diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index 305e64e..f31c46b 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -7,6 +7,11 @@ in the logs if no driver could be found.
 If you do not specify a type= in the meter config file,
 then it will default to auto.
 
+Added --logtimestamps=important/never/always to prefix
+a logged line in the log file or stderr output with a timestamp.
+Important means timestamp warnings and device changes.
+Daemon mode defaults to important.
+
 Version 1.2.0: 2021-03-07
 
 IMPORTANT CHANGES THAT MIGHT AFFECT YOU!vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv
diff --git a/src/main.cc b/src/main.cc
index 5a84181..eea27af 100644
--- a/src/main.cc
+++ b/src/main.cc
@@ -363,6 +363,11 @@ bool start(Configuration *config)
     verboseEnabled(config->verbose);
     logTelegramsEnabled(config->logtelegrams);
     debugEnabled(config->debug);
+    if (config->addtimestamps == AddLogTimestamps::NotSet)
+    {
+        // Default to important log timestamps when starting a daemon.
+        if (config->daemon) config->addtimestamps = AddLogTimestamps::Important;
+    }
     setLogTimestamps(config->addtimestamps);
     internalTestingEnabled(config->internaltesting);
     traceEnabled(config->trace);
diff --git a/src/util.h b/src/util.h
index b75fc42..c8e3ccd 100644
--- a/src/util.h
+++ b/src/util.h
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ void traceEnabled(bool b);
 
 enum class AddLogTimestamps
 {
-    Never, Always, Important
+    NotSet, Never, Always, Important
 };
 
 void setLogTimestamps(AddLogTimestamps ts);
diff --git a/wmbusmeters.1 b/wmbusmeters.1
index 0440475..4b1af5f 100644
--- a/wmbusmeters.1
+++ b/wmbusmeters.1
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ mqtt_publish) sent to a REST API (eg curl) or store it in a database
 
 \fB\--listento=\fR<mode>,<mode> listen to more than one link mode at the same time, assuming the dongle supports it.
 
-\fB\--logtimestamps=\fR<when> add timestamps to log entries: never always important.
+\fB\--logtimestamps=\fR<when> add timestamps to log entries: never/always/important.
 
 \fB\--c1 --t1 --s1 --s1m --n1a ... --n1f\fR listen to c1,t1,s1,s1m,n1a-n1f telegrams.