diff --git a/libraries/appbase b/libraries/appbase
index debdb631533..d8e24895d5d 160000
--- a/libraries/appbase
+++ b/libraries/appbase
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit debdb631533f7db50206813dfb9a7bb5f6706559
+Subproject commit d8e24895d5d3d019d5083ccafc9e290bdc96a32c
diff --git a/programs/eosd/main.cpp b/programs/eosd/main.cpp
index 698b4ae1f78..181f7a6abaf 100644
--- a/programs/eosd/main.cpp
+++ b/programs/eosd/main.cpp
@@ -43,9 +43,7 @@ void initialize_logging()
 int main(int argc, char** argv)
 {
    try {
-      initialize_logging();
       app().set_version(eosio::eosd::config::version);
-      ilog("eosd version ${ver}", ("ver", eosio::eosd::config::itoh(static_cast<uint32_t>(app().version()))));
       app().register_plugin<net_api_plugin>();
       app().register_plugin<chain_api_plugin>();
       app().register_plugin<wallet_api_plugin>();
@@ -55,6 +53,8 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
       app().register_plugin<txn_test_gen_plugin>();
       if(!app().initialize<chain_plugin, http_plugin, net_plugin>(argc, argv))
          return -1;
+      initialize_logging();
+      ilog("eosd version ${ver}", ("ver", eosio::eosd::config::itoh(static_cast<uint32_t>(app().version()))));
       app().startup();
       app().exec();
    } catch (const fc::exception& e) {
diff --git a/programs/launcher/main.cpp b/programs/launcher/main.cpp
index d15cf60c9f8..7a60b6cbc51 100644
--- a/programs/launcher/main.cpp
+++ b/programs/launcher/main.cpp
@@ -230,6 +230,7 @@ class tn_node_def {
   vector<string>  peers;
   vector<string>  producers;
   eosd_def*       instance;
+  string          gelf_endpoint;
 };
 
 void
@@ -268,6 +269,7 @@ struct remote_deploy {
 };
 
 struct testnet_def {
+  string name;
   remote_deploy ssh_helper;
   map <string,tn_node_def> nodes;
 };
@@ -333,12 +335,13 @@ struct launcher_def {
   bool skip_transaction_signatures = false;
   string eosd_extra_args;
   testnet_def network;
-  string alias_base;
+  string gelf_endpoint;
   vector <string> aliases;
   vector <host_def> bindings;
   int per_host = 0;
   last_run_def last_run;
   int start_delay = 0;
+  bool gelf_enabled;
   bool nogen;
   bool add_enable_stale_production = false;
   string launch_name;
@@ -388,6 +391,9 @@ launcher_def::set_options (bpo::options_description &cli) {
     ("host-map",bpo::value<bf::path>(&host_map_file)->default_value(""),"a file containing mapping specific nodes to hosts. Used to enhance the custom shape argument")
     ("servers",bpo::value<bf::path>(&server_ident_file)->default_value(""),"a file containing ip addresses and names of individual servers to deploy as producers or observers ")
     ("per-host",bpo::value<int>(&per_host)->default_value(0),"specifies how many eosd instances will run on a single host. Use 0 to indicate all on one.")
+    ("network-name",bpo::value<string>(&network.name)->default_value("testnet_"),"network name prefix used in GELF logging source")
+    ("enable-gelf-logging",bpo::value<bool>(&gelf_enabled)->default_value(true),"enable gelf logging appender in logging configuration file")
+    ("gelf-endpoint",bpo::value<string>(&gelf_endpoint)->default_value("10.160.11.21:12201"),"hostname:port or ip:port of GELF endpoint")
         ;
 }
 
@@ -452,7 +458,6 @@ launcher_def::initialize (const variables_map &vmap) {
 
   producers = 21;
   data_dir_base = "tn_data_";
-  alias_base = "testnet_";
   next_node = 0;
 
   load_servers ();
@@ -518,7 +523,7 @@ void
 launcher_def::assign_name (eosd_def &node) {
   string dex = next_node < 10 ? "0":"";
   dex += boost::lexical_cast<string,int>(next_node++);
-  node.name = alias_base + dex;
+  node.name = network.name + dex;
   node.data_dir = data_dir_base + dex;
 }
 
@@ -692,6 +697,7 @@ launcher_def::bind_nodes () {
             ext += prod_nodes;
           }
         }
+        node.gelf_endpoint = gelf_endpoint;
         network.nodes[node.name] = move(node);
         inst.node = &network.nodes[inst.name];
         i++;
@@ -718,7 +724,6 @@ launcher_def::find_host (const string &name)
 
 host_def *
 launcher_def::deploy_config_files (tn_node_def &node) {
-  bf::path filename;
   boost::system::error_code ec;
   eosd_def &instance = *node.instance;
   host_def *host = find_host (instance.host);
@@ -727,7 +732,6 @@ launcher_def::deploy_config_files (tn_node_def &node) {
   bf::path logging_source = stage / instance.data_dir / "logging.json";
   if (host->is_local()) {
     bf::path dd = bf::path(host->eos_root_dir) / instance.data_dir;
-    filename = dd / "config.ini";
     if (bf::exists (dd)) {
       int64_t count =  bf::remove_all (dd / "blocks", ec);
       if (ec.value() != 0) {
@@ -747,8 +751,8 @@ launcher_def::deploy_config_files (tn_node_def &node) {
            << " errno " << ec.value() << " " << strerror(ec.value()) << endl;
       exit (-1);
     }
-    bf::copy_file (logging_source, bf::path(host->eos_root_dir) / "logging.json", bf::copy_option::overwrite_if_exists);
-    bf::copy_file (source, filename, bf::copy_option::overwrite_if_exists);
+    bf::copy_file (logging_source, dd / "logging.json", bf::copy_option::overwrite_if_exists);
+    bf::copy_file (source, dd / "config.ini", bf::copy_option::overwrite_if_exists);
   }
   else {
     prep_remote_config_dir (instance, host);
@@ -764,7 +768,7 @@ launcher_def::deploy_config_files (tn_node_def &node) {
       exit(-1);
     }
 
-    dpath = bf::path (host->eos_root_dir) / "logging.json";
+    dpath = bf::path (host->eos_root_dir) / instance.data_dir / "logging.json";
 
     scp_cmd_line = compose_scp_command(*host, logging_source, dpath);
 
@@ -884,13 +888,15 @@ launcher_def::write_logging_config_file(tn_node_def &node) {
   }
 
   auto log_config = fc::logging_config::default_config();
-  log_config.appenders.push_back(
-        fc::appender_config( "net", "gelf",
-            fc::mutable_variant_object()
-                ( "endpoint", "10.160.11.21:12201" )
-                ( "host", instance.name )
-           ) );
-  log_config.loggers.front().appenders.push_back("net");
+  if(gelf_enabled) {
+    log_config.appenders.push_back(
+          fc::appender_config( "net", "gelf",
+              fc::mutable_variant_object()
+                  ( "endpoint", node.gelf_endpoint )
+                  ( "host", instance.name )
+             ) );
+    log_config.loggers.front().appenders.push_back("net");
+  }
 
   auto str = fc::json::to_pretty_string( log_config, fc::json::stringify_large_ints_and_doubles );
   cfg.write( str.c_str(), str.size() );