diff --git a/interface/src/project/EMSESPSettingsController.tsx b/interface/src/project/EMSESPSettingsController.tsx
index 24871b020..46060536e 100644
--- a/interface/src/project/EMSESPSettingsController.tsx
+++ b/interface/src/project/EMSESPSettingsController.tsx
@@ -209,11 +209,21 @@ function EMSESPSettingsControllerForm(props: EMSESPSettingsControllerFormProps)
             <Typography variant="h6" color="primary" >
                 Syslog
             </Typography>
+            <BlockFormControlLabel
+                control={
+                    <Checkbox
+                        checked={data.syslog_enabled}
+                        onChange={handleValueChange('syslog_enabled')}
+                        value="syslog_enabled"
+                    />
+                }
+                label="Enable Syslog"
+            />
             <TextValidator
                 validators={['isIPOrHostname']}
                 errorMessages={["Not a valid IP address or hostname"]}
                 name="syslog_host"
-                label="Syslog IP/Host (optional)"
+                label="Syslog IP/Host"
                 fullWidth
                 variant="outlined"
                 value={data.syslog_host}
@@ -227,16 +237,15 @@ function EMSESPSettingsControllerForm(props: EMSESPSettingsControllerFormProps)
                 variant="outlined"
                 onChange={handleValueChange('syslog_level')}
                 margin="normal">
-                <MenuItem value={-1}>OFF</MenuItem>
                 <MenuItem value={3}>ERR</MenuItem>
                 <MenuItem value={6}>INFO</MenuItem>
                 <MenuItem value={7}>DEBUG</MenuItem>
             </SelectValidator>
             <TextValidator
                 validators={['required', 'isNumber', 'minNumber:0', 'maxNumber:65535']}
-                errorMessages={['Syslog Mark is required', "Must be a number", "Must be 0 or higher (0=off)", "Max value is 65535"]}
+                errorMessages={['Syslog Mark is required', "Must be a number", "Must be 0 or higher", "Max value is 10"]}
                 name="syslog_mark_interval"
-                label="Syslog Mark Interval (seconds, 0=off)"
+                label="Syslog Mark Interval (seconds)"
                 fullWidth
                 variant="outlined"
                 value={data.syslog_mark_interval}
diff --git a/interface/src/project/EMSESPtypes.ts b/interface/src/project/EMSESPtypes.ts
index 80ce48159..ba0c4e824 100644
--- a/interface/src/project/EMSESPtypes.ts
+++ b/interface/src/project/EMSESPtypes.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 export interface EMSESPSettings {
   tx_mode: number;
   ems_bus_id: number;
+  syslog_enabled: boolean;
   syslog_level: number;
   syslog_mark_interval: number;
   syslog_host: string;
diff --git a/lib_standalone/ESP8266React.h b/lib_standalone/ESP8266React.h
index 35c4f2f0a..e6dbdf52f 100644
--- a/lib_standalone/ESP8266React.h
+++ b/lib_standalone/ESP8266React.h
@@ -15,7 +15,8 @@ class DummySettings {
   public:
     uint8_t  tx_mode                 = 1;
     uint8_t  ems_bus_id              = 0x0B;
-    int8_t   syslog_level            = 1; // uuid::log::Level
+    bool     syslog_enabled          = false;
+    int8_t   syslog_level            = 3; // uuid::log::Level
     uint32_t syslog_mark_interval    = 0;
     String   syslog_host             = "192.168.1.4";
     uint8_t  master_thermostat       = 0;
diff --git a/src/WebSettingsService.cpp b/src/WebSettingsService.cpp
index 31b643c15..263a10f66 100644
--- a/src/WebSettingsService.cpp
+++ b/src/WebSettingsService.cpp
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ WebSettingsService::WebSettingsService(AsyncWebServer * server, FS * fs, Securit
 void WebSettings::read(WebSettings & settings, JsonObject & root) {
     root["tx_mode"]              = settings.tx_mode;
     root["ems_bus_id"]           = settings.ems_bus_id;
+    root["syslog_enabled"]       = settings.syslog_enabled;
     root["syslog_level"]         = settings.syslog_level;
     root["syslog_mark_interval"] = settings.syslog_mark_interval;
     root["syslog_host"]          = settings.syslog_host;
@@ -50,6 +51,7 @@ void WebSettings::read(WebSettings & settings, JsonObject & root) {
 StateUpdateResult WebSettings::update(JsonObject & root, WebSettings & settings) {
     settings.tx_mode              = root["tx_mode"] | EMSESP_DEFAULT_TX_MODE;
     settings.ems_bus_id           = root["ems_bus_id"] | EMSESP_DEFAULT_EMS_BUS_ID;
+    settings.syslog_enabled       = root["syslog_enabled"] | EMSESP_DEFAULT_SYSLOG_ENABLED;
     settings.syslog_level         = root["syslog_level"] | EMSESP_DEFAULT_SYSLOG_LEVEL;
     settings.syslog_mark_interval = root["syslog_mark_interval"] | EMSESP_DEFAULT_SYSLOG_MARK_INTERVAL;
     settings.syslog_host          = root["syslog_host"] | EMSESP_DEFAULT_SYSLOG_HOST;
diff --git a/src/WebSettingsService.h b/src/WebSettingsService.h
index 881278d85..412c6ee0d 100644
--- a/src/WebSettingsService.h
+++ b/src/WebSettingsService.h
@@ -27,7 +27,8 @@
 
