diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index dd0392e..7cd2be1 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -240,7 +240,8 @@ util-action.c util-action.h \
 win32-syslog.h \
 util-profiling.c util-profiling.h \
 cuda-packet-batcher.c cuda-packet-batcher.h \
-util-ioctl.h util-ioctl.c
+util-ioctl.h util-ioctl.c \
+util-logopenfile.h util-logopenfile.c
 
 # set the include path found by configure
 INCLUDES= $(all_includes)
diff --git a/src/alert-debuglog.c b/src/alert-debuglog.c
index 9f802fd..fb6ab28 100644
--- a/src/alert-debuglog.c
+++ b/src/alert-debuglog.c
@@ -50,6 +50,8 @@
 #include "flow-bit.h"
 #include "util-var-name.h"
 
+#include "util-logopenfile.h"
+
 #define DEFAULT_LOG_FILENAME "alert-debug.log"
 
 #define MODULE_NAME "AlertDebugLog"
@@ -444,23 +446,14 @@ OutputCtx *AlertDebugLogInitCtx(ConfNode *conf)
     LogFileCtx *file_ctx = NULL;
 
     file_ctx = LogFileNewCtx();
-    if(file_ctx == NULL) {
+    if (file_ctx == NULL) {
         SCLogDebug("couldn't create new file_ctx");
         goto error;
     }
 
-    const char *filename = ConfNodeLookupChildValue(conf, "filename");
-    if (filename == NULL)
-        filename = DEFAULT_LOG_FILENAME;
-
-    const char *mode = ConfNodeLookupChildValue(conf, "append");
-    if (mode == NULL)
-        mode = DEFAULT_LOG_MODE_APPEND;
-
-    /** fill the new LogFileCtx with the specific AlertDebugLog configuration */
-    ret = AlertDebugLogOpenFileCtx(file_ctx, filename, mode);
-    if(ret < 0)
+    if (SCConfLogOpenGeneric(conf, file_ctx, DEFAULT_LOG_FILENAME) < 0) {
         goto error;
+    }
 
     OutputCtx *output_ctx = SCMalloc(sizeof(OutputCtx));
     if (output_ctx == NULL)
@@ -479,35 +472,3 @@ error:
 
     return NULL;
 }
-
-/** \brief Read the config set the file pointer, open the file
- *  \param file_ctx pointer to a created LogFileCtx using LogFileNewCtx()
- *  \param filename name of log file
- *  \return -1 if failure, 0 if succesful
- * */
-int AlertDebugLogOpenFileCtx(LogFileCtx *file_ctx, const char *filename, const
-                                char *mode)
-{
-    char log_path[PATH_MAX];
-    char *log_dir;
-
-    if (ConfGet("default-log-dir", &log_dir) != 1)
-        log_dir = DEFAULT_LOG_DIR;
-
-    snprintf(log_path, PATH_MAX, "%s/%s", log_dir, filename);
-
-    if (strcasecmp(mode, "yes") == 0) {
-        file_ctx->fp = fopen(log_path, "a");
-    } else {
-        file_ctx->fp = fopen(log_path, "w");
-    }
-
-    if (file_ctx->fp == NULL) {
-        SCLogError(SC_ERR_FOPEN, "failed to open %s: %s", log_path,
-            strerror(errno));
-        return -1;
-    }
-
-    return 0;
-}
-
diff --git a/src/alert-fastlog.c b/src/alert-fastlog.c
index 7e11f82..8b303ff 100644
--- a/src/alert-fastlog.c
+++ b/src/alert-fastlog.c
@@ -58,6 +58,8 @@
 #include "util-print.h"
 #include "util-proto-name.h"
 
+#include "util-logopenfile.h"
+
 #define DEFAULT_LOG_FILENAME "fast.log"
 
 #define MODULE_NAME "AlertFastLog"
@@ -337,15 +339,7 @@ OutputCtx *AlertFastLogInitCtx(ConfNode *conf)
         return NULL;
     }
 
