diff --git a/logrotate/files/Debian/logrotate.conf b/logrotate/files/Debian/logrotate.conf
index 4bd60ab..349f82a 100644
--- a/logrotate/files/Debian/logrotate.conf
+++ b/logrotate/files/Debian/logrotate.conf
@@ -2,6 +2,12 @@
 # rotate log files weekly
 weekly
 
+{% if grains['os'] == "Ubuntu" %}
+# use the syslog group by default, since this is the owning group
+# of /var/log/syslog.
+su root syslog
+{% endif %}
+
 # keep 4 weeks worth of backlogs
 rotate 4