diff --git a/lib/layouts.js b/lib/layouts.js
index 9cfd035..389e7aa 100644
--- a/lib/layouts.js
+++ b/lib/layouts.js
@@ -125,6 +125,7 @@ function messagePassThroughLayout (loggingEvent) {
  *  - %d date in various formats
  *  - %% %
  *  - %n newline
+ *  - %z pid
  *  - %x{<tokenname>} add dynamic tokens to your log. Tokens are specified in the tokens parameter
  * You can use %[ and %] to define a colored block.
  *
@@ -211,6 +212,10 @@ function patternLayout (pattern, tokens) {
     return '%';
   }
 
+  function pid() {
+    return process.pid;
+  }
+
   function userDefined(loggingEvent, specifier) {
     if (typeof(tokens[specifier]) !== 'undefined') {
       if (typeof(tokens[specifier]) === 'function') {
@@ -232,6 +237,7 @@ function patternLayout (pattern, tokens) {
     'r': startTime,
     '[': startColour,
     ']': endColour,
+    'z': pid,
     '%': percent,
     'x': userDefined
   };
diff --git a/test/layouts-test.js b/test/layouts-test.js
index 00a3d6c..db6ba56 100644
--- a/test/layouts-test.js
+++ b/test/layouts-test.js
@@ -217,6 +217,9 @@ vows.describe('log4js layouts').addBatch({
     '%h should output hostname' : function(args) {
       test(args, '%h', os.hostname().toString());
     },
+    '%z should output pid' : function(args) {
+      test(args, '%z', process.pid);
+    },
     '%c should handle category names like java-style package names': function(args) {
       test(args, '%c{1}', 'tests');
       test(args, '%c{2}', 'of.tests');