-    const char *filename = ConfNodeLookupChildValue(conf, "filename");
-    if (filename == NULL)
-        filename = DEFAULT_LOG_FILENAME;
-
-    const char *mode = ConfNodeLookupChildValue(conf, "append");
-    if (mode == NULL)
-        mode = DEFAULT_LOG_MODE_APPEND;
-
-    if (AlertFastLogOpenFileCtx(logfile_ctx, filename, mode) < 0) {
+    if (SCConfLogOpenGeneric(conf, logfile_ctx, DEFAULT_LOG_FILENAME) < 0) {
         LogFileFreeCtx(logfile_ctx);
         return NULL;
     }
@@ -356,8 +350,6 @@ OutputCtx *AlertFastLogInitCtx(ConfNode *conf)
     output_ctx->data = logfile_ctx;
     output_ctx->DeInit = AlertFastLogDeInitCtx;
 
-    SCLogInfo("Fast log output initialized, filename: %s", filename);
-
     return output_ctx;
 }
 
@@ -368,38 +360,6 @@ static void AlertFastLogDeInitCtx(OutputCtx *output_ctx)
     free(output_ctx);
 }
 
-/** \brief Read the config set the file pointer, open the file
- *  \param file_ctx pointer to a created LogFileCtx using LogFileNewCtx()
- *  \param filename name of log file
- *  \return -1 if failure, 0 if succesful
- * */
-static int AlertFastLogOpenFileCtx(LogFileCtx *file_ctx, const char *filename,
-                                    const char *mode)
-{
-    char log_path[PATH_MAX];
-    char *log_dir;
-
-    if (ConfGet("default-log-dir", &log_dir) != 1)
-        log_dir = DEFAULT_LOG_DIR;
-
-    snprintf(log_path, PATH_MAX, "%s/%s", log_dir, filename);
-
-    if (strcasecmp(mode, "yes") == 0) {
-        file_ctx->fp = fopen(log_path, "a");
-    } else {
-        file_ctx->fp = fopen(log_path, "w");
-    }
-
-    if (file_ctx->fp == NULL) {
-        SCLogError(SC_ERR_FOPEN, "failed to open %s: %s", log_path,
-                strerror(errno));
-        return -1;
-    }
-
-    return 0;
-}
-
-
 /*------------------------------Unittests-------------------------------------*/
 
 #ifdef UNITTESTS
diff --git a/src/log-droplog.c b/src/log-droplog.c
index 63f20a2..5cf8c8a 100644
--- a/src/log-droplog.c
+++ b/src/log-droplog.c
@@ -55,6 +55,8 @@
 #include "util-print.h"
 #include "util-proto-name.h"
 
+#include "util-logopenfile.h"
+
 #define DEFAULT_LOG_FILENAME "drop.log"
 
 #define MODULE_NAME "LogDropLog"
@@ -158,15 +160,7 @@ OutputCtx *LogDropLogInitCtx(ConfNode *conf)
         return NULL;
     }
 
-    const char *filename = ConfNodeLookupChildValue(conf, "filename");
-    if (filename == NULL)
-        filename = DEFAULT_LOG_FILENAME;
-
-    const char *mode = ConfNodeLookupChildValue(conf, "append");
-    if (mode == NULL)
-        mode = DEFAULT_LOG_MODE_APPEND;
-
-    if (LogDropLogOpenFileCtx(logfile_ctx, filename, mode) < 0) {
+    if (SCConfLogOpenGeneric(conf, logfile_ctx, DEFAULT_LOG_FILENAME) < 0) {
         LogFileFreeCtx(logfile_ctx);
         return NULL;
     }
@@ -179,8 +173,6 @@ OutputCtx *LogDropLogInitCtx(ConfNode *conf)
     output_ctx->data = logfile_ctx;
     output_ctx->DeInit = LogDropLogDeInitCtx;
 
-    SCLogInfo("Drop log output initialized, filename: %s", filename);
-
     return output_ctx;
 }
 
@@ -200,37 +192,6 @@ static void LogDropLogDeInitCtx(OutputCtx *output_ctx)
     }
 }
 
