diff --git a/cmd/circolog-tail/main.go b/cmd/circolog-tail/main.go
index 3c44afe..eb446ae 100644
--- a/cmd/circolog-tail/main.go
+++ b/cmd/circolog-tail/main.go
@@ -11,12 +11,12 @@ import (
 	"strconv"
 	"time"
 
+	"git.lattuga.net/boyska/circolog"
 	"git.lattuga.net/boyska/circolog/filtering"
 	"git.lattuga.net/boyska/circolog/formatter"
 	"github.com/gorilla/websocket"
 	isatty "github.com/mattn/go-isatty"
 	"github.com/mgutz/ansi"
-	"gopkg.in/mcuadros/go-syslog.v2/format"
 	"gopkg.in/mgo.v2/bson"
 )
 
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ func main() {
 				log.Println("close:", err)
 				return
 			}
-			var parsed format.LogParts
+			var parsed circolog.Message
 			if err := bson.Unmarshal(serialized, &parsed); err != nil {
 				log.Println("invalid BSON", err)
 				continue
diff --git a/cmd/circologd/http_log.go b/cmd/circologd/http_log.go
index 37077de..be09f19 100644
--- a/cmd/circologd/http_log.go
+++ b/cmd/circologd/http_log.go
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ import (
 	"git.lattuga.net/boyska/circolog"
 	"git.lattuga.net/boyska/circolog/formatter"
 	"github.com/gorilla/websocket"
-	"gopkg.in/mcuadros/go-syslog.v2/format"
 )
 
 func setupHTTP(hub circolog.Hub) *http.ServeMux {
@@ -100,7 +99,7 @@ func getHTTPHandler(hub circolog.Hub) http.HandlerFunc {
 		opts.Nofollow = true
 
 		client := circolog.Client{
-			Messages: make(chan format.LogParts, 20),
+			Messages: make(chan circolog.Message, 20),
 			Options:  opts,
 		}
 		hub.Register <- client
@@ -141,7 +140,7 @@ func getWSHandler(hub circolog.Hub) http.HandlerFunc {
 			return
 		}
 		client := circolog.Client{
-			Messages: make(chan format.LogParts, 20),
+			Messages: make(chan circolog.Message, 20),
 			Options:  opts,
 		}
 		hub.Register <- client
diff --git a/formatter/format.go b/formatter/format.go
index eda0a41..997531d 100644
--- a/formatter/format.go
+++ b/formatter/format.go
@@ -8,13 +8,13 @@ import (
 	"text/template"
 	"time"
 
+	"git.lattuga.net/boyska/circolog"
 	"github.com/mgutz/ansi"
-	"gopkg.in/mcuadros/go-syslog.v2/format"
 	"gopkg.in/mgo.v2/bson"
 )
 
 // Formatter is an interface, so that multiple implementations can exist
-type Formatter func(format.LogParts) string
+type Formatter func(circolog.Message) string
 
 var tmplFuncs template.FuncMap
 var syslogTmpl *template.Template
@@ -56,11 +56,11 @@ func init() {
 		},
 	}
 	syslogTmpl = template.Must(template.New("syslog").Funcs(tmplFuncs).Parse(
-		"{{color \"yellow\" (rfc822 (index . \"timestamp\")) }} {{index . \"hostname\"}} " +
-			"{{index . \"app_name\" | autoColor}}" +
+		"{{color \"yellow\" (rfc822 (index . \"time\")) }} {{index . \"hostname\"}} " +
+			"{{index . \"prog\" | autoColor}}" +
 			"{{ if (ne (index . \"proc_id\") \"-\")}}[{{index . \"proc_id\"}}]{{end}}: " +
-			"{{ sevName (index . \"severity\") }} " +
-			"{{index . \"message\"}}",
+			"{{ sevName (index . \"sev\") }} " +
+			"{{index . \"msg\"}}",
 	))
 }
 
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ func (rf Format) String() string {
 	return ""
 }
 
-func (rf Format) WriteFormatted(w io.Writer, msg format.LogParts) error {
+func (rf Format) WriteFormatted(w io.Writer, msg circolog.Message) error {
 	return WriteFormatted(w, rf, msg)
 }
 
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ const (
 	FormatBSON   = iota
 )
 
-func WriteFormatted(w io.Writer, f Format, msg format.LogParts) error {
+func WriteFormatted(w io.Writer, f Format, msg circolog.Message) error {
 	switch f {
 	case FormatSyslog:
 		return syslogTmpl.Execute(w, msg)
diff --git a/hub.go b/hub.go
index 7f01ec8..7d5d099 100644
--- a/hub.go
+++ b/hub.go
@@ -10,13 +10,19 @@ import (
 	"gopkg.in/mcuadros/go-syslog.v2/format"
 )
 
+// Message is currently an alias for format.Logparts, but this is only temporary; sooner or later, a real struct will be used
+// The advantage of having an explicit Message is to clear out what data we are sending to circolog "readers"
+// This is not necessarily (and not in practice) the same structure that we receive from logging programs
+type Message format.LogParts
+
 // Client represent a client connected via websocket. Its most important field is the messages channel, where
 // new messages are sent.
 type Client struct {
-	Messages chan format.LogParts // only hub should write/close this
+	Messages chan Message // only hub should write/close this
 	Options  ClientOptions
 }
 
+// ClientOptions is a struct containing connection options for every reader
 type ClientOptions struct {
 	BacklogLength int  // how many past messages the client wants to receive upon connection
 	Nofollow      bool // if Nofollow is true, the hub will not keep this client permanently. Rather, it will send every message to "Messages" and close the channel. Use this if you want to get the messages one-shot
@@ -100,7 +106,7 @@ func (h *Hub) register(cl Client) {
 			item := buf.Value
 			if item != nil {
 				select { // send with short timeout
-				case cl.Messages <- item.(format.LogParts):
+				case cl.Messages <- item.(Message):
 					break
 				case <-time.After(500 * time.Millisecond):
 					close(cl.Messages)
@@ -117,6 +123,21 @@ func (h *Hub) register(cl Client) {
 	}
 }
 
+// logEntryToMessage converts messages received from writers to the format we promise to readers
+func logEntryToMessage(orig format.LogParts) Message {
+	m := Message{}
+	// it currently only supports RFC5424. TODO: support RFC3164
+	m["prog"] = orig["app_name"]
+	m["client"] = orig["client"]
+	m["hostname"] = orig["hostname"]
+	m["proc_id"] = orig["proc_id"]
+	m["msg"] = orig["message"]
+	m["facility"] = orig["facility"]
+	m["time"] = orig["timestamp"]
+	m["sev"] = orig["severity"]
+	return m
+}
+
 // Run is hub main loop; keeps everything going
 func (h *Hub) Run() {
 	active := true
@@ -133,11 +154,12 @@ func (h *Hub) Run() {
 			}
 		case msg := <-h.LogMessages:
 			if active == true && filter.Validate(msg) {
-				h.circbuf.Value = msg
+				newmsg := logEntryToMessage(msg)
+				h.circbuf.Value = newmsg
 				h.circbuf = h.circbuf.Next()
 				for client := range h.clients {
 					select { // send without blocking
-					case client.Messages <- msg:
+					case client.Messages <- newmsg:
 						break
 					default:
 						break