diff --git a/config.yml.sample b/config.yml.sample
index ab8a395c94..2bb8fc715b 100644
--- a/config.yml.sample
+++ b/config.yml.sample
@@ -76,13 +76,13 @@ log:
   path: <rootpath>logs
   # Whether to show any logging at all or none
   enabled: true
-  # Where the error log should go. Possible values are stdout, file or off to disable error logging.
+  # Where the error log should go. Possible values are stdout, stderr, file or off to disable error logging.
   errors: "stdout"
-  # Where the normal log should go. Possible values are stdout, file or off to disable standard logging.
+  # Where the normal log should go. Possible values are stdout, stderr, file or off to disable standard logging.
   standard: "stdout"
-  # Whether or not to log database queries. Useful for debugging. Possible values are stdout, file or off to disable database logging.
+  # Whether or not to log database queries. Useful for debugging. Possible values are stdout, stderr, file or off to disable database logging.
   database: "off"
-  # Whether to log http requests or not. Possible values are stdout, file or off to disable http logging.
+  # Whether to log http requests or not. Possible values are stdout, stderr, file or off to disable http logging.
   http: "stdout"
-  # Echo has its own logging which usually is unnessecary, which is why it is disabled by default. Possible values are stdout, file or off to disable standard logging.
+  # Echo has its own logging which usually is unnessecary, which is why it is disabled by default. Possible values are stdout, stderr, file or off to disable standard logging.
   echo: "off"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docs/config.md b/docs/config.md
index e0d281166d..97b2772f74 100644
--- a/docs/config.md
+++ b/docs/config.md
@@ -103,21 +103,20 @@ mailer:
   queuelength: 100
   # The timeout in seconds after which the current open connection to the mailserver will be closed.
   queuetimeout: 30
-  
+
 log:
   # A folder where all the logfiles should go.
-  path: service.rootpath + "/logs"
+  path: <rootpath>logs
   # Whether to show any logging at all or none
   enabled: true
-  # Where the error log should go. Possible values are stdout, file or off to disable error logging.
+  # Where the error log should go. Possible values are stdout, stderr, file or off to disable error logging.
   errors: "stdout"
-  # Where the normal log should go. Possible values are stdout, file or off to disable standard logging.
+  # Where the normal log should go. Possible values are stdout, stderr, file or off to disable standard logging.
   standard: "stdout"
-  # Whether or not to log database queries. Useful for debugging. Possible values are stdout, file or off to disable database logging.
+  # Whether or not to log database queries. Useful for debugging. Possible values are stdout, stderr, file or off to disable database logging.
   database: "off"
-  # Whether to log http requests or not. Possible values are stdout, file or off to disable http logging.
+  # Whether to log http requests or not. Possible values are stdout, stderr, file or off to disable http logging.
   http: "stdout"
-  # Echo has its own logging which usually is unnessecary, which is why it is disabled by default. Possible values are stdout, file or off to disable standard logging.
+  # Echo has its own logging which usually is unnessecary, which is why it is disabled by default. Possible values are stdout, stderr, file or off to disable standard logging.
   echo: "off"
-
 ```
diff --git a/pkg/log/logging.go b/pkg/log/logging.go
index da2259f9e1..6c0283f99c 100644
--- a/pkg/log/logging.go
+++ b/pkg/log/logging.go
@@ -83,6 +83,7 @@ func InitLogger() {
 
 // GetLogWriter returns the writer to where the normal log goes, depending on the config
 func GetLogWriter(logfile string) (writer io.Writer) {
+	writer = os.Stderr // Set the default case to prevent nil pointer panics
 	switch viper.GetString("log." + logfile) {
 	case "file":
 		f, err := os.OpenFile(viper.GetString("log.path")+"/"+logfile+".log", os.O_APPEND|os.O_CREATE|os.O_WRONLY, 0644)
@@ -91,6 +92,8 @@ func GetLogWriter(logfile string) (writer io.Writer) {
 		}
 		writer = f
 		break
+	case "stderr":
+		writer = os.Stderr
 	case "stdout":
 	default:
 		writer = os.Stdout