-/** \brief Read the config set the file pointer, open the file
- *  \param file_ctx pointer to a created LogFileCtx using LogFileNewCtx()
- *  \param filename name of log file
- *  \return -1 if failure, 0 if succesful
- * */
-static int LogDropLogOpenFileCtx(LogFileCtx *file_ctx, const char *filename,
-                                    const char *mode)
-{
-    char log_path[PATH_MAX];
-    char *log_dir;
-
-    if (ConfGet("default-log-dir", &log_dir) != 1)
-        log_dir = DEFAULT_LOG_DIR;
-
-    snprintf(log_path, PATH_MAX, "%s/%s", log_dir, filename);
-
-    if (strcasecmp(mode, "yes") == 0) {
-        file_ctx->fp = fopen(log_path, "a");
-    } else {
-        file_ctx->fp = fopen(log_path, "w");
-    }
-
-    if (file_ctx->fp == NULL) {
-        SCLogError(SC_ERR_FOPEN, "failed to open %s: %s", log_path,
-                strerror(errno));
-        return -1;
-    }
-
-    return 0;
-}
-
 /** \brief Function to create the time string from the packet timestamp */
 static void CreateTimeString (const struct timeval *ts, char *str, size_t size) {
     time_t time = ts->tv_sec;
diff --git a/src/log-httplog.c b/src/log-httplog.c
index 647498a..0b3dd28 100644
--- a/src/log-httplog.c
+++ b/src/log-httplog.c
@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@
 #include "app-layer.h"
 #include "util-privs.h"
 
+#include "util-logopenfile.h"
+
 #define DEFAULT_LOG_FILENAME "http.log"
 
 #define MODULE_NAME "LogHttpLog"
@@ -420,18 +422,10 @@ OutputCtx *LogHttpLogInitCtx(ConfNode *conf)
         return NULL;
     }
 
-    const char *filename = ConfNodeLookupChildValue(conf, "filename");
-    if (filename == NULL)
-        filename = DEFAULT_LOG_FILENAME;
-
-    const char *mode = ConfNodeLookupChildValue(conf, "append");
-    if (mode == NULL)
-        mode = DEFAULT_LOG_MODE_APPEND;
-    /** fill the new LogFileCtx with the specific LogHttpLog configuration */
-    ret=LogHttpLogOpenFileCtx(file_ctx, filename, mode);
-
-    if(ret < 0)
+    if (SCConfLogOpenGeneric(conf, file_ctx, DEFAULT_LOG_FILENAME) < 0) {
+        LogFileFreeCtx(file_ctx);
         return NULL;
+    }
 
     OutputCtx *output_ctx = SCCalloc(1, sizeof(OutputCtx));
     if (output_ctx == NULL)
@@ -448,35 +442,3 @@ static void LogHttpLogDeInitCtx(OutputCtx *output_ctx)
     LogFileFreeCtx(logfile_ctx);
     free(output_ctx);
 }
-
-/** \brief Read the config set the file pointer, open the file
- *  \param file_ctx pointer to a created LogFileCtx using LogFileNewCtx()
- *  \param config_file for loading separate configs
- *  \return -1 if failure, 0 if succesful
- * */
-int LogHttpLogOpenFileCtx(LogFileCtx *file_ctx, const char *filename, const
-                            char *mode)
-{
-    char log_path[PATH_MAX];
-    char *log_dir;
-
-    if (ConfGet("default-log-dir", &log_dir) != 1)
-        log_dir = DEFAULT_LOG_DIR;
-
-    snprintf(log_path, PATH_MAX, "%s/%s", log_dir, filename);
-
-    if (strcasecmp(mode, "yes") == 0) {
-        file_ctx->fp = fopen(log_path, "a");
-    } else {
-        file_ctx->fp = fopen(log_path, "w");
-    }
-
-    if (file_ctx->fp == NULL) {
-        SCLogError(SC_ERR_FOPEN, "failed to open %s: %s", log_path,
-            strerror(errno));
-        return -1;
-    }
-
-    return 0;
-}
-
diff --git a/src/output.h b/src/output.h
index 2315705..10c3143 100644
--- a/src/output.h
+++ b/src/output.h
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 #include "suricata.h"
 
