diff --git a/changelog.d/5023.feature b/changelog.d/5023.feature
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..98551f79a323
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/5023.feature
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+Configure the example systemd units to have a log identifier of `matrix-synapse`
+instead of the executable name, `python`.
+Contributed by Christoph Müller.
diff --git a/contrib/systemd-with-workers/system/matrix-synapse-worker@.service b/contrib/systemd-with-workers/system/matrix-synapse-worker@.service
index 912984b9d2f1..9d980d516881 100644
--- a/contrib/systemd-with-workers/system/matrix-synapse-worker@.service
+++ b/contrib/systemd-with-workers/system/matrix-synapse-worker@.service
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ ExecStart=/opt/venvs/matrix-synapse/bin/python -m synapse.app.%i --config-path=/
 ExecReload=/bin/kill -HUP $MAINPID
 Restart=always
 RestartSec=3
+SyslogIdentifier=matrix-synapse-%i
 
 [Install]
 WantedBy=matrix-synapse.service
diff --git a/contrib/systemd-with-workers/system/matrix-synapse.service b/contrib/systemd-with-workers/system/matrix-synapse.service
index 8bb4e400dc12..3aae19034cb8 100644
--- a/contrib/systemd-with-workers/system/matrix-synapse.service
+++ b/contrib/systemd-with-workers/system/matrix-synapse.service
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ ExecStart=/opt/venvs/matrix-synapse/bin/python -m synapse.app.homeserver --confi
 ExecReload=/bin/kill -HUP $MAINPID
 Restart=always
 RestartSec=3
+SyslogIdentifier=matrix-synapse
 
 [Install]
 WantedBy=matrix.target
diff --git a/contrib/systemd/matrix-synapse.service b/contrib/systemd/matrix-synapse.service
index efb157e941ae..595b69916c59 100644
--- a/contrib/systemd/matrix-synapse.service
+++ b/contrib/systemd/matrix-synapse.service
@@ -22,10 +22,10 @@ Group=nogroup
 
 WorkingDirectory=/opt/synapse
 ExecStart=/opt/synapse/env/bin/python -m synapse.app.homeserver --config-path=/opt/synapse/homeserver.yaml
+SyslogIdentifier=matrix-synapse
 
 # adjust the cache factor if necessary
 # Environment=SYNAPSE_CACHE_FACTOR=2.0
 
 [Install]
 WantedBy=multi-user.target
-
diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index c25425bf2611..454fa8eb164a 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -1,3 +1,10 @@
+matrix-synapse-py3 (0.99.3.2+nmu1) UNRELEASED; urgency=medium
+
+  [ Christoph Müller ]
+  * Configure the systemd units to have a log identifier of `matrix-synapse`
+
+ -- Christoph Müller <iblzm@hotmail.de>  Wed, 17 Apr 2019 16:17:32 +0200
+
 matrix-synapse-py3 (0.99.3.2) stable; urgency=medium
 
   * New synapse release 0.99.3.2.
diff --git a/debian/matrix-synapse.service b/debian/matrix-synapse.service
index 942e4b83fef9..b0a8d72e6d25 100644
--- a/debian/matrix-synapse.service
+++ b/debian/matrix-synapse.service
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ ExecStart=/opt/venvs/matrix-synapse/bin/python -m synapse.app.homeserver --confi
 ExecReload=/bin/kill -HUP $MAINPID
 Restart=always
 RestartSec=3
+SyslogIdentifier=matrix-synapse
 
 [Install]
 WantedBy=multi-user.target