diff --git a/internal/pkg/warewulfd/runtime.go b/internal/pkg/warewulfd/runtime.go
index ea6147cd..eaf17eef 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/warewulfd/runtime.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/warewulfd/runtime.go
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ func RuntimeOverlaySend(w http.ResponseWriter, req *http.Request) {
 
 	nodes, err := node.New()
 	if err != nil {
-		daemonLogf("%s | ERROR: Could not read node configuration file: %s\n", err)
+		daemonLogf("ERROR: Could not read node configuration file: %s\n", err)
 		w.WriteHeader(503)
 		return
 	}
@@ -30,13 +30,13 @@ func RuntimeOverlaySend(w http.ResponseWriter, req *http.Request) {
 	remote := strings.Split(req.RemoteAddr, ":")
 	port, err := strconv.Atoi(remote[1])
 	if err != nil {
-		daemonLogf("%s | ERROR: Could not convert port to integer: %s\n", remote[1])
+		daemonLogf("ERROR: Could not convert port to integer: %s\n", remote[1])
 		w.WriteHeader(503)
 		return
 	}
 
 	if err != nil {
-		daemonLogf("%s | ERROR: Could not load configuration file: %s\n", err)
+		daemonLogf("ERROR: Could not load configuration file: %s\n", err)
 		return
 	}
 
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ func RuntimeOverlaySend(w http.ResponseWriter, req *http.Request) {
 	if n.RuntimeOverlay.Defined() {
 		fileName := config.RuntimeOverlayImage(n.Id.Get())
 
-		if conf.Warewulf.AutobuildOverlays == true {
+		if conf.Warewulf.AutobuildOverlays {
 			if !util.IsFile(fileName) || util.PathIsNewer(fileName, node.ConfigFile) || util.PathIsNewer(fileName, config.RuntimeOverlaySource(n.RuntimeOverlay.Get())) {
 				daemonLogf("BUILD: %15s: Runtime Overlay\n", n.Id.Get())
 				_ = overlay.BuildRuntimeOverlay([]node.NodeInfo{n})
diff --git a/internal/pkg/warewulfd/system.go b/internal/pkg/warewulfd/system.go
index 3494dc1d..f63fdac1 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/warewulfd/system.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/warewulfd/system.go
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ func SystemOverlaySend(w http.ResponseWriter, req *http.Request) {
 	if n.SystemOverlay.Defined() {
 		fileName := config.SystemOverlayImage(n.Id.Get())
 
-		if conf.Warewulf.AutobuildOverlays == true {
+		if conf.Warewulf.AutobuildOverlays {
 			if !util.IsFile(fileName) || util.PathIsNewer(fileName, node.ConfigFile) || util.PathIsNewer(fileName, config.SystemOverlaySource(n.SystemOverlay.Get())) {
 				daemonLogf("BUILD: %15s: System Overlay\n", n.Id.Get())
 				_ = overlay.BuildSystemOverlay([]node.NodeInfo{n})
diff --git a/internal/pkg/warewulfd/util.go b/internal/pkg/warewulfd/util.go
index c7c4991b..840b1ef1 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/warewulfd/util.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/warewulfd/util.go
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 )
 
-var logwriter syslog.Writer
+var logwriter *syslog.Writer
 var loginit bool
 
 func daemonLogf(message string, a ...interface{}) {
@@ -26,19 +26,22 @@ func daemonLogf(message string, a ...interface{}) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	if conf.Warewulf.Syslog == true {
-		if loginit == false {
-			logwriter, err := syslog.New(syslog.LOG_NOTICE, "warewulfd")
+	if conf.Warewulf.Syslog {
+		if !loginit {
+			var err error
+
+			logwriter, err = syslog.New(syslog.LOG_NOTICE, "warewulfd")
 			if err != nil {
 				return
 			}
 			log.SetOutput(logwriter)
 			loginit = true
 		}
+
 		log.SetFlags(0)
 		log.SetPrefix("")
-
 		log.Printf(message, a...)
+
 	} else {
 		prefix := fmt.Sprintf("[%s] ", time.Now().Format(time.UnixDate))
 		fmt.Printf(prefix+message, a...)