diff --git a/gunicorn/glogging.py b/gunicorn/glogging.py
index 24a2f6ca..a3d54e70 100644
--- a/gunicorn/glogging.py
+++ b/gunicorn/glogging.py
@@ -363,8 +363,15 @@ class Logger(object):
         socktype, addr = parse_syslog_address(cfg.syslog_addr)
 
         # finally setup the syslog handler
-        h = logging.handlers.SysLogHandler(address=addr, facility=facility,
-                socktype=socktype)
+        if sys.version_info >= (2, 7):
+            h = logging.handlers.SysLogHandler(address=addr,
+                    facility=facility, socktype=socktype)
+        else:
+            # socktype is only supported in 2.7 and sup
+            # fix issue #541
+            h = logging.handlers.SysLogHandler(address=addr,
+                    facility=facility)
+
         h.setFormatter(fmt)
         h._gunicorn = True
         log.addHandler(h)