diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 4d351a5..a06a5dd 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -217,10 +217,11 @@ examples of the appropriate syntax.
   i.e. in the current wrorking directory).  Note that all intermediate
   directories must exist, Molly Brown won't create them for you.  Set
   to `-` for logging to `stdout`.
-* `ErrorLog`: Path to error log file (default value `error.log`, i.e.
-  in the current wrorking directory).  Note that all intermediate
-  directories must exist, Molly Brown won't create them for you.  Set
-  to `-` for logging to `stdout`.
+* `ErrorLog`: Path to error log file.  If set to an empty string (the
+  default), Molly Brown will log errors to stderr (where they are
+  easily captured by systemd or similar init systems).  If set to a
+  file, note that all intermediate directories must exist, Molly Brown
+  won't create them for you.
 * `GeminiExt`: Files with this extension will be served with a MIME
   type of `text/gemini` (default value `gmi`).
 * `MimeOverrides`: In this section of the config file, keys are path
diff --git a/config.go b/config.go
index 74518ea..0d3fab4 100644
--- a/config.go
+++ b/config.go
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ func getConfig(filename string) (Config, error) {
 	config.DefaultLang = ""
 	config.DefaultEncoding = ""
 	config.AccessLog = "access.log"
-	config.ErrorLog = "error.log"
+	config.ErrorLog = ""
 	config.TempRedirects = make(map[string]string)
 	config.PermRedirects = make(map[string]string)
 	config.CGIPaths = make([]string, 0)
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index fcd93be..6725f14 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -40,8 +40,8 @@ func main() {
 
 	// Open log files
 	var errorLogFile *os.File
-	if config.ErrorLog == "-" {
-		errorLogFile = os.Stdout
+	if config.ErrorLog == "" {
+		errorLogFile = os.Stderr
 	} else {
 		errorLogFile, err = os.OpenFile(config.ErrorLog, os.O_APPEND|os.O_CREATE|os.O_WRONLY, 0644)
 		if err != nil {