 #define EMSESP_DEFAULT_TX_MODE 1       // EMS1.0
 #define EMSESP_DEFAULT_EMS_BUS_ID 0x0B // service key
-#define EMSESP_DEFAULT_SYSLOG_LEVEL -1 // OFF
+#define EMSESP_DEFAULT_SYSLOG_ENABLED false
+#define EMSESP_DEFAULT_SYSLOG_LEVEL 3 // ERR
 #define EMSESP_DEFAULT_SYSLOG_MARK_INTERVAL 0
 #define EMSESP_DEFAULT_SYSLOG_HOST ""
 #define EMSESP_DEFAULT_MASTER_THERMOSTAT 0 // not set
@@ -67,6 +68,7 @@ class WebSettings {
     uint8_t  master_thermostat;
     bool     shower_timer;
     bool     shower_alert;
+    bool     syslog_enabled;
     int8_t   syslog_level; // uuid::log::Level
     uint32_t syslog_mark_interval;
     String   syslog_host;
diff --git a/src/system.cpp b/src/system.cpp
index 2a858b7c2..aea35479b 100644
--- a/src/system.cpp
+++ b/src/system.cpp
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ bool        System::hide_led_       = false;
 uint8_t     System::led_gpio_       = 0;
 uint16_t    System::analog_         = 0;
 bool        System::analog_enabled_ = false;
+bool        System::syslog_enabled_ = false;
 std::string System::hostname_;
 
 // send on/off to a gpio pin
@@ -112,6 +113,7 @@ uint8_t System::free_mem() {
 void System::syslog_init() {
     // fetch settings
     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;
@@ -153,9 +155,11 @@ void System::start() {
         Command::add(EMSdevice::DeviceType::SYSTEM, settings.ems_bus_id, F_(send), System::command_send);
         Command::add_with_json(EMSdevice::DeviceType::SYSTEM, F_(info), System::command_info);
         Command::add_with_json(EMSdevice::DeviceType::SYSTEM, F_(report), System::command_report);
+        if (settings.syslog_enabled) {
+            syslog_init(); // init SysLog
+        }
     });
 
-    syslog_init(); // init SysLog
 
     init();
 }
@@ -168,6 +172,7 @@ void System::init() {
     EMSESP::webSettingsService.read([&](WebSettings & settings) {
         Helpers::bool_format(settings.bool_format);
         analog_enabled_ = settings.analog_enabled;
+        syslog_enabled_ = settings.syslog_enabled;
     });
 
