diff --git a/examples/logging.conf b/examples/logging.conf
index 286f4a39..48f1328f 100644
--- a/examples/logging.conf
+++ b/examples/logging.conf
@@ -1,33 +1,48 @@
 [loggers]
-keys=root, gunicorn
+keys=root, gunicorn_error, gunicorn_access
 
 [handlers]
-keys=console, file
+keys=console, error_file, access_file
 
 [formatters]
-keys=generic
+keys=generic, access
 
 [logger_root]
 level=INFO
 handlers=console
 
-[logger_gunicorn]
-level=DEBUG
-handlers=file
+[logger_gunicorn_error]
+level=INFO
+handlers=error_file
 propagate=1
-qualname=gunicorn
+qualname=gunicorn.error
+
+[logger_gunicorn_access]
+level=INFO
+handlers=access_file
+propagate=1
+qualname=gunicorn.access
 
 [handler_console]
 class=StreamHandler
 formatter=generic
 args=(sys.stdout, )
 
-[handler_file]
+[handler_error_file]
 class=logging.FileHandler
 formatter=generic
-args=('/tmp/test.log',)
+args=('/tmp/gunicorn.error.log',)
+
+[handler_access_file]
+class=logging.FileHandler
+formatter=access
+args=('/tmp/gunicorn.access.log',)
 
 [formatter_generic]
-format="%(asctime)s [%(process)d] [%(levelname)s] %(message)s"
-datefmt="%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S"
+format=%(asctime)s [%(process)d] [%(levelname)s] %(message)s
+datefmt=%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S
+class=logging.Formatter
+
+[formatter_access]
+format=%(message)s
 class=logging.Formatter
diff --git a/gunicorn/config.py b/gunicorn/config.py
index cef15f35..9b717cd0 100644
--- a/gunicorn/config.py
+++ b/gunicorn/config.py
@@ -686,6 +686,20 @@ class LoggerClass(Setting):
         with `egg:gunicorn#simple`
         """
 
+
+class LogConfig(Setting):
+    name = "logconfig"
+    section = "Logging"
+    cli = ["--log-config"]
+    meta = "FILE"
+    validator = validate_string
+    default = None
+    desc = """\
+The log config file to use.
+Gunicorn uses the standard Python logging module's Configuration
+file format.
+"""
+
 class Procname(Setting):
     name = "proc_name"
     section = "Process Naming"
diff --git a/gunicorn/glogging.py b/gunicorn/glogging.py
index c2303e25..1edc7af5 100644
--- a/gunicorn/glogging.py
+++ b/gunicorn/glogging.py
@@ -6,10 +6,16 @@
 import datetime
 import logging
 logging.Logger.manager.emittedNoHandlerWarning = 1
+import os
 import sys
 import traceback
 import threading
 
+try:
+    from logging.config import fileConfig
+except ImportError:
+    from gunicorn.logging_config import fileConfig
+
 from gunicorn import util
 
 class LazyWriter(object):
@@ -68,32 +74,37 @@ class Logger(object):
         self.access_log = logging.getLogger("gunicorn.access")
         self.error_handlers = []
         self.access_handlers = []
-
+        self.cfg = cfg
         self.setup(cfg)
 
     def setup(self, cfg):
-        self.cfg = cfg
+        if not cfg.logconfig:
+            loglevel = self.LOG_LEVELS.get(cfg.loglevel.lower(), logging.INFO)
+            self.error_log.setLevel(loglevel)
+            self.access_log.setLevel(logging.INFO)
 
-        loglevel = self.LOG_LEVELS.get(cfg.loglevel.lower(), logging.INFO)
 
-        if cfg.errorlog != "-":
-            # if an error log file is set redirect stdout & stderr to
-            # this log file.
-            stdout_log = LazyWriter(cfg.errorlog, 'a')
-            sys.stdout = stdout_log
-            sys.stderr = stdout_log
+            if cfg.errorlog != "-":
+                # if an error log file is set redirect stdout & stderr to
+                # this log file.
+                stdout_log = LazyWriter(cfg.errorlog, 'a')
+                sys.stdout = stdout_log
+                sys.stderr = stdout_log
 
-        self.error_log.setLevel(loglevel)
+            # set gunicorn.error handler
+            self._set_handler(self.error_log, cfg.errorlog,
+                    logging.Formatter(self.error_fmt, self.datefmt))
 
-        # always info in access log
-        self.access_log.setLevel(logging.INFO)
-
-        self._set_handler(self.error_log, cfg.errorlog,
-                logging.Formatter(self.error_fmt, self.datefmt))
-
-        if cfg.accesslog is not None:
-            self._set_handler(self.access_log, cfg.accesslog,
-                fmt=logging.Formatter(self.access_fmt))
+            # set gunicorn.access handler
+            if cfg.accesslog is not None:
+                self._set_handler(self.access_log, cfg.accesslog,
+                    fmt=logging.Formatter(self.access_fmt))
+        else:
+            if os.path.exists(cfg.logconfig):
+                util.check_is_writeable(cfg.logconfig)
+                fileConfig(cfg.logconfig)
+            else:
+                raise RuntimeError("Error: log config '%s' not found" % path)
 
 
     def critical(self, msg, *args, **kwargs):
@@ -124,10 +135,9 @@ class Logger(object):
         for format details
         """
 
-        if not self.cfg.accesslog:
+        if not self.cfg.accesslog and not self.cfg.logconfig:
             return
 
-
         status = resp.status.split(None, 1)[0]
         atoms = {
                 'h': environ['REMOTE_ADDR'],
@@ -197,6 +207,7 @@ class Logger(object):
         if output == "-":
             h = logging.StreamHandler()
         else:
+            util.check_is_writeable(output)
             h = logging.FileHandler(output)
 
         h.setFormatter(fmt)
diff --git a/gunicorn/util.py b/gunicorn/util.py
index 054d76ac..5bf45dab 100644
--- a/gunicorn/util.py
+++ b/gunicorn/util.py
@@ -303,3 +303,11 @@ def seed():
         random.seed(os.urandom(64))
     except NotImplementedError:
         random.seed(random.random())
+
+
+def check_is_writeable(path):
+    try:
+        f = open(path, 'a')
+    except IOError, e:
+        raise RuntimeError("Error: '%s' isn't writable [%r]" % (path, e))
+    f.close()