diff --git a/src/basic/log.c b/src/basic/log.c
index 9169474289..8a65aa349e 100644
--- a/src/basic/log.c
+++ b/src/basic/log.c
@@ -1314,6 +1314,14 @@ int log_syntax_invalid_utf8_internal(
 
 void log_set_upgrade_syslog_to_journal(bool b) {
         upgrade_syslog_to_journal = b;
+
+        /* Make the change effective immediately */
+        if (b) {
+                if (log_target == LOG_TARGET_SYSLOG)
+                        log_target = LOG_TARGET_JOURNAL;
+                else if (log_target == LOG_TARGET_SYSLOG_OR_KMSG)
+                        log_target = LOG_TARGET_JOURNAL_OR_KMSG;
+        }
 }
 
 void log_set_always_reopen_console(bool b) {
diff --git a/src/basic/log.h b/src/basic/log.h
index b97cdcd703..910a89a255 100644
--- a/src/basic/log.h
+++ b/src/basic/log.h
@@ -302,6 +302,7 @@ LogTarget log_target_from_string(const char *s) _pure_;
 
 void log_received_signal(int level, const struct signalfd_siginfo *si);
 
+/* If turned on, any requests for a log target involving "syslog" will be implicitly upgraded to the equivalent journal target */
 void log_set_upgrade_syslog_to_journal(bool b);
 void log_set_always_reopen_console(bool b);
 void log_set_open_when_needed(bool b);
diff --git a/src/core/main.c b/src/core/main.c
index 7d20f4e67b..9ecb8e9835 100644
--- a/src/core/main.c
+++ b/src/core/main.c
@@ -2328,6 +2328,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
         saved_argv = argv;
         saved_argc = argc;
 
+        /* Make sure that if the user says "syslog" we actually log to the journal. */
         log_set_upgrade_syslog_to_journal(true);
 
         if (getpid_cached() == 1) {