diff --git a/interface/src/project/EMSESPSettingsForm.tsx b/interface/src/project/EMSESPSettingsForm.tsx
index 48b38998e..944e1bbb0 100644
--- a/interface/src/project/EMSESPSettingsForm.tsx
+++ b/interface/src/project/EMSESPSettingsForm.tsx
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ import {
   BlockFormControlLabel
 } from '../components';
 
-import { isIP, optional } from '../validators';
+import { isIPv4, optional, isHostname, or } from '../validators';
 
 import { EMSESPSettings } from './EMSESPtypes';
 
@@ -55,7 +55,10 @@ class EMSESPSettingsForm extends Component<EMSESPSettingsFormProps> {
   };
 
   componentDidMount() {
-    ValidatorForm.addValidationRule('isOptionalIP', optional(isIP));
+    ValidatorForm.addValidationRule(
+      'isOptionalIPorHost',
+      optional(or(isIPv4, isHostname))
+    );
   }
 
   changeBoardProfile = (event: React.ChangeEvent<HTMLSelectElement>) => {
@@ -538,10 +541,10 @@ class EMSESPSettingsForm extends Component<EMSESPSettingsFormProps> {
           >
             <Grid item xs={5}>
               <TextValidator
-                validators={['isOptionalIP']}
-                errorMessages={['Not a valid IP address']}
+                validators={['isOptionalIPorHost']}
+                errorMessages={['Not a valid IPv4 address or hostname']}
                 name="syslog_host"
-                label="IP"
+                label="Host"
                 fullWidth
                 variant="outlined"
                 value={data.syslog_host}
diff --git a/interface/src/validators/index.ts b/interface/src/validators/index.ts
index ac394b76a..24224ffd2 100644
--- a/interface/src/validators/index.ts
+++ b/interface/src/validators/index.ts
@@ -3,3 +3,4 @@ export { default as isIP } from './isIP';
 export { default as optional } from './optional';
 export { default as or } from './or';
 export { default as isPath } from './isPath';
+export { default as isIPv4 } from './isIPv4';
diff --git a/interface/src/validators/isIPv4.ts b/interface/src/validators/isIPv4.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..160bda7c5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/interface/src/validators/isIPv4.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+const ipv4AddressRegexp = /^(25[0-5]|2[0-4][0-9]|[01]?[0-9][0-9]?)\.(25[0-5]|2[0-4][0-9]|[01]?[0-9][0-9]?)\.(25[0-5]|2[0-4][0-9]|[01]?[0-9][0-9]?)\.(25[0-5]|2[0-4][0-9]|[01]?[0-9][0-9]?)$/;
+
+export default function isIpv4(ipAddress: string) {
+  return ipv4AddressRegexp.test(ipAddress);
+}
diff --git a/src/system.cpp b/src/system.cpp
index 615466864..f19582ea5 100644
--- a/src/system.cpp
+++ b/src/system.cpp
@@ -159,45 +159,37 @@ void System::format(uuid::console::Shell & shell) {
 }
 
 void System::syslog_start() {
+    bool was_enabled = syslog_enabled_;
+    EMSESP::webSettingsService.read([&](WebSettings & settings) {
+        syslog_enabled_       = settings.syslog_enabled;
+        syslog_level_         = settings.syslog_level;
+        syslog_mark_interval_ = settings.syslog_mark_interval;
+        syslog_host_          = settings.syslog_host;
+        syslog_port_          = settings.syslog_port;
+    });
+#ifndef EMSESP_STANDALONE
     if (syslog_enabled_) {
-#ifndef EMSESP_STANDALONE
-        syslog_.start();
+        // start & configure syslog
+        if (!was_enabled) {
+            syslog_.start();
+            EMSESP::logger().info(F("Starting Syslog"));
+        }
         syslog_.log_level((uuid::log::Level)syslog_level_);
-#endif
-        EMSESP::logger().info(F("Starting Syslog"));
-    }
-}
-
-void System::syslog_init(bool refresh) {
-    if (refresh) {
-        get_settings();
-    }
-
-#ifndef EMSESP_STANDALONE
-    // check for empty or invalid hostname
-    IPAddress addr;
-    if (!addr.fromString(syslog_host_.c_str())) {
-        syslog_enabled_ = false;
-    }
-
-    // in case service is still running, this flushes the queue
-    // https://github.com/emsesp/EMS-ESP/issues/496
-    if (!syslog_enabled_) {
+        syslog_.mark_interval(syslog_mark_interval_);
+        syslog_.destination(syslog_host_.c_str(), syslog_port_);
+        syslog_.hostname(hostname().c_str());
+    } else if (was_enabled) {
+        // in case service is still running, this flushes the queue
+        // https://github.com/emsesp/EMS-ESP/issues/496
+        EMSESP::logger().info(F("Stopping Syslog"));
         syslog_.log_level((uuid::log::Level)-1);
         syslog_.mark_interval(0);
-        syslog_.destination((IPAddress)((uint32_t)0));
-        return;
+        syslog_.destination("");
     }
-
-    // start & configure syslog
-    syslog_.log_level((uuid::log::Level)syslog_level_);
-    syslog_.mark_interval(syslog_mark_interval_);
-    syslog_.destination(addr, syslog_port_);
-    syslog_.hostname(hostname().c_str());
 #endif
 }
 
