diff --git a/src/pkg/log/syslog/syslog.go b/src/pkg/log/syslog/syslog.go
index c4ad12ffcd1..98b9c5f6e87 100644
--- a/src/pkg/log/syslog/syslog.go
+++ b/src/pkg/log/syslog/syslog.go
@@ -202,14 +202,14 @@ func (w *Writer) writeString(p Priority, s string) (int, error) {
 }
 
 // writeString: generates and writes a syslog formatted string. The
-// format is as follows: <PRI>1 TIMESTAMP HOSTNAME TAG[PID]: MSG
+// format is as follows: <PRI>TIMESTAMP HOSTNAME TAG[PID]: MSG
 func (n netConn) writeString(p Priority, hostname, tag, msg string) (int, error) {
 	nl := ""
 	if len(msg) == 0 || msg[len(msg)-1] != '\n' {
 		nl = "\n"
 	}
 	timestamp := time.Now().Format(time.RFC3339)
-	if _, err := fmt.Fprintf(n.conn, "<%d>1 %s %s %s[%d]: %s%s", p, timestamp, hostname,
+	if _, err := fmt.Fprintf(n.conn, "<%d>%s %s %s[%d]: %s%s", p, timestamp, hostname,
 		tag, os.Getpid(), msg, nl); err != nil {
 		return 0, err
 	}
diff --git a/src/pkg/log/syslog/syslog_test.go b/src/pkg/log/syslog/syslog_test.go
index 67d7103ee44..d1fb1b23835 100644
--- a/src/pkg/log/syslog/syslog_test.go
+++ b/src/pkg/log/syslog/syslog_test.go
@@ -104,16 +104,15 @@ func TestUDPDial(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	msg := "udp test"
 	l.Info(msg)
-	expected := fmt.Sprintf("<%d>1 ", LOG_USER+LOG_INFO) + "%s %s syslog_test[%d]: udp test\n"
+	expected := fmt.Sprintf("<%d>", LOG_USER+LOG_INFO) + "%s %s syslog_test[%d]: udp test\n"
 	rcvd := <-done
 	var parsedHostname, timestamp string
 	var pid int
 	if hostname, err := os.Hostname(); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Error retrieving hostname")
 	} else {
-		if n, err := fmt.Sscanf(rcvd, expected, &timestamp, &parsedHostname, &pid); n != 3 ||
-			err != nil || hostname != parsedHostname {
-			t.Fatalf("s.Info() = '%q', didn't match '%q'", rcvd, expected)
+		if n, err := fmt.Sscanf(rcvd, expected, &timestamp, &parsedHostname, &pid); n != 3 || err != nil || hostname != parsedHostname {
+			t.Fatalf("'%q', didn't match '%q' (%d, %s)", rcvd, expected, n, err)
 		}
 	}
 }
@@ -146,12 +145,13 @@ func TestWrite(t *testing.T) {
 				t.Fatalf("WriteString() failed: %s", err)
 			}
 			rcvd := <-done
-			test.exp = fmt.Sprintf("<%d>1 ", test.pri) + test.exp
+			test.exp = fmt.Sprintf("<%d>", test.pri) + test.exp
 			var parsedHostname, timestamp string
 			var pid int
-			if n, err := fmt.Sscanf(rcvd, test.exp, &timestamp, &parsedHostname, &pid); n != 3 ||
-				err != nil || hostname != parsedHostname {
-				t.Fatalf("s.Info() = '%q', didn't match '%q'", rcvd, test.exp)
+			if n, err := fmt.Sscanf(rcvd, test.exp, &timestamp, &parsedHostname,
+				&pid); n != 3 || err != nil || hostname != parsedHostname {
+				t.Fatalf("'%q', didn't match '%q' (%d %s)", rcvd, test.exp,
+					n, err)
 			}
 		}
 	}