diff --git a/configuration.md b/configuration.md
index 10b4da809..29f9d7211 100644
--- a/configuration.md
+++ b/configuration.md
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@
 | LEAGUE_DATABASE_USERNAME | `faf-league-service` |  | `faf-league-service` |
 | LOG_FILE_DIRECTORY |  |  |  |
 | LOG_LEVEL | `info` |  |  |
+| LOG_STRUCTURED_FORMAT | `logstash` |  | Console log format (`ecs`, `logstash`, `gelf`); JSON by default, plain text in the `local` profile |
 | MAIL_HOST | `false` |  |  |
 | MAIL_PASSWORD | `false` |  |  |
 | MAIL_PORT | `false` |  |  |
diff --git a/src/main/resources/config/application-local.yml b/src/main/resources/config/application-local.yml
index 7f81df781..8815db1eb 100644
--- a/src/main/resources/config/application-local.yml
+++ b/src/main/resources/config/application-local.yml
@@ -90,5 +90,8 @@ spring:
           jwk-set-uri: http://hydra.faforever.localhost/.well-known/jwks.json
           issuer-uri: http://ory-hydra:4444/
 logging:
+  structured:
+    format:
+      console: ""
   level:
     com.faforever.api: debug
diff --git a/src/main/resources/config/application.yml b/src/main/resources/config/application.yml
index 1084a55af..23f715ae6 100644
--- a/src/main/resources/config/application.yml
+++ b/src/main/resources/config/application.yml
@@ -180,6 +180,10 @@ management:
       exposure:
         include: '*'
 logging:
+  structured:
+    format:
+      # JSON logs by default (prod/test); the local profile switches back to plain text
+      console: ${LOG_STRUCTURED_FORMAT:logstash}
   pattern:
     console: "%clr(%d{yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss.SSS}){faint} %clr(%5p) %clr(${PID:- }){magenta} %clr(---){faint} %clr([%36.36X{requestId:- no request context}]){faint} %clr([%15.15t]){faint} %clr(%-40.40logger{39}){cyan} %clr(:){faint} %m%n%wEx"
   level:
diff --git a/src/main/resources/logback.xml b/src/main/resources/logback.xml
deleted file mode 100644
index 207ecc281..000000000
--- a/src/main/resources/logback.xml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,20 +0,0 @@
-<configuration>
-  <include resource="org/springframework/boot/logging/logback/base.xml"/>
-  <jmxConfigurator/>
-
-  <!--Daily rolling file appender -->
-  <appender name="AUDIT" class="ch.qos.logback.core.rolling.RollingFileAppender">
-    <File>${LOG_PATH:-${LOG_TEMP:-${java.io.tmpdir:-/tmp}}}/audit.log</File>
-    <rollingPolicy class="ch.qos.logback.core.rolling.TimeBasedRollingPolicy">
-      <FileNamePattern>audit.%d{yyyy-MM-dd}.log</FileNamePattern>
-    </rollingPolicy>
-
-    <layout class="ch.qos.logback.classic.PatternLayout">
-      <Pattern>%d - %msg%n</Pattern>
-    </layout>
-  </appender>
-
-  <logger name="com.faforever.api.security.AuditService">
-    <appender-ref ref="AUDIT"/>
-  </logger>
-</configuration>