diff --git a/ethlog/loggers.go b/ethlog/loggers.go
index f5ec4d402..732d6a970 100644
--- a/ethlog/loggers.go
+++ b/ethlog/loggers.go
@@ -47,75 +47,97 @@ const (
 )
 
 var (
-	mutex      sync.RWMutex // protects logSystems
-	logSystems []LogSystem
-
-	logMessages  = make(chan message)
-	drainWaitReq = make(chan chan struct{})
+	logMessageC = make(chan message)
+	addSystemC  = make(chan LogSystem)
+	flushC      = make(chan chan struct{})
+	resetC      = make(chan chan struct{})
 )
 
 func init() {
 	go dispatchLoop()
 }
 
+// each system can buffer this many messages before
+// blocking incoming log messages.
+const sysBufferSize = 500
+
 func dispatchLoop() {
-	var drainWait []chan struct{}
-	dispatchDone := make(chan struct{})
-	pending := 0
+	var (
+		systems  []LogSystem
+		systemIn []chan message
+		systemWG sync.WaitGroup
+	)
+	bootSystem := func(sys LogSystem) {
+		in := make(chan message, sysBufferSize)
+		systemIn = append(systemIn, in)
+		systemWG.Add(1)
+		go sysLoop(sys, in, &systemWG)
+	}
+
 	for {
 		select {
-		case msg := <-logMessages:
-			go dispatch(msg, dispatchDone)
-			pending++
-		case waiter := <-drainWaitReq:
-			if pending == 0 {
-				close(waiter)
-			} else {
-				drainWait = append(drainWait, waiter)
+		case msg := <-logMessageC:
+			for _, c := range systemIn {
+				c <- msg
 			}
-		case <-dispatchDone:
-			pending--
-			if pending == 0 {
-				for _, c := range drainWait {
-					close(c)
-				}
-				drainWait = nil
+
+		case sys := <-addSystemC:
+			systems = append(systems, sys)
+			bootSystem(sys)
+
+		case waiter := <-resetC:
+			// reset means terminate all systems
+			for _, c := range systemIn {
+				close(c)
 			}
+			systems = nil
+			systemIn = nil
+			systemWG.Wait()
+			close(waiter)
+
+		case waiter := <-flushC:
+			// flush means reboot all systems
+			for _, c := range systemIn {
+				close(c)
+			}
+			systemIn = nil
+			systemWG.Wait()
+			for _, sys := range systems {
+				bootSystem(sys)
+			}
+			close(waiter)
 		}
 	}
 }
 
-func dispatch(msg message, done chan<- struct{}) {
-	mutex.RLock()
-	for _, sys := range logSystems {
+func sysLoop(sys LogSystem, in <-chan message, wg *sync.WaitGroup) {
+	for msg := range in {
 		if sys.GetLogLevel() >= msg.level {
 			sys.LogPrint(msg.level, msg.msg)
 		}
 	}
-	mutex.RUnlock()
-	done <- struct{}{}
+	wg.Done()
 }
 
 // Reset removes all active log systems.
+// It blocks until all current messages have been delivered.
 func Reset() {
-	mutex.Lock()
-	logSystems = nil
-	mutex.Unlock()
+	waiter := make(chan struct{})
+	resetC <- waiter
+	<-waiter
 }
 
 // Flush waits until all current log messages have been dispatched to
 // the active log systems.
 func Flush() {
 	waiter := make(chan struct{})
-	drainWaitReq <- waiter
+	flushC <- waiter
 	<-waiter
 }
 
 // AddLogSystem starts printing messages to the given LogSystem.
-func AddLogSystem(logSystem LogSystem) {
-	mutex.Lock()
-	logSystems = append(logSystems, logSystem)
-	mutex.Unlock()
+func AddLogSystem(sys LogSystem) {
+	addSystemC <- sys
 }
 
 // A Logger prints messages prefixed by a given tag. It provides named
@@ -130,11 +152,11 @@ func NewLogger(tag string) *Logger {
 }
 
 func (logger *Logger) sendln(level LogLevel, v ...interface{}) {
-	logMessages <- message{level, logger.tag + fmt.Sprintln(v...)}
+	logMessageC <- message{level, logger.tag + fmt.Sprintln(v...)}
 }
 
 func (logger *Logger) sendf(level LogLevel, format string, v ...interface{}) {
-	logMessages <- message{level, logger.tag + fmt.Sprintf(format, v...)}
+	logMessageC <- message{level, logger.tag + fmt.Sprintf(format, v...)}
 }
 
 // Errorln writes a message with ErrorLevel.