--- a/src/core/ngx_log.c
+++ b/src/core/ngx_log.c
@@ -253,10 +253,11 @@ ngx_log_t *ngx_log_init_errlog()
 #endif
 
     ngx_log.file = &ngx_stderr;
-    ngx_log.log_level = NGX_LOG_ERR;
 
 #ifdef NGX_ERROR_LOG_PATH
 
+    ngx_log.log_level = NGX_LOG_ERR;
+
     fd = ngx_open_file(NGX_ERROR_LOG_PATH, NGX_FILE_RDWR,
                        NGX_FILE_CREATE_OR_OPEN|NGX_FILE_APPEND);
 
@@ -285,6 +286,10 @@ ngx_log_t *ngx_log_init_errlog()
 
 #endif
 
+#else
+
+    ngx_log.log_level = NGX_LOG_INFO;
+
 #endif
 
     return &ngx_log;
@@ -375,12 +380,19 @@ static char *ngx_set_error_log(ngx_conf_
 
     value = cf->args->elts;
 
-    cf->cycle->new_log->file->name = value[1];
+    if (value[1].len == 6 && ngx_strcmp(value[1].data, "stderr") == 0) {
+        cf->cycle->new_log->file->fd = ngx_stderr.fd;
+        cf->cycle->new_log->file->name.len = 0;
+        cf->cycle->new_log->file->name.data = NULL;
 
-    if (ngx_conf_full_name(cf->cycle, &cf->cycle->new_log->file->name)
+    } else {
+        cf->cycle->new_log->file->name = value[1];
+
+        if (ngx_conf_full_name(cf->cycle, &cf->cycle->new_log->file->name)
                                                                   == NGX_ERROR)
-    {
-        return NGX_CONF_ERROR;
+        {
+            return NGX_CONF_ERROR;
+        }
     }
 
     return ngx_set_error_log_levels(cf, cf->cycle->new_log);