diff --git a/app.js b/app.js
index d8c8c8d1..3bd03412 100755
--- a/app.js
+++ b/app.js
@@ -9,7 +9,9 @@
 * environments: [development, test, production]
 *
 */
-var _ = require('underscore');
+var _ = require('underscore'),
+    fs = require('fs'),
+    path = require('path');
 
 if ( process.argv[2] ) ENV = process.argv[2];
 else if ( process.env['NODE_ENV'] ) ENV = process.env['NODE_ENV'];
@@ -31,12 +33,28 @@ _.extend(global.settings, env);
 
 global.log4js = require('log4js')
 log4js_config = {
-  appenders: [
-    { type: "console", layout: { type:'basic' } }
-  ],
+  appenders: [],
   replaceConsole:true
 };
 
+if ( env.log_filename ) {
+    var logdir = path.dirname(env.log_filename);
+    // See cwd inlog4js.configure call below
+    logdir = path.resolve(__dirname, logdir);
+    if ( ! fs.existsSync(logdir) ) {
+        console.error("Log filename directory does not exist: " + logdir);
+        process.exit(1);
+    }
+    console.log("Logs will be written to " + env.log_filename);
+    log4js_config.appenders.push(
+        { type: "file", filename: env.log_filename }
+    );
+} else {
+    log4js_config.appenders.push(
+        { type: "console", layout: { type:'basic' } }
+    );
+}
+
 if ( global.settings.rollbar ) {
   log4js_config.appenders.push({
     type: __dirname + "/app/models/log4js_rollbar.js",
@@ -44,7 +62,7 @@ if ( global.settings.rollbar ) {
   });
 }
 
-log4js.configure(log4js_config);
+log4js.configure(log4js_config, { cwd: __dirname });
 global.logger = log4js.getLogger();
 
  
@@ -64,3 +82,8 @@ app.listen(global.settings.node_port, global.settings.node_host, function() {
 process.on('uncaughtException', function(err) {
   logger.error('Uncaught exception: ' + err.stack);
 });
+
+process.on('SIGHUP', function() {
+    log4js.configure(log4js_config);
+    console.log('Log files reloaded');
+});
diff --git a/config/environments/development.js.example b/config/environments/development.js.example
index bc0365c0..a2f6f497 100644
--- a/config/environments/development.js.example
+++ b/config/environments/development.js.example
@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@ module.exports.base_url     = '/api/:version';
 // steps taken for producing the response.
 module.exports.useProfiler = true;
 module.exports.log_format   = '[:date] :req[X-Real-IP] :method :req[Host]:url :status :response-time ms -> :res[Content-Type] (:res[X-SQLAPI-Profiler])';
+// If log_filename is given logs will be written there, in append mode. Otherwise stdout is used (default).
+// Log file will be re-opened on receiving the HUP signal
+module.exports.log_filename = 'logs/cartodb-sql-api.log';
 // Regular expression pattern to extract username
 // from hostname. Must have a single grabbing block.
 module.exports.user_from_host = '^(.*)\\.localhost';
diff --git a/config/environments/production.js.example b/config/environments/production.js.example
index 772b5584..032bfd6d 100644
--- a/config/environments/production.js.example
+++ b/config/environments/production.js.example
@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@ module.exports.base_url     = '/api/:version';
 // steps taken for producing the response.
 module.exports.useProfiler = true;
 module.exports.log_format   = '[:date] :req[X-Real-IP] :method :req[Host]:url :status :response-time ms -> :res[Content-Type] (:res[X-SQLAPI-Profiler])';
+// If log_filename is given logs will be written there, in append mode. Otherwise stdout is used (default).
+// Log file will be re-opened on receiving the HUP signal
+module.exports.log_filename = 'logs/cartodb-sql-api.log';
 // Regular expression pattern to extract username
 // from hostname. Must have a single grabbing block.
 module.exports.user_from_host = '^(.*)\\.cartodb\\.com$';
diff --git a/config/environments/staging.js.example b/config/environments/staging.js.example
index 07332b72..1841c368 100644
--- a/config/environments/staging.js.example
+++ b/config/environments/staging.js.example
@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@ module.exports.base_url     = '/api/:version';
 // steps taken for producing the response.
 module.exports.useProfiler = true;
 module.exports.log_format   = '[:date] :req[X-Real-IP] :method :req[Host]:url :status :response-time ms -> :res[Content-Type] (:res[X-SQLAPI-Profiler])';
+// If log_filename is given logs will be written there, in append mode. Otherwise stdout is used (default).
+// Log file will be re-opened on receiving the HUP signal
+module.exports.log_filename = 'logs/cartodb-sql-api.log';
 // Regular expression pattern to extract username
 // from hostname. Must have a single grabbing block.
 module.exports.user_from_host = '^(.*)\\.cartodb\\.com$';
diff --git a/config/environments/test.js.example b/config/environments/test.js.example
index e87969f3..264833e2 100644
--- a/config/environments/test.js.example
+++ b/config/environments/test.js.example
@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@ module.exports.base_url     = '/api/:version';
 // steps taken for producing the response.
 module.exports.useProfiler = true;
 module.exports.log_format   = '[:date] :req[X-Real-IP] :method :req[Host]:url :status :response-time ms -> :res[Content-Type] (:res[X-SQLAPI-Profiler])';
+// If log_filename is given logs will be written there, in append mode. Otherwise stdout is used (default).
+// Log file will be re-opened on receiving the HUP signal
+// module.exports.log_filename = 'logs/cartodb-sql-api.log';
 // Regular expression pattern to extract username
 // from hostname. Must have a single grabbing block.
 module.exports.user_from_host = '^([^.]*)\\.';