diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 98bb30c..c684de8 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"log"
 	"net"
 	"os"
+	"strings"
 	"text/template"
 	"time"
 
@@ -31,11 +32,26 @@ func udpConnect(addr string) (conn *net.UDPConn) {
 	return
 }
 
+type mapFlag map[string]string
+
+func (i *mapFlag) String() string {
+	return ""
+}
+func (i *mapFlag) Set(v string) error {
+	s := strings.Split(v, "=")
+	if len(s) > 1 && s[0] != "" {
+		(*i)[s[0]] = strings.Join(s[1:], "=")
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 func main() {
 	socketFile := flag.String("socket", "/dev/log", "socket file")
 	stdoutTpl := flag.String("stdoutTpl", "[{{.timestamp}}] {{.content}}", "stdout line template, variables are: timestamp, content, facility, hostname, priority, severity, tag")
 	udpAddr := flag.String("udpAddr", "", "udp address, format is host:port")
 	udpTpl := flag.String("udpTpl", "{{ json . }}", "udp line template, see stdoutTpl for variables")
+	customVars := make(mapFlag)
+	flag.Var(&customVars, "var", "custom variable, pe. type=error, can be used multiple times")
 
 	flag.Parse()
 
@@ -76,6 +92,9 @@ func main() {
 	if err != nil {
 		panic(err)
 	}
+
+	os.Chmod(*socketFile, 0666)
+
 	err = server.Boot()
 	if err != nil {
 		panic(err)
@@ -83,6 +102,9 @@ func main() {
 
 	go func(channel syslog.LogPartsChannel) {
 		for logParts := range channel {
+			for k, v := range customVars {
+				logParts[k] = v
+			}
 			stdoutTemplate.Execute(os.Stdout, logParts)
 			udpChannel <- logParts
 			// fmt.Println(logParts)