diff --git a/defaults/main.yml b/defaults/main.yml
index 123f4e6..95d14ae 100644
--- a/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/defaults/main.yml
@@ -220,6 +220,7 @@ trove_pip_packages:
   - PyMySQL
   - python-troveclient
   - python-memcached
+  - systemd-python
   - trove
 
 trove_optional_oslomsg_amqp1_pip_packages:
diff --git a/tasks/trove_pre_install.yml b/tasks/trove_pre_install.yml
index 0e4c128..e31ae7b 100644
--- a/tasks/trove_pre_install.yml
+++ b/tasks/trove_pre_install.yml
@@ -59,26 +59,3 @@
   when:
     - trove_use_mod_wsgi | bool
     - inventory_hostname in groups['trove_api']
-
-- name: Test for log directory or link
-  shell: |
-    if [ -h "/var/log/trove"  ]; then
-      chown -h {{ trove_system_user_name }}:{{ trove_system_group_name }} "/var/log/trove"
-      chown -R {{ trove_system_user_name }}:{{ trove_system_group_name }} "$(readlink /var/log/trove)"
-    else
-      exit 1
-    fi
-  register: log_dir
-  failed_when: false
-  changed_when: log_dir.rc != 0
-
-- name: Create trove log dir
-  file:
-    path: "{{ item.path }}"
-    state: directory
-    owner: "{{ item.owner|default(trove_system_user_name) }}"
-    group: "{{ item.group|default(trove_system_group_name) }}"
-    mode: "{{ item.mode|default('0755') }}"
-  with_items:
-    - { path: "/var/log/trove" }
-  when: log_dir.rc != 0
diff --git a/templates/trove.conf.j2 b/templates/trove.conf.j2
index 1092583..189b44d 100644
--- a/templates/trove.conf.j2
+++ b/templates/trove.conf.j2
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 # {{ ansible_managed }}
 [DEFAULT]
 debug = {{ debug }}
+use_journal = true
 bind_host = {{ trove_service_host }}
 bind_port = {{ trove_service_port }}
 trove_api_workers={{ trove_api_workers }}
diff --git a/vars/debian.yml b/vars/debian.yml
index 550c5c7..27bc6d8 100644
--- a/vars/debian.yml
+++ b/vars/debian.yml
@@ -21,4 +21,5 @@ trove_distro_packages:
   - apache2
   - apache2-utils
   - libapache2-mod-wsgi
+  - libsystemd-dev
   - qemu-utils
diff --git a/vars/redhat.yml b/vars/redhat.yml
index 8c09b66..70b05a8 100644
--- a/vars/redhat.yml
+++ b/vars/redhat.yml
@@ -21,4 +21,5 @@ trove_distro_packages:
   - httpd
   - httpd-tools
   - mod_wsgi
+  - systemd-devel
   - qemu-img
diff --git a/vars/suse.yml b/vars/suse.yml
index 3e105db..814a1bd 100644
--- a/vars/suse.yml
+++ b/vars/suse.yml
@@ -20,4 +20,5 @@ trove_distro_packages:
   - apache2
   - apache2-utils
   - apache2-mod_wsgi
+  - systemd-devel
   - qemu-tools