diff --git a/runtime/errmsg.c b/runtime/errmsg.c
index 866397abb..b961fe390 100644
--- a/runtime/errmsg.c
+++ b/runtime/errmsg.c
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ doLogMsg(const int iErrno, const int iErrCode,  const int severity, const char *
  * maps to a specific error event).
  * rgerhards, 2008-06-27
  */
-static void __attribute__((format(printf, 3, 4)))
+void __attribute__((format(printf, 3, 4)))
 LogError(const int iErrno, const int iErrCode, const char *fmt, ... )
 {
 	va_list ap;
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ LogError(const int iErrno, const int iErrCode, const char *fmt, ... )
  * maps to a specific error event).
  * rgerhards, 2008-06-27
  */
-static void __attribute__((format(printf, 4, 5)))
+void __attribute__((format(printf, 4, 5)))
 LogMsg(const int iErrno, const int iErrCode, const int severity, const char *fmt, ... )
 {
 	va_list ap;
diff --git a/runtime/errmsg.h b/runtime/errmsg.h
index 4379f0391..5f8adaac9 100644
--- a/runtime/errmsg.h
+++ b/runtime/errmsg.h
@@ -46,5 +46,8 @@ ENDinterface(errmsg)
 PROTOTYPEObj(errmsg);
 void resetErrMsgsFlag(void);
 int hadErrMsgs(void);
+void __attribute__((format(printf, 3, 4))) LogError(const int iErrno, const int iErrCode, const char *fmt, ... );
+void __attribute__((format(printf, 4, 5)))
+	LogMsg(const int iErrno, const int iErrCode, const int severity, const char *fmt, ... );
 
 #endif /* #ifndef INCLUDED_ERRMSG_H */
diff --git a/runtime/rsyslog.h b/runtime/rsyslog.h
index e1ef547f9..ba3a81f0c 100644
--- a/runtime/rsyslog.h
+++ b/runtime/rsyslog.h
@@ -483,6 +483,7 @@ operation not carried out */
 	RS_RET_FILE_CHOWN_ERROR = -2434, /**< error during chown() */
 	RS_RET_RENAME_TMP_QI_ERROR = -2435, /**< renaming temporary .qi file failed */
 	RS_RET_ERR_SETENV = -2436, /**< error setting an environment variable */
+	RS_RET_DIR_CHOWN_ERROR = -2437, /**< error during chown() */
 
 	/* RainerScript error messages (range 1000.. 1999) */
 	RS_RET_SYSVAR_NOT_FOUND = 1001, /**< system variable could not be found (maybe misspelled) */
diff --git a/runtime/srutils.c b/runtime/srutils.c
index 761ef0142..01f4ce377 100644
--- a/runtime/srutils.c
+++ b/runtime/srutils.c
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@
 #include <inttypes.h>
 #include "srUtils.h"
 #include "obj.h"
+#include "errmsg.h"
 
 #if _POSIX_TIMERS <= 0
 #include <sys/time.h>
@@ -220,12 +221,18 @@ again:
                                 if(mkdir((char*)pszWork, mode) == 0) {
 					if(uid != (uid_t) -1 || gid != (gid_t) -1) {
 						/* we need to set owner/group */
-						if(chown((char*)pszWork, uid, gid) != 0)
+						if(chown((char*)pszWork, uid, gid) != 0) {
+							char errStr[1024]; /* buffer for strerr() */
+							rs_strerror_r(errno, errStr, sizeof(errStr));
+							LogError(0, RS_RET_DIR_CHOWN_ERROR,
+								"chown for directory '%s' failed: %s",
+								pszWork, errStr);
 							if(bFailOnChownFail)
 								bErr = 1;
 							/* silently ignore if configured
 							 * to do so.
 							 */
+						}
 					}
 				} else {
 					if(errno == EEXIST && iTry == 0) {