diff --git a/manifests/init.pp b/manifests/init.pp
index c6d20245..d8f13422 100644
--- a/manifests/init.pp
+++ b/manifests/init.pp
@@ -84,6 +84,10 @@
 #   (optional) Use syslog for logging
 #   Defaults to false
 #
+# [*use_stderr*]
+#   (optional) Use stderr for logging
+#   Defaults to true
+#
 # [*log_facility*]
 #   (optional) Syslog facility to receive log lines
 #   Defaults to LOG_USER
@@ -135,6 +139,7 @@ class heat(
   $sql_connection              = false,
   $database_idle_timeout       = 3600,
   $use_syslog                  = false,
+  $use_stderr                  = true,
   $log_facility                = 'LOG_USER',
   $mysql_module                = '0.9',
 ) {
@@ -289,6 +294,7 @@ class heat(
     'DEFAULT/rpc_backend'                  : value => $rpc_backend;
     'DEFAULT/debug'                        : value => $debug;
     'DEFAULT/verbose'                      : value => $verbose;
+    'DEFAULT/use_stderr'                   : value => $use_stderr;
     'ec2authtoken/auth_uri'                : value => $keystone_ec2_uri;
     'keystone_authtoken/auth_host'         : value => $keystone_host;
     'keystone_authtoken/auth_port'         : value => $keystone_port;
diff --git a/spec/classes/heat_init_spec.rb b/spec/classes/heat_init_spec.rb
index aad03d99..9bbd735b 100644
--- a/spec/classes/heat_init_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/classes/heat_init_spec.rb
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ describe 'heat' do
       :package_ensure        => 'present',
       :verbose               => 'False',
       :debug                 => 'False',
+      :use_stderr            => 'True',
       :log_dir               => '/var/log/heat',
       :rabbit_host           => '127.0.0.1',
       :rabbit_port           => 5672,
@@ -123,6 +124,10 @@ describe 'heat' do
       should contain_heat_config('DEFAULT/verbose').with_value( params[:verbose] )
     end
 
+    it 'configures use_stderr option' do
+      is_expected.to contain_heat_config('DEFAULT/use_stderr').with_value( params[:use_stderr] )
+    end
+
     it 'configures auth_uri' do
       should contain_heat_config('keystone_authtoken/auth_uri').with_value( params[:auth_uri] )
     end