 #define DEFAULT_LOG_MODE_APPEND     "yes"
+#define DEFAULT_LOG_FILETYPE        "regular"
 
 typedef struct OutputModule_ {
     char *name;
diff --git a/src/util-error.c b/src/util-error.c
index 460ec06..4a8e9f7 100644
--- a/src/util-error.c
+++ b/src/util-error.c
@@ -201,6 +201,7 @@ const char * SCErrorToString(SCError err)
         CASE_CODE (SC_ERR_HTTP_COOKIE_NEEDS_PRECEEDING_CONTENT);
         CASE_CODE (SC_ERR_HTTP_COOKIE_INCOMPATIBLE_WITH_RAWBYTES);
         CASE_CODE (SC_ERR_HTTP_COOKIE_RELATIVE_MISSING);
+        CASE_CODE (SC_ERR_SOCKET);
 
         default:
             return "UNKNOWN_ERROR";
diff --git a/src/util-error.h b/src/util-error.h
index 31bb51c..bf6d194 100644
--- a/src/util-error.h
+++ b/src/util-error.h
@@ -212,6 +212,7 @@ typedef enum {
     SC_ERR_HTTP_COOKIE_NEEDS_PRECEEDING_CONTENT,
     SC_ERR_HTTP_COOKIE_INCOMPATIBLE_WITH_RAWBYTES,
     SC_ERR_HTTP_COOKIE_RELATIVE_MISSING,
+    SC_ERR_SOCKET,
 } SCError;
 
