diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 2e6c10af900..a23cbfc48c9 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+home-assistant.log
 home-assistant.conf
 known_devices.csv
 
diff --git a/homeassistant/__init__.py b/homeassistant/__init__.py
index 15c7826e105..c34de361cbe 100644
--- a/homeassistant/__init__.py
+++ b/homeassistant/__init__.py
@@ -13,8 +13,6 @@ import datetime as dt
 
 import homeassistant.util as util
 
-logging.basicConfig(level=logging.INFO)
-
 MATCH_ALL = '*'
 
 DOMAIN = "homeassistant"
diff --git a/homeassistant/bootstrap.py b/homeassistant/bootstrap.py
index 7d41c3dbf56..1bc6ef19edb 100644
--- a/homeassistant/bootstrap.py
+++ b/homeassistant/bootstrap.py
@@ -15,6 +15,18 @@ def from_config_file(config_path):
     """ Starts home assistant with all possible functionality
         based on a config file. """
 
+    # Setup the logging for home assistant.
+    logging.basicConfig(level=logging.INFO)
+
+    # Log errors to a file
+    err_handler = logging.FileHandler("home-assistant.log", mode='w')
+    err_handler.setLevel(logging.ERROR)
+    err_handler.setFormatter(
+        logging.Formatter('%(asctime)s %(name)s: %(message)s',
+                          datefmt='%H:%M %d-%m-%y'))
+    logging.getLogger('').addHandler(err_handler)
+
+    # Start the actual bootstrapping
     logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
     statusses = []