diff --git a/etc/defaults/rc.conf b/etc/defaults/rc.conf
index a8763780299..c28241b54fc 100644
--- a/etc/defaults/rc.conf
+++ b/etc/defaults/rc.conf
@@ -480,6 +480,8 @@ virecover_enable="YES"	# Perform housekeeping for the vi(1) editor
 ugidfw_enable="NO"	# Load mac_bsdextended(4) rules on boot
 bsdextended_script="/etc/rc.bsdextended"	# Default mac_bsdextended(4)
 						# ruleset file.
+newsyslog_enable="YES"	# Run newsyslog at startup.
+newsyslog_flags="-CN"	# Newsyslog flags to create marked files
 
 ##############################################################
 ### Jail Configuration #######################################
diff --git a/etc/newsyslog.conf b/etc/newsyslog.conf
index ad1e4b495c3..a1c5f98e963 100644
--- a/etc/newsyslog.conf
+++ b/etc/newsyslog.conf
@@ -19,21 +19,21 @@
 # logfilename          [owner:group]    mode count size when  flags [/pid_file] [sig_num]
 /var/log/all.log			600  7	   *	@T00  J
 /var/log/amd.log			644  7	   100	*     J
-/var/log/auth.log			600  7     100  *     J
+/var/log/auth.log			600  7     100  *     JC
 /var/log/console.log			600  5	   100	*     J
-/var/log/cron				600  3	   100	*     J
+/var/log/cron				600  3	   100	*     JC
 /var/log/daily.log			640  7	   *	@T00  JN
-/var/log/debug.log			600  7     100  *     J
+/var/log/debug.log			600  7     100  *     JC
 /var/log/kerberos.log			600  7	   100	*     J
-/var/log/lpd-errs			644  7	   100	*     J
-/var/log/maillog			640  7	   *	@T00  J
-/var/log/messages			644  5	   100	*     J
+/var/log/lpd-errs			644  7	   100	*     JC
+/var/log/maillog			640  7	   *	@T00  JC
+/var/log/messages			644  5	   100	*     JC
 /var/log/monthly.log			640  12	   *	$M1D0 JN
 /var/log/pflog				600  3	   100	*     JB    /var/run/pflogd.pid
-/var/log/ppp.log	root:network	640  3	   100	*     J
-/var/log/security			600  10	   100	*     J
+/var/log/ppp.log	root:network	640  3	   100	*     JC
+/var/log/security			600  10	   100	*     JC
 /var/log/sendmail.st			640  10	   *	168   B
-/var/log/slip.log	root:network	640  3	   100	*     J
+/var/log/slip.log	root:network	640  3	   100	*     JC
 /var/log/weekly.log			640  5	   1	$W6D0 JN
 /var/log/wtmp				644  3	   *	@01T05 B
-/var/log/xferlog			600  7	   100	*     J
+/var/log/xferlog			600  7	   100	*     JC
diff --git a/etc/rc.d/Makefile b/etc/rc.d/Makefile
index f40d173fd6c..6f895ec904b 100755
--- a/etc/rc.d/Makefile
+++ b/etc/rc.d/Makefile
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ FILES=	DAEMON LOGIN NETWORKING SERVERS \
 	mixer motd mountcritlocal mountcritremote \
 	mountd moused mroute6d mrouted msgs \
 	named natd netif netoptions \
-	network_ipv6 nfsclient nfsd \
+	network_ipv6 newsyslog nfsclient nfsd \
 	nfslocking nfsserver nisdomain nsswitch ntpd ntpdate \
 	othermta \
 	pccard pcvt pf pflog \
diff --git a/etc/rc.d/newsyslog b/etc/rc.d/newsyslog
index 5a3927e125a..9c4ed18aaf8 100755
--- a/etc/rc.d/newsyslog
+++ b/etc/rc.d/newsyslog
@@ -5,22 +5,23 @@
 #
 
 # PROVIDE: newsyslog
-# REQUIRE: mountcritremote sysdb
-# BEFORE:  syslogd SERVERS
+# REQUIRE: cleanvar mountcritremote
+# BEFORE: syslogd
 
 . /etc/rc.subr
 
 name="newsyslog"
-rcvar=$name
+rcvar=`set_rcvar`
 required_files="/etc/newsyslog.conf"
+command="/usr/sbin/newsyslog"
 start_cmd="newsyslog_start"
 stop_cmd=":"
 
 newsyslog_start()
 {
-	echo -n "Trimming log files:"
-	/usr/bin/newsyslog -s $rc_flags
-	echo " done."
+	echo -n "Creating and/or trimming log files:"
+	${command} ${rc_flags}
+	echo "."
 }
 
 load_rc_config $name
diff --git a/etc/rc.d/var b/etc/rc.d/var
index 8c33ac35a38..af6bb9cfccf 100644
--- a/etc/rc.d/var
+++ b/etc/rc.d/var
@@ -47,8 +47,6 @@ _populate_var()
 		;;
 	esac
 
-	/usr/sbin/newsyslog -CC
-
 	# XXX: should create spool dirs for lpd
 }
 
@@ -85,7 +83,7 @@ case "${populate_var}" in
 *)
 	if [ -d /var/run -a -d /var/db -a -d /var/empty ] ; then
 		true
-	elif [ ! -x /usr/sbin/mtree -o ! -x /usr/sbin/newsyslog ] ; then
+	elif [ ! -x /usr/sbin/mtree ] ; then
 		false
 	else
 		_populate_var