 const char *SCErrorToString(SCError);
diff --git a/src/util-logopenfile.c b/src/util-logopenfile.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..06f6881
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/util-logopenfile.c
@@ -0,0 +1,158 @@
+/* vi: set et ts=4: */
+/* Copyright (C) 2007-2010 Open Information Security Foundation
+ *
+ * You can copy, redistribute or modify this Program under the terms of
+ * the GNU General Public License version 2 as published by the Free
+ * Software Foundation.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * version 2 along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
+ * Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA
+ * 02110-1301, USA.
+ */
+
+/**
+ * \file
+ *
+ * \author Mike Pomraning <mpomraning@qualys.com>
+ *
+ * File-like output for logging:  regular files and sockets.
+ */
+#include <sys/socket.h>
+#include <sys/un.h>
+
+#include "suricata-common.h" /* errno.h, string.h, etc. */
+#include "tm-modules.h"      /* LogFileCtx */
+#include "conf.h"            /* ConfNode, etc. */
+#include "output.h"          /* DEFAULT_LOG_* */
+
+/** \brief connect to the indicated local stream socket, logging any errors
+ *  \param path filesystem path to connect to
+ *  \retval FILE* on success (fdopen'd wrapper of underlying socket)
+ *  \retval NULL on error
+ */
+FILE * SCLogOpenSocketFp(const char *path)
+{
+    struct sockaddr_un sun;
+    FILE * ret;
+    int s = -1;
+
+    s = socket(PF_UNIX, SOCK_STREAM, 0);
+    if (s < 0) goto err;
+
+    sun.sun_family = AF_UNIX;
+    strncpy(sun.sun_path, path, sizeof(sun.sun_path) - 1);
+
+    if (connect(s, (const struct sockaddr *)&sun, sizeof(sun)) < 0)
+        goto err;
+
+    ret = fdopen(s, "w");
+    if (ret == NULL)
+        goto err;
+
+    return ret;
+
+err:
+    SCLogError(SC_ERR_SOCKET, "Error connecting to socket \"%s\": %s",
+               path, strerror(errno));
+
+    if (s >= 0)
+        close(s);
+
+    return NULL;
+}
+
+/** \brief open the indicated file, logging any errors
+ *  \param path filesystem path to open
+ *  \param append_setting open file with O_APPEND: "yes" or "no"
+ *  \retval FILE* on success
+ *  \retval NULL on error
+ */
+FILE * SCLogOpenFileFp(const char *path, const char *append_setting)
+{
+    FILE *ret = NULL;
+
+    if (strcasecmp(append_setting, "yes") == 0) {
+        ret = fopen(path, "a");
+    } else {
+        ret = fopen(path, "w");
+    }
+
+    if (ret == NULL)
+        SCLogError(SC_ERR_FOPEN, "Error opening file: \"%s\": %s",
+                   path, strerror(errno));
+    return ret;
+}
+
+/** \brief open a generic output "log file", which may be a regular file or a socket
+ *  \param conf ConfNode structure for the output section in question
+ *  \param log_ctx Log file context allocated by caller
+ *  \param default_filename Default name of file to open, if not specified in ConfNode
+ *  \retval 0 on success
+ *  \retval -1 on error
+ */
+int SCConfLogOpenGeneric(ConfNode *conf,
+                         LogFileCtx *log_ctx,
+                         const char *default_filename)
+{
+    char log_path[PATH_MAX];
+    char *log_dir;
+    const char *filename, *filetype;
+
+    // Arg check
+    if (conf == NULL || log_ctx == NULL || default_filename == NULL) {
+        SCLogError(SC_ERR_INVALID_ARGUMENT,
+                   "SCConfLogOpenGeneric(conf %p, ctx %p, default %p) "
+                   "missing an argument",
+                   conf, log_ctx, default_filename);
+        return -1;
+    }
+    if (log_ctx->fp != NULL) {
+        SCLogError(SC_ERR_INVALID_ARGUMENT,
+                   "SCConfLogOpenGeneric: previously initialized Log CTX "
+                   "encountered");
+        return -1;
+    }
+
+    // Resolve the given config
+    filename = ConfNodeLookupChildValue(conf, "filename");
+    if (filename == NULL)
+        filename = default_filename;
+
+    if (ConfGet("default-log-dir", &log_dir) != 1)
+        log_dir = DEFAULT_LOG_DIR;
+
+    snprintf(log_path, PATH_MAX, "%s/%s", log_dir, filename);
+
+    filetype = ConfNodeLookupChildValue(conf, "type");
+    if (filetype == NULL)
+        filetype = DEFAULT_LOG_FILETYPE;
+
+    // Now, what have we been asked to open?
+    if (strcasecmp(filetype, "socket") == 0) {
+        log_ctx->fp = SCLogOpenSocketFp(log_path);
+    } else if (strcasecmp(filetype, DEFAULT_LOG_FILETYPE) == 0) {
+        const char *append;
+
+        append = ConfNodeLookupChildValue(conf, "append");
+        if (append == NULL)
+            append = DEFAULT_LOG_MODE_APPEND;
+        log_ctx->fp = SCLogOpenFileFp(log_path, append);
+    } else {
+        SCLogError(SC_ERR_INVALID_YAML_CONF_ENTRY, "Invalid entry for "
+                   "%s.type.  Expected \"regular\" (default) or \"socket\"",
+                   conf->name);
+    }
+
+    if (log_ctx->fp == NULL)
+        return -1; // Error already logged by Open...Fp routine
+
+    SCLogInfo("%s output initialized: %s", conf->name, filename);
+
+    return 0;
+}
diff --git a/src/util-logopenfile.h b/src/util-logopenfile.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6ee2292
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/util-logopenfile.h
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+/* Copyright (C) 2007-2010 Open Information Security Foundation
+ *
+ * You can copy, redistribute or modify this Program under the terms of
+ * the GNU General Public License version 2 as published by the Free
+ * Software Foundation.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * version 2 along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
+ * Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA
+ * 02110-1301, USA.
+ */
+
+/**
+ * \file
+ *
+ * \author Mike Pomraning <mpomraning@qualys.com>
+ */
+
+#ifndef __UTIL_LOGOPENFILE_H__
+#define __UTIL_LOGOPENFILE_H__
+
+#include "conf.h"            /* ConfNode   */
+#include "tm-modules.h"      /* LogFileCtx */
+
+FILE * SCLogOpenFileFp(const char *, const char *);
+FILE * SCLogOpenSocketFp(const char *);
+int SCConfLogOpenGeneric(ConfNode *conf, LogFileCtx *, const char *);
+
+#endif /* __UTIL_LOGOPENFILE_H__ */
+