diff --git a/common/os.go b/common/os.go
index 53febecbe..58222c995 100644
--- a/common/os.go
+++ b/common/os.go
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ import (
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
 	"os/signal"
+	"sync"
+	"time"
 )
 
 func TrapSignal(cb func()) {
@@ -96,3 +98,101 @@ func WriteFileAtomic(filePath string, newBytes []byte) error {
 	err = os.Rename(filePath+".new", filePath)
 	return err
 }
+
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+/* AutoFile usage
+
+// Create/Append to ./autofile_test
+af, err := OpenAutoFile("autofile_test")
+if err != nil {
+	panic(err)
+}
+
+// Stream of writes.
+// During this time, the file may be moved e.g. by logRotate.
+for i := 0; i < 60; i++ {
+	af.Write([]byte(Fmt("LOOP(%v)", i)))
+	time.Sleep(time.Second)
+}
+
+// Close the AutoFile
+err = af.Close()
+if err != nil {
+	panic(err)
+}
+*/
+
+const autoFileOpenDuration = 1000 * time.Millisecond
+
+// Automatically closes and re-opens file for writing.
+// This is useful for using a log file with the logrotate tool.
+type AutoFile struct {
+	Path   string
+	ticker *time.Ticker
+	mtx    sync.Mutex
+	file   *os.File
+}
+
+func OpenAutoFile(path string) (af *AutoFile, err error) {
+	af = &AutoFile{
+		Path:   path,
+		ticker: time.NewTicker(autoFileOpenDuration),
+	}
+	if err = af.openFile(); err != nil {
+		return
+	}
+	go af.processTicks()
+	return
+}
+
+func (af *AutoFile) Close() error {
+	af.ticker.Stop()
+	af.mtx.Lock()
+	err := af.closeFile()
+	af.mtx.Unlock()
+	return err
+}
+
+func (af *AutoFile) processTicks() {
+	for {
+		_, ok := <-af.ticker.C
+		if !ok {
+			return // Done.
+		}
+		fmt.Println("closeFile()")
+		af.mtx.Lock()
+		af.closeFile()
+		af.mtx.Unlock()
+	}
+}
+
+func (af *AutoFile) closeFile() (err error) {
+	file := af.file
+	if file == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+	af.file = nil
+	return file.Close()
+}
+
+func (af *AutoFile) Write(b []byte) (n int, err error) {
+	af.mtx.Lock()
+	defer af.mtx.Unlock()
+	if af.file == nil {
+		if err = af.openFile(); err != nil {
+			return
+		}
+	}
+	fmt.Println("Write:", string(b))
+	return af.file.Write(b)
+}
+
+func (af *AutoFile) openFile() error {
+	file, err := os.OpenFile(af.Path, os.O_RDWR|os.O_CREATE|os.O_APPEND, 0600)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	af.file = file
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/process/process.go b/process/process.go
index 308c11a60..0d297432a 100644
--- a/process/process.go
+++ b/process/process.go
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
 	"time"
+
+	. "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/common"
 )
 
 type Process struct {
@@ -20,7 +22,7 @@ type Process struct {
 	OutputPath string
 	Cmd        *exec.Cmd        `json:"-"`
 	ExitState  *os.ProcessState `json:"-"`
-	OutputFile *os.File         `json:"-"`
+	OutputFile *AutoFile        `json:"-"`
 	WaitCh     chan struct{}    `json:"-"`
 }
 
@@ -32,7 +34,7 @@ const (
 // execPath: command name
 // args: args to command. (should not include name)
 func Create(mode int, label string, execPath string, args []string, input string, outPath string) (*Process, error) {
-	outFile, err := os.OpenFile(outPath, os.O_RDWR|os.O_CREATE|os.O_APPEND, 0600)
+	outFile, err := OpenAutoFile(outPath)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}