diff --git a/lib/util.js b/lib/util.js
index 3a05337d923..58c7312c957 100644
--- a/lib/util.js
+++ b/lib/util.js
@@ -491,8 +491,9 @@ function timestamp() {
 }
 
 
-exports.log = function(msg) {
-  exports.puts(timestamp() + ' - ' + msg.toString());
+// log is just a thin wrapper to console.log that prepends a timestamp
+exports.log = function() {
+  console.log('%s - %s', timestamp(), exports.format.apply(exports, arguments));
 };
 
 
diff --git a/test/simple/test-util-log.js b/test/simple/test-util-log.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..1912c69f87f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/simple/test-util-log.js
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+// Copyright Joyent, Inc. and other Node contributors.
+//
+// Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a
+// copy of this software and associated documentation files (the
+// "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including
+// without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish,
+// distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit
+// persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the
+// following conditions:
+//
+// The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included
+// in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+//
+// THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS
+// OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF
+// MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN
+// NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM,
+// DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR
+// OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE
+// USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
+
+
+var assert = require('assert');
+var util = require('util');
+
+assert.ok(process.stdout.writable);
+assert.ok(process.stderr.writable);
+
+var stdout_write = global.process.stdout.write;
+var strings = [];
+global.process.stdout.write = function(string) {
+  strings.push(string);
+};
+console._stderr = process.stdout;
+
+var tests = [
+  {input: 'foo', output: 'foo'},
+  {input: undefined, output: 'undefined'},
+  {input: null, output: 'null'},
+  {input: false, output: 'false'},
+  {input: 42, output: '42'},
+  {input: function(){}, output: '[Function]'},
+  {input: parseInt('not a number', 10), output: 'NaN'},
+  {input: {answer: 42}, output: '{ answer: 42 }'},
+  {input: [1,2,3], output: '[ 1, 2, 3 ]'}
+];
+
+// test util.log()
+tests.forEach(function(test) {
+  util.log(test.input);
+  var result = strings.shift().trim(),
+      re = (/[0-9]{1,2} [A-Z][a-z]{2} [0-9]{2}:[0-9]{2}:[0-9]{2} - (.+)$/),
+      match = re.exec(result);
+  assert.ok(match);
+  assert.equal(match[1], test.output);
+});
+
+global.process.stdout.write = stdout_write;