diff --git a/defaults/main.yml b/defaults/main.yml
index 1d82962..ce5d226 100644
--- a/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/defaults/main.yml
@@ -242,6 +242,7 @@ zun_pip_packages:
   - python-memcached
   - python-zunclient
   - pymysql
+  - systemd-python
   - zun
 
 ## (Qdrouterd) integration
diff --git a/tasks/zun_pre_install.yml b/tasks/zun_pre_install.yml
index a053752..e2eb034 100644
--- a/tasks/zun_pre_install.yml
+++ b/tasks/zun_pre_install.yml
@@ -74,34 +74,6 @@
   tags:
     - zun-dirs
 
-- name: Test for log directory or link
-  shell: |
-    if [ -h "{{ zun_log_dir }}"  ]; then
-      chown -h {{ zun_system_user_name }}:{{ zun_system_group_name }} "{{ zun_log_dir }}"
-      chown -R {{ zun_system_user_name }}:{{ zun_system_group_name }} "$(readlink {{ zun_log_dir }})"
-    else
-      exit 1
-    fi
-  register: log_dir
-  failed_when: false
-  changed_when: false
-  tags:
-    - zun-dirs
-    - zun-logs
-
-- name: Create zun log dir
-  file:
-    path: "{{ zun_log_dir }}"
-    state: directory
-    owner: "{{ zun_system_user_name }}"
-    group: "{{ zun_system_group_name }}"
-    mode: "0755"
-  when:
-    - log_dir.rc != 0
-  tags:
-    - zun-dirs
-    - zun-logs
-
 - name: Drop sudoers file
   template:
     src: "sudoers.j2"
diff --git a/templates/zun.conf.j2 b/templates/zun.conf.j2
index 47f4cb8..c7f09ec 100644
--- a/templates/zun.conf.j2
+++ b/templates/zun.conf.j2
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@
 # to enable journal support. Doing so will use the journal native protocol
 # which includes structured metadata in addition to log messages.This option is
 # ignored if log_config_append is set. (boolean value)
-#use_journal = false
+use_journal = true
 
 # Syslog facility to receive log lines. This option is ignored if
 # log_config_append is set. (string value)
diff --git a/vars/debian.yml b/vars/debian.yml
index b4ce1c5..9fe461c 100644
--- a/vars/debian.yml
+++ b/vars/debian.yml
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ zun_distro_packages:
   - ca-certificates
   - curl
   - git
+  - libsystemd-dev
   - software-properties-common
 
 zun_distro_compute_packages:
diff --git a/vars/redhat-7.yml b/vars/redhat-7.yml
index de925fb..ca952c0 100644
--- a/vars/redhat-7.yml
+++ b/vars/redhat-7.yml
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ zun_docker_repo:
 # Common yum packages
 zun_distro_packages:
   - git
+  - systemd-devel
 
 zun_distro_compute_packages:
   - docker
diff --git a/vars/suse.yml b/vars/suse.yml
index ebf9e70..c9e64b7 100644
--- a/vars/suse.yml
+++ b/vars/suse.yml
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ zun_distro_packages:
   - git
   - yum-utils
   - lvm2
+  - systemd-devel
 
 zun_distro_compute_packages:
   - docker-ce