diff --git a/playbooks/pre.yaml b/playbooks/pre.yaml
index 7b227651..1a6b4231 100644
--- a/playbooks/pre.yaml
+++ b/playbooks/pre.yaml
@@ -2,4 +2,5 @@
   roles:
     - setup-devstack-source-dirs
     - setup-devstack-log-dir
+    - start-fresh-logging
     - write-devstack-local-conf
diff --git a/roles/start-fresh-logging/README.rst b/roles/start-fresh-logging/README.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..11b029e1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/roles/start-fresh-logging/README.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+Restart logging on all hosts
+
+Restart syslog so that the system logs only include output from the
+job.
+
+**Role Variables**
+
+.. zuul:rolevar:: devstack_base_dir
+   :default: /opt/stack
+
+   The devstack base directory.
diff --git a/roles/start-fresh-logging/defaults/main.yaml b/roles/start-fresh-logging/defaults/main.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..fea05c81
--- /dev/null
+++ b/roles/start-fresh-logging/defaults/main.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+devstack_base_dir: /opt/stack
diff --git a/roles/start-fresh-logging/tasks/main.yaml b/roles/start-fresh-logging/tasks/main.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6c7ba66d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/roles/start-fresh-logging/tasks/main.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+- name: Check for /bin/journalctl file
+  command: which journalctl
+  changed_when: False
+  failed_when: False
+  register: which_out
+
+- block:
+    - name: Get current date
+      command: date +"%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S"
+      register: date_out
+
+    - name: Copy current date to log-start-timestamp.txt
+      copy:
+        dest: "{{ devstack_base_dir }}/log-start-timestamp.txt"
+        content: "{{ date_out.stdout }}"
+  when: which_out.rc == 0
+  become: yes
+
+- block:
+    - name: Stop rsyslog
+      service: name=rsyslog state=stopped
+
+    - name: Save syslog file prior to devstack run
+      command: mv /var/log/syslog /var/log/syslog-pre-devstack
+
+    - name: Save kern.log file prior to devstack run
+      command: mv /var/log/kern.log /var/log/kern_log-pre-devstack
+
+    - name: Recreate syslog file
+      file: name=/var/log/syslog state=touch
+
+    - name: Recreate syslog file owner and group
+      command: chown /var/log/syslog --ref /var/log/syslog-pre-devstack
+
+    - name: Recreate syslog file permissions
+      command: chmod /var/log/syslog --ref /var/log/syslog-pre-devstack
+
+    - name: Add read permissions to all on syslog file
+      file: name=/var/log/syslog mode=a+r
+
+    - name: Recreate kern.log file
+      file: name=/var/log/kern.log state=touch
+
+    - name: Recreate kern.log file owner and group
+      command: chown /var/log/kern.log --ref /var/log/kern_log-pre-devstack
+
+    - name: Recreate kern.log file permissions
+      command: chmod /var/log/kern.log --ref /var/log/kern_log-pre-devstack
+
+    - name: Add read permissions to all on kern.log file
+      file: name=/var/log/kern.log mode=a+r
+
+    - name: Start rsyslog
+      service: name=rsyslog state=started
+  when: which_out.rc == 1
+  become: yes