diff --git a/doc/api.txt b/doc/api.txt
index 73f4f54c2e..9466fc6e45 100644
--- a/doc/api.txt
+++ b/doc/api.txt
@@ -187,6 +187,8 @@ Like +puts()+ but without the trailing new-line.
 A synchronous output function. Will block the process and
 output +string+ immediately to +stdout+.
 
++log(string)+::
+Output with timestamp.
 
 
 +inspect(object, showHidden, depth)+ ::
diff --git a/lib/sys.js b/lib/sys.js
index 5ad68e4926..a828e5cef5 100644
--- a/lib/sys.js
+++ b/lib/sys.js
@@ -188,6 +188,25 @@ exports.p = function () {
   }
 };
 
+function pad (n) {
+  return n < 10 ? '0' + n.toString(10) : n.toString(10);
+}
+
+var months = ['Jan', 'Feb', 'Mar', 'Apr', 'May', 'Jun', 'Jul', 'Aug', 'Sep', 'Oct', 'Nov', 'Dec'];
+
+// 26 Feb 16:19:34
+function timestamp () {
+  var d = new Date();
+  return  [ d.getDate()
+          , months[d.getMonth()]
+          , [pad(d.getHours()), pad(d.getMinutes()), pad(d.getSeconds())].join(':')
+          ].join(' ');
+}
+
+exports.log = function (msg) {
+  exports.puts(timestamp() + ' - ' + msg.toString());
+}
+
 exports.exec = function (command, callback) {
   var child = process.createChildProcess("/bin/sh", ["-c", command]);
   var stdout = "";