diff --git a/src/DIRAC/Interfaces/API/DiracAdmin.py b/src/DIRAC/Interfaces/API/DiracAdmin.py
index 54205ac7641..2d9905f5e66 100755
--- a/src/DIRAC/Interfaces/API/DiracAdmin.py
+++ b/src/DIRAC/Interfaces/API/DiracAdmin.py
@@ -425,6 +425,7 @@ def getJobPilotOutput(self, jobID, directory=""):
 
         :param job: JobID
         :type job: integer or string
+        :param str directory: a directory to download logs to.
         :return: S_OK,S_ERROR
         """
         if not directory:
@@ -468,13 +469,13 @@ def getJobPilotOutput(self, jobID, directory=""):
 
     #############################################################################
     def getPilotOutput(self, gridReference, directory=""):
-        """Retrieve the pilot output  (std.out and std.err) for an existing job in the WMS.
+        """Retrieve the pilot output  (std.out and std.err) for an existing pilot reference.
 
           >>> gLogger.notice(dirac.getJobPilotOutput(12345))
           {'OK': True, 'Value': {}}
 
-        :param job: JobID
-        :type job: integer or string
+        :param str gridReference: pilot reference
+        :param str directory: a directory to download logs to.
         :return: S_OK,S_ERROR
         """
         if not isinstance(gridReference, str):
diff --git a/src/DIRAC/WorkloadManagementSystem/Client/PilotLoggingPlugins/DownloadPlugin.py b/src/DIRAC/WorkloadManagementSystem/Client/PilotLoggingPlugins/DownloadPlugin.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..9c607850123
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/DIRAC/WorkloadManagementSystem/Client/PilotLoggingPlugins/DownloadPlugin.py
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+"""
+Pilot logging plugin abstract class.
+"""
+from abc import ABC, abstractmethod
+from DIRAC import S_OK, S_ERROR, gLogger
+
+sLog = gLogger.getSubLogger(__name__)
+
+
+class DownloadPlugin(ABC):
+    """
+    Remote pilot log retriever base abstract class. It defines abstract methods used to download log files from a remote
+    storage to the server.
+    Any pilot logger download plugin should inherit from this class and implement a (sub)set of methods required by
+    :class:`PilotManagerHandler`.
+    """
+
+    @abstractmethod
+    def getRemotePilotLogs(self, pilotStamp, vo):
+        """
+        Pilot log getter method, carrying the unique pilot identity and a VO name.
+
+        :param str pilotStamp: pilot stamp.
+        :param str vo: VO name of a pilot which generated the logs.
+        :return: S_OK or S_ERROR
+        :rtype: dict
+        """
+
+        pass
diff --git a/src/DIRAC/WorkloadManagementSystem/Client/PilotLoggingPlugins/FileCacheDownloadPlugin.py b/src/DIRAC/WorkloadManagementSystem/Client/PilotLoggingPlugins/FileCacheDownloadPlugin.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..c74582829ff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/DIRAC/WorkloadManagementSystem/Client/PilotLoggingPlugins/FileCacheDownloadPlugin.py
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+"""
+File cache pilot log downloader.
+"""
+import os
+import tempfile
+from DIRAC import S_OK, S_ERROR, gLogger, gConfig
+from DIRAC.DataManagementSystem.Client.DataManager import DataManager
+from DIRAC.ConfigurationSystem.Client.Helpers import Registry
+from DIRAC.ConfigurationSystem.Client.Helpers.Operations import Operations
+from DIRAC.Core.Utilities.Proxy import executeWithUserProxy
+from DIRAC.WorkloadManagementSystem.Client.PilotLoggingPlugins.DownloadPlugin import DownloadPlugin
+
+sLog = gLogger.getSubLogger(__name__)
+
+
+class FileCacheDownloadPlugin(DownloadPlugin):
+    """
+    Class to handle log file download from an SE
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        """
+        Sets the pilot log files location for a WebServer.
+
+        """
+        pass
+
+    def getRemotePilotLogs(self, pilotStamp, vo=None):
+        """
+        Pilot log getter method, carrying the unique pilot identity and a VO name.
+
+        :param str pilotStamp: pilot stamp.
+        :param str vo: VO name of a user/pilot which generated the logs.
+        :return: S_OK or S_ERROR
+        :rtype: dict
+        """
+
+        opsHelper = Operations(vo=vo)
+        uploadPath = opsHelper.getValue("Pilot/UploadPath", "")
+        lfn = os.path.join(uploadPath, pilotStamp + ".log")
+        sLog.info("LFN to download: ", lfn)
+        filepath = tempfile.TemporaryDirectory().name
+        os.makedirs(filepath, exist_ok=True)
+        # get pilot credentials which uploaded logs to an external storage:
+        res = opsHelper.getOptionsDict("Shifter/DataManager")
+        if not res["OK"]:
+            message = f"No shifter defined for VO: {vo} - needed to retrieve the logs !"
+            sLog.error(message)
+            return S_ERROR(message)
+
+        proxyUser = res["Value"].get("User")
+        proxyGroup = res["Value"].get("Group")
+
+        sLog.info(f"Proxy used for retrieving pilot logs: VO: {vo}, User: {proxyUser}, Group: {proxyGroup}")
+
+        res = self._downloadLogs(  # pylint: disable=unexpected-keyword-arg
+            lfn, filepath, proxyUserName=proxyUser, proxyUserGroup=proxyGroup
+        )
+        sLog.debug("getFile result:", res)
+        if not res["OK"]:
+            sLog.error(f"Failed to contact storage")
+            return res
+        if lfn in res["Value"]["Failed"]:
+            sLog.error("Failed to retrieve a log file:", res["Value"]["Failed"])
+            return S_ERROR(f"Failed to retrieve a log file: {res['Value']['Failed']}")
+        try:
+            filename = os.path.join(filepath, pilotStamp + ".log")
+            with open(filename) as f:
+                stdout = f.read()
+        except FileNotFoundError as err:
+            sLog.error(f"Error opening a log file:{filename}", err)
+            return S_ERROR(repr(err))
+
+        resultDict = {}
+        resultDict["StdOut"] = stdout
+        return S_OK(resultDict)
+
+    @executeWithUserProxy
+    def _downloadLogs(self, lfn, filepath):
+        return DataManager().getFile(lfn, destinationDir=filepath)
diff --git a/src/DIRAC/WorkloadManagementSystem/Service/PilotManagerHandler.py b/src/DIRAC/WorkloadManagementSystem/Service/PilotManagerHandler.py
index a8676d0fa6b..6e935b9b16b 100644
--- a/src/DIRAC/WorkloadManagementSystem/Service/PilotManagerHandler.py
+++ b/src/DIRAC/WorkloadManagementSystem/Service/PilotManagerHandler.py
@@ -6,12 +6,12 @@
 
