diff --git a/backend.go b/backend.go
index 5cda9c8..80d600d 100644
--- a/backend.go
+++ b/backend.go
@@ -4,9 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
-	"log/syslog"
 	"os"
-	"strings"
 )
 
 type Backend interface {
@@ -100,98 +98,6 @@ func (b *FileBackend) Reopen() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-//
-// Syslog Backend
-//
-
-type SyslogBackend struct {
-	w         *syslog.Writer
-	formatter *Formatter
-	level     Level
-}
-
-func NewSyslogBackend(facilityName string, tag string) (Backend, error) {
-	f, err := facility(facilityName)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	w, err := syslog.New(f, tag)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	sb := &SyslogBackend{
-		w:         w,
-		formatter: &basicFormatter,
-	}
-	return sb, nil
-}
-
-func (sb *SyslogBackend) Write(r *Record) (err error) {
-	text := (*sb.formatter)(r)
-	switch r.Level {
-	case DEBUG:
-		err = sb.w.Debug(text)
-	case INFO:
-		err = sb.w.Info(text)
-	case WARNING:
-		err = sb.w.Warning(text)
-	case ERROR:
-		err = sb.w.Err(text)
-	case CRITICAL:
-		err = sb.w.Crit(text)
-	case FATAL:
-		err = sb.w.Emerg(text)
-	}
-	return err
-}
-
-func (sb *SyslogBackend) SetFormatter(f *Formatter) {
-	sb.formatter = f
-}
-
-func (sb *SyslogBackend) SetLevel(level Level) {
-	sb.level = level
-}
-
-func (sb *SyslogBackend) Level() Level {
-	return sb.level
-}
-
-func (sb *SyslogBackend) Reopen() error {
-	return nil
-}
-
-var facilities = map[string]syslog.Priority{
-	"kern":     syslog.LOG_KERN,
-	"user":     syslog.LOG_USER,
-	"mail":     syslog.LOG_MAIL,
-	"daemon":   syslog.LOG_DAEMON,
-	"auth":     syslog.LOG_AUTH,
-	"syslog":   syslog.LOG_SYSLOG,
-	"lpr":      syslog.LOG_LPR,
-	"news":     syslog.LOG_NEWS,
-	"uucp":     syslog.LOG_UUCP,
-	"cron":     syslog.LOG_CRON,
-	"authpriv": syslog.LOG_AUTHPRIV,
-	"ftp":      syslog.LOG_FTP,
-	"local0":   syslog.LOG_LOCAL0,
-	"local1":   syslog.LOG_LOCAL1,
-	"local2":   syslog.LOG_LOCAL2,
-	"local3":   syslog.LOG_LOCAL3,
-	"local4":   syslog.LOG_LOCAL4,
-	"local5":   syslog.LOG_LOCAL5,
-	"local6":   syslog.LOG_LOCAL6,
-	"local7":   syslog.LOG_LOCAL7,
-}
-
-func facility(name string) (syslog.Priority, error) {
-	if p, ok := facilities[strings.ToLower(name)]; !ok {
-		return 0, fmt.Errorf("Facility '%s' does not exist", name)
-	} else {
-		return p, nil
-	}
-}
-
 //
 // Noop Backend
 //
diff --git a/backend_syslog_linux.go b/backend_syslog_linux.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6677fef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend_syslog_linux.go
@@ -0,0 +1,100 @@
+// +build !windows,!nacl,!plan9
+package logging
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"log/syslog"
+	"strings"
+)
+
+//
+// Syslog Backend
+//
+
+type SyslogBackend struct {
+	w         *syslog.Writer
+	formatter *Formatter
+	level     Level
+}
+
+func NewSyslogBackend(facilityName string, tag string) (Backend, error) {
+	f, err := facility(facilityName)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	w, err := syslog.New(f, tag)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	sb := &SyslogBackend{
+		w:         w,
+		formatter: &basicFormatter,
+	}
+	return sb, nil
+}
+
+func (sb *SyslogBackend) Write(r *Record) (err error) {
+	text := (*sb.formatter)(r)
+	switch r.Level {
+	case DEBUG:
+		err = sb.w.Debug(text)
+	case INFO:
+		err = sb.w.Info(text)
+	case WARNING:
+		err = sb.w.Warning(text)
+	case ERROR:
+		err = sb.w.Err(text)
+	case CRITICAL:
+		err = sb.w.Crit(text)
+	case FATAL:
+		err = sb.w.Emerg(text)
+	}
+	return err
+}
+
+func (sb *SyslogBackend) SetFormatter(f *Formatter) {
+	sb.formatter = f
+}
+
+func (sb *SyslogBackend) SetLevel(level Level) {
+	sb.level = level
+}
+
+func (sb *SyslogBackend) Level() Level {
+	return sb.level
+}
+
+func (sb *SyslogBackend) Reopen() error {
+	return nil
+}
+
+var facilities = map[string]syslog.Priority{
+	"kern":     syslog.LOG_KERN,
+	"user":     syslog.LOG_USER,
+	"mail":     syslog.LOG_MAIL,
+	"daemon":   syslog.LOG_DAEMON,
+	"auth":     syslog.LOG_AUTH,
+	"syslog":   syslog.LOG_SYSLOG,
+	"lpr":      syslog.LOG_LPR,
+	"news":     syslog.LOG_NEWS,
+	"uucp":     syslog.LOG_UUCP,
+	"cron":     syslog.LOG_CRON,
+	"authpriv": syslog.LOG_AUTHPRIV,
+	"ftp":      syslog.LOG_FTP,
+	"local0":   syslog.LOG_LOCAL0,
+	"local1":   syslog.LOG_LOCAL1,
+	"local2":   syslog.LOG_LOCAL2,
+	"local3":   syslog.LOG_LOCAL3,
+	"local4":   syslog.LOG_LOCAL4,
+	"local5":   syslog.LOG_LOCAL5,
+	"local6":   syslog.LOG_LOCAL6,
+	"local7":   syslog.LOG_LOCAL7,
+}
+
+func facility(name string) (syslog.Priority, error) {
+	if p, ok := facilities[strings.ToLower(name)]; !ok {
+		return 0, fmt.Errorf("Facility '%s' does not exist", name)
+	} else {
+		return p, nil
+	}
+}