diff --git a/xCAT/xCAT.spec b/xCAT/xCAT.spec
index 54a9d6902..904d81412 100644
--- a/xCAT/xCAT.spec
+++ b/xCAT/xCAT.spec
@@ -141,6 +141,17 @@ if [ "$1" = "1" ]; then #Only if installing for the fist time..
     cp -r /root/.xcat/* /install/postscripts/.xcat
     #Zap the almost certainly wrong pxelinux.cfg file
     rm /tftpboot/pxelinux.cfg/default
+
+	# setup syslog
+    cp /etc/syslog.conf /etc/syslog.conf.ORIG
+	echo "*.debug   /var/log/localmessages" > /etc/test.tmp
+	echo "*.crit   /var/log/localmessages" >> /etc/test.tmp
+	cat /etc/test.tmp >> /etc/syslog.conf
+    rm /etc/test.tmp
+	touch /var/log/localmessages
+	/etc/rc.d/init.d/syslog stop
+	/etc/rc.d/init.d/syslog start
+
     XCATROOT=$RPM_INSTALL_PREFIX0 /etc/init.d/xcatd start
     if [ -x $RPM_INSTALL_PREFIX0/sbin/mknb ]; then
        $RPM_INSTALL_PREFIX0/sbin/mknb x86_64