diff --git a/util/eventlog/option.go b/util/eventlog/option.go
index 7ca68558f..aeecbe391 100644
--- a/util/eventlog/option.go
+++ b/util/eventlog/option.go
@@ -2,11 +2,20 @@ package eventlog
 
 import (
 	"io"
+	"os"
 
 	"github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/Godeps/_workspace/src/github.com/maybebtc/logrus"
 	"github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/Godeps/_workspace/src/gopkg.in/natefinch/lumberjack.v2"
 )
 
+func init() {
+	Configure(TextFormatter)
+	Configure(Output(os.Stderr))
+	// has the effect of disabling logging since we log event entries at Info
+	// level by convention
+	Configure(LevelError)
+}
+
 type Option func()
 
 func Configure(options ...Option) {