diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index 0ff34d5..de609df 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -103,6 +103,11 @@ use_syslog
     Enable logging to syslog. Default value is False. Example:
     ``use_syslog=True``
 
+use_syslog_rfc_format
+    Enable RFC5424 compliant format for syslog (add APP-NAME before MSG part).
+    Default value is False. Example:
+    ``use_syslog_rfc_format=True``
+
 syslog_log_facility
     Which syslog facility to use for syslog logging. Valid values include
     `auth`, `authpriv`, `syslog`, `user0`, `user1`...
diff --git a/etc/rootwrap.conf.sample b/etc/rootwrap.conf.sample
index a29f501..197b84c 100644
--- a/etc/rootwrap.conf.sample
+++ b/etc/rootwrap.conf.sample
@@ -16,6 +16,11 @@ exec_dirs=/sbin,/usr/sbin,/bin,/usr/bin
 # Default value is False
 use_syslog=False
 
+# Enable RFC5424 compliant format for syslog (add APP-NAME before MSG part)
+# Default value is False - no format changes
+# TODO(bogdando) remove or use True after existing syslog format deprecation in J
+use_syslog_rfc_format=False
+
 # Which syslog facility to use.
 # Valid values include auth, authpriv, syslog, user0, user1...
 # Default value is 'syslog'
diff --git a/oslo/rootwrap/wrapper.py b/oslo/rootwrap/wrapper.py
index e19723d..8177198 100644
--- a/oslo/rootwrap/wrapper.py
+++ b/oslo/rootwrap/wrapper.py
@@ -78,6 +78,13 @@ class RootwrapConfig(object):
         else:
             self.use_syslog = False
 
+        # use_syslog_rfc_format
+        if config.has_option("DEFAULT", "use_syslog_rfc_format"):
+            self.use_syslog_rfc_format = config.getboolean(
+                "DEFAULT", "use_syslog_rfc_format")
+        else:
+            self.use_syslog_rfc_format = False
+
 
 def setup_syslog(execname, facility, level):
     rootwrap_logger = logging.getLogger()
diff --git a/tests/test_rootwrap.py b/tests/test_rootwrap.py
index 88de79a..c88f0f4 100644
--- a/tests/test_rootwrap.py
+++ b/tests/test_rootwrap.py
@@ -344,6 +344,7 @@ class RootwrapTestCase(testtools.TestCase):
             self.assertEqual(c.exec_dirs, [])
 
         self.assertFalse(config.use_syslog)
+        self.assertFalse(config.use_syslog_rfc_format)
         self.assertEqual(config.syslog_log_facility,
                          logging.handlers.SysLogHandler.LOG_SYSLOG)
         self.assertEqual(config.syslog_log_level, logging.ERROR)
@@ -359,6 +360,12 @@ class RootwrapTestCase(testtools.TestCase):
         config = wrapper.RootwrapConfig(raw)
         self.assertTrue(config.use_syslog)
 
+        raw.set('DEFAULT', 'use_syslog_rfc_format', 'oui')
+        self.assertRaises(ValueError, wrapper.RootwrapConfig, raw)
+        raw.set('DEFAULT', 'use_syslog_rfc_format', 'true')
+        config = wrapper.RootwrapConfig(raw)
+        self.assertTrue(config.use_syslog_rfc_format)
+
         raw.set('DEFAULT', 'syslog_log_facility', 'moo')
         self.assertRaises(ValueError, wrapper.RootwrapConfig, raw)
         raw.set('DEFAULT', 'syslog_log_facility', 'local0')