 from DIRAC import S_OK, S_ERROR
 import DIRAC.Core.Utilities.TimeUtilities as TimeUtilities
-
-from DIRAC.ConfigurationSystem.Client.Helpers import Registry
 from DIRAC.Core.Utilities.Decorators import deprecated
+from DIRAC.ConfigurationSystem.Client.Helpers.Operations import Operations
+from DIRAC.ConfigurationSystem.Client.Helpers.Registry import getVOForGroup
+from DIRAC.Core.DISET.RequestHandler import getServiceOption
 from DIRAC.Core.DISET.RequestHandler import RequestHandler
 from DIRAC.Core.Utilities.ObjectLoader import ObjectLoader
-from DIRAC.ConfigurationSystem.Client.Helpers.Registry import getUsernameForDN, getDNForUsername
 from DIRAC.WorkloadManagementSystem.Client import PilotStatus
 from DIRAC.WorkloadManagementSystem.Service.WMSUtilities import (
     getPilotCE,
@@ -35,6 +35,10 @@ def initializeHandler(cls, serviceInfoDict):
         except RuntimeError as excp:
             return S_ERROR(f"Can't connect to DB: {excp}")
 
+        # prepare remote pilot plugin initialization
+        defaultOption, defaultClass = "DownloadPlugin", "FileCacheDownloadPlugin"
+        cls.configValue = getServiceOption(serviceInfoDict, defaultOption, defaultClass)
+        cls.loggingPlugin = None
         return S_OK()
 
