diff --git a/doc/guix.texi b/doc/guix.texi
index e849728b4e..7b4ecf9e81 100644
--- a/doc/guix.texi
+++ b/doc/guix.texi
@@ -18494,11 +18494,15 @@ privacy---often the result of host name lookups is in local cache, so
 external name servers do not even need to be queried.
 @end defvar
 
-@anchor{syslog-configuration-type}
 @cindex syslog
 @cindex logging
+@defvar syslog-service-type
+Type of the service that runs the syslog daemon, whose value is a
+@code{<syslog-configuration>} object.
+@end defvar
+
 @deftp {Data Type} syslog-configuration
-This data type represents the configuration of the syslog daemon.
+Data type representing the configuration of the syslog daemon.
 
 @table @asis
 @item @code{syslogd} (default: @code{#~(string-append #$inetutils "/libexec/syslogd")})
@@ -18506,19 +18510,12 @@ The syslog daemon to use.
 
 @item @code{config-file} (default: @code{%default-syslog.conf})
 The syslog configuration file to use.
+@xref{syslogd invocation,,, inetutils, GNU Inetutils}, for more
+information on the configuration file syntax.
 
 @end table
 @end deftp
 
-@anchor{syslog-service}
-@cindex syslog
-@deffn {Scheme Procedure} syslog-service @var{config}
-Return a service that runs a syslog daemon according to @var{config}.
-
-@xref{syslogd invocation,,, inetutils, GNU Inetutils}, for more
-information on the configuration file syntax.
-@end deffn
-
 @defvar guix-service-type
 This is the type of the service that runs the build daemon,
 @command{guix-daemon} (@pxref{Invoking guix-daemon}).  Its value must be a
diff --git a/gnu/services/base.scm b/gnu/services/base.scm
index 423a38e39d..45e6c5f448 100644
--- a/gnu/services/base.scm
+++ b/gnu/services/base.scm
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ (define-module (gnu services base)
 
             syslog-configuration
             syslog-configuration?
-            syslog-service
+            syslog-service  ; deprecated
             syslog-service-type
             %default-syslog.conf
 
@@ -1511,6 +1511,32 @@ (define-deprecated (nscd-service #:optional (config (nscd-configuration)))
 Service Switch}, for an example."
   (service nscd-service-type config))
 
+;; Snippet adapted from the GNU inetutils manual.
+(define %default-syslog.conf
+  (plain-file "syslog.conf" "
+     # Log all error messages, authentication messages of
+     # level notice or higher and anything of level err or
+     # higher to the console.
+     # Don't log private authentication messages!
+     *.alert;auth.notice;authpriv.none      -/dev/console
+
+     # Log anything (except mail) of level info or higher.
+     # Don't log private authentication messages!
+     *.info;mail.none;authpriv.none         -/var/log/messages
+
+     # Log \"debug\"-level entries and nothing else.
+     *.=debug                               -/var/log/debug
+
+     # Same, in a different place.
+     *.info;mail.none;authpriv.none         -/dev/tty12
+
+     # The authpriv file has restricted access.
+     # 'fsync' the file after each line (hence the lack of a leading dash).
+     authpriv.*                              /var/log/secure
+
+     # Log all the mail messages in one place.
+     mail.*                                 -/var/log/maillog
+"))
 
 (define-record-type* <syslog-configuration>
   syslog-configuration  make-syslog-configuration
@@ -1540,37 +1566,12 @@ (define syslog-service-type
                      (umask mask)
                      pid))))
       (stop #~(make-kill-destructor))))
+   (syslog-configuration)
    (description "Run the syslog daemon, @command{syslogd}, which is
 responsible for logging system messages.")))
 
-;; Snippet adapted from the GNU inetutils manual.
-(define %default-syslog.conf
-  (plain-file "syslog.conf" "
-     # Log all error messages, authentication messages of
-     # level notice or higher and anything of level err or
-     # higher to the console.
-     # Don't log private authentication messages!
-     *.alert;auth.notice;authpriv.none      -/dev/console
-
-     # Log anything (except mail) of level info or higher.
-     # Don't log private authentication messages!
-     *.info;mail.none;authpriv.none         -/var/log/messages
-
-     # Log \"debug\"-level entries and nothing else.
-     *.=debug                               -/var/log/debug
-
-     # Same, in a different place.
-     *.info;mail.none;authpriv.none         -/dev/tty12
-
-     # The authpriv file has restricted access.
-     # 'fsync' the file after each line (hence the lack of a leading dash).
-     authpriv.*                              /var/log/secure
-
-     # Log all the mail messages in one place.
-     mail.*                                 -/var/log/maillog
-"))
-
-(define* (syslog-service #:optional (config (syslog-configuration)))
+(define-deprecated (syslog-service #:optional (config (syslog-configuration)))
+  syslog-service-type
   "Return a service that runs @command{syslogd} and takes
 @var{<syslog-configuration>} as a parameter.
 
@@ -3294,7 +3295,7 @@ (define %base-services
                         (cons tty %default-console-font))
                       '("tty1" "tty2" "tty3" "tty4" "tty5" "tty6")))
 
-        (syslog-service)
+        (service syslog-service-type)
         (service agetty-service-type (agetty-configuration
                                        (extra-options '("-L")) ; no carrier detect
                                        (term "vt100")
diff --git a/gnu/system/hurd.scm b/gnu/system/hurd.scm
index 24fc6dbcae..20dc4ae735 100644
--- a/gnu/system/hurd.scm
+++ b/gnu/system/hurd.scm
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ (define %base-services/hurd
                          `(("/bin/sh" ,(file-append bash "/bin/sh"))
                            ("/usr/bin/env" ,(file-append coreutils
                                                          "/bin/env"))))
-                (syslog-service))
+                (service syslog-service-type))
           (map (lambda (n)
                  (service hurd-getty-service-type
                           (hurd-getty-configuration
diff --git a/gnu/system/install.scm b/gnu/system/install.scm
index f7de0d6a09..8c7752df0e 100644
--- a/gnu/system/install.scm
+++ b/gnu/system/install.scm
@@ -367,7 +367,7 @@ (define bare-bones-os
            (normal-tty "tty6")
 
            ;; The usual services.
-           (syslog-service)
+           (service syslog-service-type)
 
            ;; Use the Avahi daemon to discover substitute servers on the local
            ;; network.  It can be faster than fetching from remote servers.