     EMSESP::esp8266React.getWiFiSettingsService()->read([&](WiFiSettings & settings) { hostname(settings.hostname.c_str()); });
@@ -207,8 +212,11 @@ void System::upload_status(bool in_progress) {
 // checks system health and handles LED flashing wizardry
 void System::loop() {
 #ifndef EMSESP_STANDALONE
-    syslog_.loop();
+    if (syslog_enabled_) {
+        syslog_.loop();
+    }
 #endif
+
     led_monitor();  // check status and report back using the LED
     system_check(); // check system health
     if (analog_enabled_) {
@@ -481,13 +489,18 @@ void System::show_system(uuid::console::Shell & shell) {
 
     EMSESP::webSettingsService.read([&](WebSettings & settings) {
         shell.println();
-        shell.printfln(F("Syslog:"));
-        shell.print(F_(1space));
-        shell.printfln(F_(host_fmt), !settings.syslog_host.isEmpty() ? settings.syslog_host.c_str() : uuid::read_flash_string(F_(unset)).c_str());
-        shell.print(F_(1space));
-        shell.printfln(F_(log_level_fmt), uuid::log::format_level_lowercase(static_cast<uuid::log::Level>(settings.syslog_level)));
-        shell.print(F_(1space));
-        shell.printfln(F_(mark_interval_fmt), settings.syslog_mark_interval);
+
+        if (!settings.syslog_enabled) {
+            shell.printfln(F("Syslog: disabled"));
+        } else {
+            shell.printfln(F("Syslog:"));
+            shell.print(F_(1space));
+            shell.printfln(F_(host_fmt), !settings.syslog_host.isEmpty() ? settings.syslog_host.c_str() : uuid::read_flash_string(F_(unset)).c_str());
+            shell.print(F_(1space));
+            shell.printfln(F_(log_level_fmt), uuid::log::format_level_lowercase(static_cast<uuid::log::Level>(settings.syslog_level)));
+            shell.print(F_(1space));
+            shell.printfln(F_(mark_interval_fmt), settings.syslog_mark_interval);
+        }
     });
 
 #endif
@@ -803,6 +816,7 @@ bool System::check_upgrade() {
                     settings.shower_timer         = custom_settings["shower_timer"] | EMSESP_DEFAULT_SHOWER_TIMER;
                     settings.master_thermostat    = custom_settings["master_thermostat"] | EMSESP_DEFAULT_MASTER_THERMOSTAT;
                     settings.ems_bus_id           = custom_settings["bus_id"] | EMSESP_DEFAULT_EMS_BUS_ID;
+                    settings.syslog_enabled       = false;
                     settings.syslog_host          = EMSESP_DEFAULT_SYSLOG_HOST;
                     settings.syslog_level         = EMSESP_DEFAULT_SYSLOG_LEVEL;
                     settings.syslog_mark_interval = EMSESP_DEFAULT_SYSLOG_MARK_INTERVAL;
@@ -918,6 +932,7 @@ bool System::command_info(const char * value, const int8_t id, JsonObject & json
         JsonObject node              = json.createNestedObject("Settings");
         node["tx_mode"]              = settings.tx_mode;
         node["ems_bus_id"]           = settings.ems_bus_id;
+        node["syslog_enabled"]       = settings.syslog_enabled;
         node["syslog_level"]         = settings.syslog_level;
         node["syslog_mark_interval"] = settings.syslog_mark_interval;
         node["syslog_host"]          = settings.syslog_host;
diff --git a/src/system.h b/src/system.h
index 78f73f01a..32b6a8fae 100644
--- a/src/system.h
+++ b/src/system.h
@@ -109,6 +109,7 @@ class System {
 
     // settings
     static bool    hide_led_;
+    static bool    syslog_enabled_;
     uint8_t        syslog_level_;
     uint32_t       syslog_mark_interval_;
     String         syslog_host_;