     ##############################################################################
@@ -92,9 +96,16 @@ def export_addPilotTQRef(cls, pilotRef, taskQueueID, ownerGroup, gridType="DIRAC
     types_getPilotOutput = [str]
 
     def export_getPilotOutput(self, pilotReference):
-        """Get the pilot job standard output and standard error files for the Grid
-        job reference
         """
+        Get the pilot job standard output and standard error files for a pilot reference.
+        Handles both classic, CE-based logs and remote logs. The type og logs returned is determined
+        by the server.
+
+        :param str pilotReference:
+        :return: S_OK or S_ERROR Dirac object
+        :rtype: dict
+        """
+
         result = self.pilotAgentsDB.getPilotInfo(pilotReference)
         if not result["OK"]:
             self.log.error("Failed to get info for pilot", result["Message"])
@@ -104,6 +115,25 @@ def export_getPilotOutput(self, pilotReference):
             return S_ERROR("Pilot info is empty")
 
         pilotDict = result["Value"][pilotReference]
+        vo = getVOForGroup(pilotDict["OwnerGroup"])
+        opsHelper = Operations(vo=vo)
+        remote = opsHelper.getValue("Pilot/RemoteLogsPriority", False)
+        funcs = [self._getRemotePilotOutput, self._getPilotOutput]
+        if remote:
+            funcs.reverse()
+
+        result = funcs[0](pilotReference, pilotDict)
+        if not result["OK"]:
+            self.log.warn("Pilot log retrieval failed (first attempt), remote ?", remote)
+            result = funcs[1](pilotReference, pilotDict)
+            return result
+        else:
+            return result
+
+    def _getPilotOutput(self, pilotReference, pilotDict):
+        """Get the pilot job standard output and standard error files for the Grid
+        job reference
+        """
 
         group = pilotDict["OwnerGroup"]
 
@@ -158,6 +188,39 @@ def export_getPilotOutput(self, pilotReference):
         shutil.rmtree(ce.ceParameters["WorkingDirectory"])
         return S_OK(resultDict)
 
+    def _getRemotePilotOutput(self, pilotReference, pilotDict):
+        """
+        Get remote pilot log files.
+
+        :param str pilotReference:
+        :return: S_OK Dirac object
+        :rtype: dict
+        """
+
+        pilotStamp = pilotDict["PilotStamp"]
+        group = pilotDict["OwnerGroup"]
+        vo = getVOForGroup(group)
+
+        if self.loggingPlugin is None:
+            result = ObjectLoader().loadObject(
+                f"WorkloadManagementSystem.Client.PilotLoggingPlugins.{self.configValue}", self.configValue
+            )
+            if not result["OK"]:
+                self.log.error("Failed to load LoggingPlugin", f"{self.configValue}: {result['Message']}")
+                return result
+
+            componentClass = result["Value"]
+            self.loggingPlugin = componentClass()
+            self.log.info("Loaded: PilotLoggingPlugin class", self.configValue)
+
+        res = self.loggingPlugin.getRemotePilotLogs(pilotStamp, vo)
+
+        if res["OK"]:
+            res["Value"]["OwnerGroup"] = group
+            res["Value"]["FileList"] = []
+        # return res, correct or not
+        return res
+
     ##############################################################################
     types_getPilotInfo = [[list, str]]
 
diff --git a/src/DIRAC/WorkloadManagementSystem/Service/WMSAdministratorHandler.py b/src/DIRAC/WorkloadManagementSystem/Service/WMSAdministratorHandler.py
index a7aa4c615dc..eb43dda6910 100755
--- a/src/DIRAC/WorkloadManagementSystem/Service/WMSAdministratorHandler.py
+++ b/src/DIRAC/WorkloadManagementSystem/Service/WMSAdministratorHandler.py
@@ -178,7 +178,6 @@ def export_getJobPilotOutput(self, jobID):
         job reference
 
         :param str jobID: job ID
-
         :return: S_OK(dict)/S_ERROR()
         """
         pilotReference = ""