diff --git a/config/config.go b/config/config.go
index 965b52312..ad98d857e 100644
--- a/config/config.go
+++ b/config/config.go
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ type Proxy struct {
 	TLSHeader             string
 	TLSHeaderValue        string
 	GZIPContentTypes      *regexp.Regexp
+	LogRoutes             string
 }
 
 type Runtime struct {
diff --git a/config/default.go b/config/default.go
index e81720b97..fc5060a4a 100644
--- a/config/default.go
+++ b/config/default.go
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ var defaultConfig = &Config{
 		DialTimeout:   30 * time.Second,
 		FlushInterval: time.Second,
 		LocalIP:       LocalIPString(),
+		LogRoutes:     "delta",
 	},
 	Registry: Registry{
 		Backend: "consul",
diff --git a/config/load.go b/config/load.go
index 99444df6b..269a7564b 100644
--- a/config/load.go
+++ b/config/load.go
@@ -131,6 +131,7 @@ func load(cmdline, environ, envprefix []string, props *properties.Properties) (c
 	f.DurationVar(&readTimeout, "proxy.readtimeout", defaultValues.ReadTimeout, "read timeout for incoming requests")
 	f.DurationVar(&writeTimeout, "proxy.writetimeout", defaultValues.WriteTimeout, "write timeout for outgoing responses")
 	f.DurationVar(&cfg.Proxy.FlushInterval, "proxy.flushinterval", defaultConfig.Proxy.FlushInterval, "flush interval for streaming responses")
+	f.StringVar(&cfg.Proxy.LogRoutes, "proxy.log.routes", defaultConfig.Proxy.LogRoutes, "log format of routing table updates")
 	f.StringVar(&cfg.Metrics.Target, "metrics.target", defaultConfig.Metrics.Target, "metrics backend")
 	f.StringVar(&cfg.Metrics.Prefix, "metrics.prefix", defaultConfig.Metrics.Prefix, "prefix for reported metrics")
 	f.StringVar(&cfg.Metrics.Names, "metrics.names", defaultConfig.Metrics.Names, "route metric name template")
diff --git a/config/load_test.go b/config/load_test.go
index a5bae3c40..e80029ef3 100644
--- a/config/load_test.go
+++ b/config/load_test.go
@@ -288,6 +288,13 @@ func TestLoad(t *testing.T) {
 				return cfg
 			},
 		},
+		{
+			args: []string{"-proxy.log.routes", "foobar"},
+			cfg: func(cfg *Config) *Config {
+				cfg.Proxy.LogRoutes = "foobar"
+				return cfg
+			},
+		},
 		{
 			args: []string{"-registry.backend", "value"},
 			cfg: func(cfg *Config) *Config {
diff --git a/fabio.properties b/fabio.properties
index f7993215f..79a40520a 100644
--- a/fabio.properties
+++ b/fabio.properties
@@ -371,6 +371,19 @@
 # proxy.gzip.contenttype =
 
 
+# proxy.log.routes configures the log output format of routing table updates.
+#
+# Changes to the routing table are written to the standard log. This option
+# configures the output format:
+#
+# delta:    additions and deletions
+# all:      complete routing table
+#
+# The default is
+#
+# proxy.log.routes = delta
+
+
 # registry.backend configures which backend is used.
 # Supported backends are: consul, static, file
 #
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 4ca6a422c..0f364eff9 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"bytes"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"log"
@@ -9,6 +10,7 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"runtime"
 	"runtime/debug"
+	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/eBay/fabio/admin"
 	"github.com/eBay/fabio/config"
@@ -20,6 +22,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/eBay/fabio/registry/file"
 	"github.com/eBay/fabio/registry/static"
 	"github.com/eBay/fabio/route"
+	dmp "github.com/sergi/go-diff/diffmatchpatch"
 )
 
 // version contains the version number
@@ -59,7 +62,7 @@ func main() {
 
 	initRuntime(cfg)
 	initBackend(cfg)
-	go watchBackend()
+	go watchBackend(cfg)
 	startAdmin(cfg)
 
 	// create proxies after metrics since they use the metrics registry.
@@ -161,7 +164,7 @@ func initBackend(cfg *config.Config) {
 	}
 }
 
-func watchBackend() {
+func watchBackend(cfg *config.Config) {
 	var (
 		last   string
 		svccfg string
@@ -190,12 +193,47 @@ func watchBackend() {
 			continue
 		}
 		route.SetTable(t)
-		log.Printf("[INFO] Updated config to\n%s", t)
-
+		logRoutes(last, next, cfg.Proxy.LogRoutes)
 		last = next
 	}
 }
 
+func logRoutes(last, next, format string) {
+	fmtDiff := func(diffs []dmp.Diff) string {
+		var b bytes.Buffer
+		for _, d := range diffs {
+			t := strings.TrimSpace(d.Text)
+			if t == "" {
+				continue
+			}
+			switch d.Type {
+			case dmp.DiffDelete:
+				b.WriteString("- ")
+				b.WriteString(strings.Replace(t, "\n", "\n- ", -1))
+			case dmp.DiffInsert:
+				b.WriteString("+ ")
+				b.WriteString(strings.Replace(t, "\n", "\n+ ", -1))
+			}
+		}
+		return b.String()
+	}
+
+	const defFormat = "delta"
+	switch format {
+	case "delta":
+		if delta := fmtDiff(dmp.New().DiffMain(last, next, true)); delta != "" {
+			log.Printf("[INFO] Config updates\n%s", delta)
+		}
+
+	case "all":
+		log.Printf("[INFO] Updated config to\n%s", next)
+
+	default:
+		log.Printf("[WARN] Invalid route format %q. Defaulting to %q", format, defFormat)
+		logRoutes(last, next, defFormat)
+	}
+}
+
 func toJSON(v interface{}) string {
 	data, err := json.MarshalIndent(v, "", "    ")
 	if err != nil {