diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/jme/tools/ModelViewer.java b/src/java/com/threerings/jme/tools/ModelViewer.java
index 2a7d51273..3616b528f 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/jme/tools/ModelViewer.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/jme/tools/ModelViewer.java
@@ -36,7 +36,9 @@ import java.awt.event.WindowAdapter;
 import java.awt.event.WindowEvent;
 
 import java.io.File;
+import java.io.FileOutputStream;
 import java.io.IOException;
+import java.io.PrintStream;
 
 import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.logging.Level;
@@ -229,6 +231,21 @@ public class ModelViewer extends JmeCanvasApp
         _frame.pack();
         _frame.setVisible(true);
         
+        // write standard output and error to a log file
+        if (System.getProperty("no_log_redir") == null) {
+            String dlog = "viewer.log";
+            try {
+                PrintStream logOut = new PrintStream(
+                    new FileOutputStream(dlog), true);
+                System.setOut(logOut);
+                System.setErr(logOut);
+
+            } catch (IOException ioe) {
+                Log.warning("Failed to open debug log [path=" + dlog +
+                            ", error=" + ioe + "].");
+            }
+        }
+        
         LoggingSystem.getLoggingSystem().setLevel(Level.WARNING);
         
         run();