14616b9824..9fbb4e964b 100644
--- a/udevd.c
+++ b/udevd.c
@@ -51,12 +51,17 @@ LIST_HEAD(running_list);
 static void exec_queue_manager(void);
 static void msg_queue_manager(void);
 
+#ifdef LOG
 unsigned char logname[42];
-
-int log_ok(void)
+void log_message (int level, const char *format, ...)
 {
-	return 1;
+	va_list	args;
+
+	va_start(args, format);
+	vsyslog(level, format, args);
+	va_end(args);
 }
+#endif
 
 static void msg_dump_queue(void)
 {
diff --git a/udevinfo.c b/udevinfo.c
index 103ebce08c..44eb142709 100644
--- a/udevinfo.c
+++ b/udevinfo.c
@@ -38,12 +38,18 @@
 
 char **main_argv;
 int main_argc;
-unsigned char logname[42];
 
-int log_ok(void)
+#ifdef LOG
+unsigned char logname[42];
+void log_message (int level, const char *format, ...)
 {
-	return 1;
+	va_list	args;
+
+	va_start(args, format);
+	vsyslog(level, format, args);
+	va_end(args);
 }
+#endif
 
 static int print_all_attributes(const char *path)
 {
diff --git a/udevsend.c b/udevsend.c
index b2fbcbbca6..c738fe2245 100644
--- a/udevsend.c
+++ b/udevsend.c
@@ -40,12 +40,17 @@
 #include "udevd.h"
 #include "logging.h"
 
+#ifdef LOG
 unsigned char logname[42];
-
-int log_ok(void)
+void log_message (int level, const char *format, ...)
 {
-	return 1;
+	va_list	args;
+
+	va_start(args, format);
+	vsyslog(level, format, args);
+	va_end(args);
 }
+#endif
 
 static inline char *get_action(void)
 {