diff --git a/include/spdk/log.h b/include/spdk/log.h
index 8b826909e..b2be77cdf 100644
--- a/include/spdk/log.h
+++ b/include/spdk/log.h
@@ -41,6 +41,18 @@
 
 #include "spdk/stdinc.h"
 
+/**
+ * Initialize the logging module. Messages prior
+ * to this call will be dropped.
+ */
+void spdk_log_open(void);
+
+/**
+ * Close the currently active log. Messages after this call
+ * will be dropped.
+ */
+void spdk_log_close(void);
+
 enum spdk_log_level {
 	SPDK_LOG_ERROR,
 	SPDK_LOG_WARN,
@@ -90,8 +102,7 @@ bool spdk_log_get_trace_flag(const char *flag);
 int spdk_log_set_trace_flag(const char *flag);
 int spdk_log_clear_trace_flag(const char *flag);
 
-void spdk_open_log(void);
-void spdk_close_log(void);
+
 
 void spdk_tracelog_usage(FILE *f, const char *trace_arg);
 
diff --git a/lib/event/app.c b/lib/event/app.c
index 685ce6e47..c5064cef8 100644
--- a/lib/event/app.c
+++ b/lib/event/app.c
@@ -289,7 +289,7 @@ spdk_app_start(struct spdk_app_opts *opts, spdk_event_fn start_fn,
 	}
 
 	spdk_log_set_level(SPDK_APP_DEFAULT_LOG_PRIORITY);
-	spdk_open_log();
+	spdk_log_open();
 
 	if (opts->reactor_mask == NULL) {
 		sp = spdk_conf_find_section(g_spdk_app.config, "Global");
@@ -434,7 +434,7 @@ spdk_app_fini(void)
 	spdk_trace_cleanup();
 	spdk_reactors_fini();
 	spdk_conf_free(g_spdk_app.config);
-	spdk_close_log();
+	spdk_log_close();
 
 	return rc;
 }
diff --git a/lib/log/log.c b/lib/log/log.c
index 5ccf235de..84b712cc7 100644
--- a/lib/log/log.c
+++ b/lib/log/log.c
@@ -79,6 +79,22 @@ static const struct syslog_code facilitynames[] = {
 	{ NULL,		-1,		}
 };
 
+void
+spdk_log_open(void)
+{
+	if (spdk_g_log_facility != 0) {
+		openlog("spdk", LOG_PID, spdk_g_log_facility);
+	} else {
+		openlog("spdk", LOG_PID, LOG_DAEMON);
+	}
+}
+
+void
+spdk_log_close(void)
+{
+	closelog();
+}
+
 void
 spdk_log_set_level(enum spdk_log_level level)
 {
@@ -360,22 +376,6 @@ spdk_log_get_next_trace_flag(struct spdk_trace_flag *flag)
 	return TAILQ_NEXT(flag, tailq);
 }
 
-void
-spdk_open_log(void)
-{
-	if (spdk_g_log_facility != 0) {
-		openlog("spdk", LOG_PID, spdk_g_log_facility);
-	} else {
-		openlog("spdk", LOG_PID, LOG_DAEMON);
-	}
-}
-
-void
-spdk_close_log(void)
-{
-	closelog();
-}
-
 void
 spdk_tracelog_usage(FILE *f, const char *trace_arg)
 {
diff --git a/test/lib/log/log_ut.c b/test/lib/log/log_ut.c
index e92c69536..90658a193 100644
--- a/test/lib/log/log_ut.c
+++ b/test/lib/log/log_ut.c
@@ -81,14 +81,14 @@ log_test(void)
 	CU_ASSERT(spdk_log_get_trace_flag("debug") == false);
 #endif
 
-	spdk_open_log();
+	spdk_log_open();
 	spdk_log_set_trace_flag("debug");
 	SPDK_WARNLOG("log warning unit test\n");
 	SPDK_TRACELOG(SPDK_TRACE_DEBUG, "log trace test\n");
 	SPDK_TRACEDUMP(SPDK_TRACE_DEBUG, "log trace dump test:", "trace dump", 10);
 	spdk_trace_dump("spdk dump test:", "spdk dump", 9);
 
-	spdk_close_log();
+	spdk_log_close();
 }
 
 int main(int argc, char **argv)