-// read all the settings from the config files and store locally
+// read all the settings except syslog from the config files and store locally
 void System::get_settings() {
     EMSESP::webSettingsService.read([&](WebSettings & settings) {
         // Button
@@ -209,13 +201,6 @@ void System::get_settings() {
         // Sysclock
         low_clock_ = settings.low_clock;
 
-        // Syslog
-        syslog_enabled_       = settings.syslog_enabled;
-        syslog_level_         = settings.syslog_level;
-        syslog_mark_interval_ = settings.syslog_mark_interval;
-        syslog_host_          = settings.syslog_host;
-        syslog_port_          = settings.syslog_port;
-
         // LED
         hide_led_ = settings.hide_led;
         led_gpio_ = settings.led_gpio;
@@ -296,7 +281,7 @@ void System::start(uint32_t heap_start) {
     adc_init(false);     // analog ADC
     button_init(false);  // the special button
     network_init(false); // network
-    syslog_init(false);  // init SysLog
+    syslog_start();      // start Syslog
 
     EMSESP::init_uart(); // start UART
 }
@@ -762,15 +747,17 @@ void System::show_system(uuid::console::Shell & shell) {
     if (!syslog_enabled_) {
         shell.printfln(F("Syslog: disabled"));
     } else {
-        shell.printfln(F("Syslog:"));
+        shell.printfln(F("Syslog: %s"),syslog_.started() ? "started" : "stopped");
         shell.print(F(" "));
         shell.printfln(F_(host_fmt), !syslog_host_.isEmpty() ? syslog_host_.c_str() : uuid::read_flash_string(F_(unset)).c_str());
+        shell.printfln(F(" IP: %s"),uuid::printable_to_string(syslog_.ip()).c_str());
         shell.print(F(" "));
         shell.printfln(F_(port_fmt), syslog_port_);
         shell.print(F(" "));
         shell.printfln(F_(log_level_fmt), uuid::log::format_level_lowercase(static_cast<uuid::log::Level>(syslog_level_)));
         shell.print(F(" "));
         shell.printfln(F_(mark_interval_fmt), syslog_mark_interval_);
+        shell.printfln(F(" Queued: %d"),syslog_.queued());
     }
 
 #endif
@@ -939,6 +926,10 @@ bool System::command_info(const char * value, const int8_t id, JsonObject & json
             node["dallas reads"]   = EMSESP::sensor_reads();
             node["dallas fails"]   = EMSESP::sensor_fails();
         }
+        if (EMSESP::system_.syslog_enabled_) {
+            node["syslog_ip"]      = syslog_.ip();
+            node["syslog_started"] = syslog_.started();
+        }
     }
 
     JsonArray devices2 = json.createNestedArray("Devices");
diff --git a/src/system.h b/src/system.h
index 4e41a8cab..bed600cca 100644
--- a/src/system.h
+++ b/src/system.h
@@ -74,7 +74,6 @@ class System {
     void send_heartbeat();
 
     void led_init(bool refresh);
-    void syslog_init(bool refresh);
     void adc_init(bool refresh);
     void network_init(bool refresh);
     void button_init(bool refresh);
@@ -168,7 +167,7 @@ class System {
     std::string hostname_ = "ems-esp";
     bool        hide_led_;
     uint8_t     led_gpio_;
-    bool        syslog_enabled_;
+    bool        syslog_enabled_ = false;
     bool        analog_enabled_;
     bool        low_clock_;
     String      board_profile_;
diff --git a/src/web/WebSettingsService.cpp b/src/web/WebSettingsService.cpp
index 3b9aa6b3c..f0d8061d9 100644
--- a/src/web/WebSettingsService.cpp
+++ b/src/web/WebSettingsService.cpp
@@ -231,8 +231,7 @@ void WebSettingsService::onUpdate() {
     }
 
     if (WebSettings::has_flags(WebSettings::ChangeFlags::SYSLOG)) {
-        EMSESP::system_.syslog_init(true); // reload settings
-        EMSESP::system_.syslog_start();    // re-start (or stop)
+        EMSESP::system_.syslog_start(); // re-start (or stop)
     }
 
     if (WebSettings::has_flags(WebSettings::ChangeFlags::ADC)) {