diff --git a/src/main/scala/net/lag/logging/Syslog.scala b/src/main/scala/net/lag/logging/Syslog.scala
index 88b38a5..b9800f7 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/net/lag/logging/Syslog.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/net/lag/logging/Syslog.scala
@@ -16,6 +16,9 @@
 
 package net.lag.logging
 
+import scala.actors.Actor._
+import scala.actors._
+
 import java.util.{logging => javalog}
 import java.net.{DatagramPacket, DatagramSocket, InetAddress, InetSocketAddress, SocketAddress}
 import java.text.SimpleDateFormat
@@ -129,14 +132,24 @@ class SyslogHandler(useIsoDateFormat: Boolean, server: String) extends Handler(n
 
   def clearServerName = formatter.clearServerName
 
-  def publish(record: javalog.LogRecord) = synchronized {
-    try {
-      val data = getFormatter.format(record).getBytes
-      val packet = new DatagramPacket(data, data.length, dest)
-      socket.send(packet)
-    } catch {
-      case e =>
-        System.err.println(Formatter.formatStackTrace(e, 30).mkString("\n"))
+  def publish(record: javalog.LogRecord) = {
+    val data = formatter.format(record).getBytes
+    val packet = new DatagramPacket(data, data.length, dest)
+    NonBlockingSyslog.send (() => socket.send(packet))
+  }
+}
+
+object NonBlockingSyslog {
+  def send (action: () => Unit) = writer !  action
+  def block                     = writer !? Wait
+
+  private case object Wait
+
+  private lazy val writer = actor {
+    while (true) receive {
+      case Wait                 => reply (())
+      case action: (() => Unit) => try   {action ()}
+                                   catch {case e => System.err.println(Formatter.formatStackTrace(e, 30).mkString("\n"))}
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/test/scala/net/lag/logging/LoggingSpec.scala b/src/test/scala/net/lag/logging/LoggingSpec.scala
index d92e44b..c54785d 100644
--- a/src/test/scala/net/lag/logging/LoggingSpec.scala
+++ b/src/test/scala/net/lag/logging/LoggingSpec.scala
@@ -345,6 +345,8 @@ object LoggingSpec extends Specification with TestHelper {
       syslog.clearServerName
       log.debug("and debug!")
 
+      NonBlockingSyslog.block
+
       val p = new DatagramPacket(new Array[Byte](1024), 1024)
       serverSocket.receive(p)
       new String(p.getData, 0, p.getLength) mustEqual "<9>2008-03-29T05:53:16 raccoon.local whiskey: fatal message!"
@@ -360,6 +362,7 @@ object LoggingSpec extends Specification with TestHelper {
       log.addHandler(syslog)
       log.info("here's an info message with BSD time.")
       serverSocket.receive(p)
+      NonBlockingSyslog.block
       new String(p.getData, 0, p.getLength) mustEqual "<14>Mar 29 05:53:16 raccoon.local whiskey: here's an info message with BSD time."
     }