diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 323e2356..e91b0066 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -58,6 +58,10 @@ AC_ARG_ENABLE(watchdog,
         AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-watchdog], [Enable built-in watchdog, uses /dev/watchdog]),,[
 	enable_watchdog=no])
 
+AC_ARG_ENABLE(redirect-output,
+        AS_HELP_STRING([--disable-redirect-output], [Disable redirection of service output to /dev/null]),,[
+	enable_redirect_output=yes])
+
 AC_ARG_ENABLE(inetd,
         AS_HELP_STRING([--disable-inetd], [Disable built-in inetd super server, default enabled]),,[
 	enable_inetd=yes])
@@ -148,6 +152,9 @@ AS_IF([test "x$enable_inetd" != "xno"], [
 	enable_inetd="yes"
 	AC_DEFINE(INETD_ENABLED,  1, [Enable built-in inetd])])
 
+AS_IF([test "x$enable_redirect_output" != "xno"], [
+	AC_DEFINE(REDIRECT_OUTPUT, 1, [Enable redirection of service output to /dev/null])])
+
 AS_IF([test "x$enable_logrotate" != "xno"], [
 	AC_DEFINE(LOGROTATE_ENABLED, 1, [Enable built-in rotation of /var/log/wtmp et al.])])
 
diff --git a/src/service.c b/src/service.c
index 920dd0de..9f73224b 100644
--- a/src/service.c
+++ b/src/service.c
@@ -258,7 +258,9 @@ static int service_start(svc_t *svc)
 				dup2(fd, STDERR_FILENO);
 				close(fd);
 			}
-		} else {
+		}
+#ifdef REDIRECT_OUTPUT
+		else {
 			FILE *fp;
 
 			fp = fopen("/dev/null", "w");
@@ -268,6 +270,7 @@ static int service_start(svc_t *svc)
 				fclose(fp);
 			}
 		}
+#endif
 
 	logger_err:
 		sig_unblock();