diff --git a/server/conf/log4j2.properties b/server/conf/log4j2.properties
index d2688e84b..5afd44498 100644
--- a/server/conf/log4j2.properties
+++ b/server/conf/log4j2.properties
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 # sample properties to initialize log4j
 rootLogger = ERROR,stdout,fout
 
+# Set a custom variable for the log directory
+property.log.dir = logs
+
 # stdout appender
 appender.console.type = Console
 appender.console.name = stdout
@@ -9,11 +12,10 @@ appender.console.layout.pattern = %-5p %d{yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss.SSS} [%t] %c: %m%n
 appender.console.layout.charset = UTF-8
 
 # file appender
-dir.logs = logs
 appender.rolling.type = RollingFile
 appender.rolling.name = fout
-appender.rolling.fileName = logs/mirth.log
-appender.rolling.filePattern = logs/mirth.log.%i
+appender.rolling.fileName = ${log.dir}/mirth.log
+appender.rolling.filePattern = ${log.dir}/mirth.log.%i.zip
 appender.rolling.policies.type = Policies
 appender.rolling.policies.size.type = SizeBasedTriggeringPolicy
 appender.rolling.policies.size.size = 500KB