diff --git a/plugins/20_events/install b/plugins/20_events/install
index 11dc4a218..c0be526c3 100755
--- a/plugins/20_events/install
+++ b/plugins/20_events/install
@@ -10,11 +10,26 @@ flag_rsyslog_needs_restart=n
 # This can be done unconditionally as mkdir -p
 # exits gracefully if the path already exists
 mkdir -m 775 -p "$DOKKU_LOGS_DIR"
-chgrp dokku "$DOKKU_LOGS_DIR"
+case "$DOKKU_DISTRO" in
+  debian)
+    chgrp dokku "$DOKKU_LOGS_DIR"
+    ;;
+  *)
+    chown syslog:dokku "$DOKKU_LOGS_DIR"
+    ;;
+esac
 
 if [[ ! -f  "$DOKKU_EVENTS_LOGFILE" ]]; then
   touch "$DOKKU_EVENTS_LOGFILE"
-  chgrp dokku "$DOKKU_EVENTS_LOGFILE"
+  case "$DOKKU_DISTRO" in
+    debian)
+      chgrp dokku "$DOKKU_EVENTS_LOGFILE"
+      ;;
+    *)
+      # chown syslog:root might not work on SUSE
+      chown syslog:dokku "$DOKKU_EVENTS_LOGFILE"
+      ;;
+  esac
   chmod 664 "$DOKKU_EVENTS_LOGFILE"
 fi