diff --git a/common.c b/common.c
index 49b29e7..cf92272 100644
--- a/common.c
+++ b/common.c
@@ -550,7 +550,7 @@ void resolve_name(struct addrinfo **out, char* fullname)
 }
 
 /* Log to syslog or stderr if foreground */
-void log_message(int type, char* msg, ...)
+void log_message(int type, const char* msg, ...)
 {
     va_list ap;
 
@@ -562,48 +562,63 @@ void log_message(int type, char* msg, ...)
     va_end(ap);
 }
 
-/* syslogs who connected to where */
-void log_connection(struct connection *cnx)
+
+/* Fills a connection description; returns 0 on failure */
+int get_connection_desc(struct connection_desc* desc, const struct connection *cnx)
 {
+    int res;
     struct addrinfo addr;
     struct sockaddr_storage ss;
-#define MAX_NAMELENGTH (NI_MAXHOST + NI_MAXSERV + 1)
-    char peer[MAX_NAMELENGTH], service[MAX_NAMELENGTH],
-        local[MAX_NAMELENGTH], target[MAX_NAMELENGTH];
-    int res;
-
-    if (cnx->proto->log_level < 1)
-        return;
 
     addr.ai_addr = (struct sockaddr*)&ss;
     addr.ai_addrlen = sizeof(ss);
 
     res = getpeername(cnx->q[0].fd, addr.ai_addr, &addr.ai_addrlen);
-    if (res == -1) return; /* Can happen if connection drops before we get here.
+    if (res == -1) return 0; /* Can happen if connection drops before we get here.
                                In that case, don't log anything (there is no connection) */
-    sprintaddr(peer, sizeof(peer), &addr);
+    sprintaddr(desc->peer, sizeof(desc->peer), &addr);
 
     addr.ai_addrlen = sizeof(ss);
     res = getsockname(cnx->q[0].fd, addr.ai_addr, &addr.ai_addrlen);
-    if (res == -1) return;
-    sprintaddr(service, sizeof(service), &addr);
+    if (res == -1) return 0;
+    sprintaddr(desc->service, sizeof(desc->service), &addr);
 
     addr.ai_addrlen = sizeof(ss);
     res = getpeername(cnx->q[1].fd, addr.ai_addr, &addr.ai_addrlen);
-    if (res == -1) return;
-    sprintaddr(target, sizeof(target), &addr);
+    if (res == -1) return 0;
+    sprintaddr(desc->target, sizeof(desc->target), &addr);
 
     addr.ai_addrlen = sizeof(ss);
     res = getsockname(cnx->q[1].fd, addr.ai_addr, &addr.ai_addrlen);
-    if (res == -1) return;
-    sprintaddr(local, sizeof(local), &addr);
+    if (res == -1) return 0;
+    sprintaddr(desc->local, sizeof(desc->local), &addr);
+
+    return 1;
+}
+
+/* syslogs who connected to where 
+ * desc: string description of the connection. if NULL, log_connection will
+ * manage on its own
+ * cnx: connection descriptor
+ * */
+void log_connection(struct connection_desc* desc, const struct connection *cnx)
+{
+    struct connection_desc d;
+
+    if (cnx->proto->log_level < 1)
+        return;
+
+    if (!desc) {
+        desc = &d;
+        get_connection_desc(desc, cnx);
+    }
 
     log_message(LOG_INFO, "%s:connection from %s to %s forwarded from %s to %s\n",
                 cnx->proto->name,
-                peer,
-                service,
-                local,
-                target);
+                desc->peer,
+                desc->service,
+                desc->local,
+                desc->target);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/common.h b/common.h
index 37ccebc..bc1f16d 100644
--- a/common.h
+++ b/common.h
@@ -107,6 +107,13 @@ struct connection {
 #define FD_NODATA       -1
 #define FD_STALLED      -2
 
+/* String description of a connection */
+#define MAX_NAMELENGTH (NI_MAXHOST + NI_MAXSERV + 1)
+struct connection_desc {
+    char peer[MAX_NAMELENGTH], service[MAX_NAMELENGTH],
+        local[MAX_NAMELENGTH], target[MAX_NAMELENGTH];
+};
+
 
 /* common.c */
 void init_cnx(struct connection *cnx);
@@ -114,13 +121,14 @@ int connect_addr(struct connection *cnx, int fd_from);
 int fd2fd(struct queue *target, struct queue *from);
 char* sprintaddr(char* buf, size_t size, struct addrinfo *a);
 void resolve_name(struct addrinfo **out, char* fullname);
-void log_connection(struct connection *cnx);
+int get_connection_desc(struct connection_desc* desc, const struct connection *cnx);
+void log_connection(struct connection_desc* desc, const struct connection *cnx);
 int check_access_rights(int in_socket, const char* service);
 void setup_signals(void);
 void setup_syslog(const char* bin_name);
 void drop_privileges(const char* user_name, const char* chroot_path);
 void write_pid_file(const char* pidfile);
-void log_message(int type, char* msg, ...);
+void log_message(int type, const char* msg, ...);
 void dump_connection(struct connection *cnx);
 int resolve_split_name(struct addrinfo **out, char* hostname, char* port);
 
diff --git a/sslh-fork.c b/sslh-fork.c
index 164be80..0c16af6 100644
--- a/sslh-fork.c
+++ b/sslh-fork.c
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ void start_shoveler(int in_socket)
    int res = PROBE_AGAIN;
    int out_socket;
    struct connection cnx;
+   struct connection_desc desc;
 
    init_cnx(&cnx);
    cnx.q[0].fd = in_socket;
@@ -111,7 +112,8 @@ void start_shoveler(int in_socket)
 
    cnx.q[1].fd = out_socket;
 
-   log_connection(&cnx);
+   get_connection_desc(&desc, &cnx);
+   log_connection(&desc, &cnx);
 
    flush_deferred(&cnx.q[1]);
 
diff --git a/sslh-select.c b/sslh-select.c
index a770bde..cd2c516 100644
--- a/sslh-select.c
+++ b/sslh-select.c
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ int connect_queue(struct connection *cnx, fd_set *fds_r, fd_set *fds_w)
 
     q->fd = connect_addr(cnx, cnx->q[0].fd);
     if ((q->fd != -1) && fd_is_in_range(q->fd)) {
-        log_connection(cnx);
+        log_connection(NULL, cnx);
         set_nonblock(q->fd);
         flush_deferred(q);
         if (q->deferred_data) {
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ void connect_proxy(struct connection *cnx)
 
     cnx->q[1].fd = out_socket;
 
-    log_connection(cnx);
+    log_connection(NULL, cnx);
 
     shovel_single(cnx);