diff --git a/docs/configuration.rst b/docs/configuration.rst
index 30ade98..4ff694e 100644
--- a/docs/configuration.rst
+++ b/docs/configuration.rst
@@ -233,7 +233,43 @@ to files in your home directory named
 ``.i3pystatus-<pid-of-thread>``. Some modules might log additional
 information.
 
-.. rubric:: Log level
+Setting a specific logfile
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+When instantiating your ``Status`` object, the path to a log file can be
+specified. If this is done, then log messages will be sent to that file and not
+to an ``.i3pystatus-<pid-of-thread>`` file in your home directory.  This is
+useful in that it helps keep your home directory from becoming cluttered with
+files containing errors.
+
+.. code-block:: python
+
+    from i3pystatus import Status
+
+    status = Status(logfile='/home/username/var/i3pystatus.log')
+
+Changing log format
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+.. versionadded:: 3.35
+
+The ``logformat`` option can be useed to change the format of the log files,
+using `LogRecord attributes`__.
+
+.. code-block:: python
+
+    from i3pystatus import Status
+
+    status = Status(
+        logfile='/home/username/var/i3pystatus.log',
+        logformat='%(asctime)s %(levelname)s:',
+    )
+
+.. __: https://docs.python.org/3/library/logging.html#logrecord-attributes
+
+
+Log level
+~~~~~~~~~
 
 Every module has a ``log_level`` option which sets the *minimum*
 severity required for an event to be logged.
diff --git a/i3pystatus/core/__init__.py b/i3pystatus/core/__init__.py
index 4bd54a6..1c0a9d1 100644
--- a/i3pystatus/core/__init__.py
+++ b/i3pystatus/core/__init__.py
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ from i3pystatus.core.exceptions import ConfigError
 from i3pystatus.core.imputil import ClassFinder
 from i3pystatus.core.modules import Module
 
+DEFAULT_LOG_FORMAT = '%(asctime)s [%(levelname)-8s][%(name)s %(lineno)d] %(message)s'
+
 
 class CommandEndpoint:
     """
@@ -59,17 +61,21 @@ class Status:
     """
 
     def __init__(self, standalone=True, click_events=True, interval=1,
-                 input_stream=None, logfile=None, internet_check=None):
+                 input_stream=None, logfile=None, internet_check=None,
+                 logformat=DEFAULT_LOG_FORMAT):
         self.standalone = standalone
         self.click_events = standalone and click_events
         input_stream = input_stream or sys.stdin
+        logger = logging.getLogger("i3pystatus")
         if logfile:
-            logger = logging.getLogger("i3pystatus")
             for handler in logger.handlers:
                 logger.removeHandler(handler)
             handler = logging.FileHandler(logfile, delay=True)
             logger.addHandler(handler)
             logger.setLevel(logging.CRITICAL)
+        if logformat:
+            for index in range(len(logger.handlers)):
+                logger.handlers[index].setFormatter(logging.Formatter(logformat))
         if internet_check:
             util.internet.address = internet_check
 
diff --git a/i3pystatus/core/threading.py b/i3pystatus/core/threading.py
index c4ff0a5..1e3d8bb 100644
--- a/i3pystatus/core/threading.py
+++ b/i3pystatus/core/threading.py
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ class ExceptionWrapper(Wrapper):
         try:
             self.workload()
         except:
-            message = "\n> Exception in {thread} at {time}, module {name}".format(
+            message = "Exception in {thread} at {time}, module {name}".format(
                 thread=threading.current_thread().name,
                 time=time.strftime("%c"),
                 name=self.workload.__class__.__name__