diff --git a/defaults/main.yml b/defaults/main.yml
index 8b79df3..1b3bfb4 100644
--- a/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/defaults/main.yml
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ tomcat_m_manager_status_r: "manager-status"
 
 tomcat_m_instances_base_path: '/var/lib/tomcat_instances'
 tomcat_m_instances_logdir_base: '/var/log/tomcat_instances'
+tomcat_m_expose_log_directory: False
 tomcat_m_cache_base: '/var/cache/tomcat-instances'
 tomcat_m_default_user: 'tomcat{{ tomcat_version }}'
 tomcat_m_use_default_user: True
diff --git a/tasks/main.yml b/tasks/main.yml
index 701e677..fc87b8d 100644
--- a/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/tasks/main.yml
@@ -36,6 +36,14 @@
   file: dest={{ tomcat_m_instances_logdir_base }}/{{ item.http_port }} owner={{ item.user }} group={{ item.user }} mode='0750' state=directory
   with_items: '{{ tomcat_m_instances }}'
   register: tomcat_first_install
+  when: not tomcat_m_expose_log_directory
+  tags: [ 'tomcat', 'tomcat_instances', 'tomcat_log_dir' ]
+
+- name: Create log dirs, readable by the user that runs the http service
+  file: dest={{ tomcat_m_instances_logdir_base }}/{{ item.http_port }} owner={{ item.user }} group='www-data' mode='0750' state=directory
+  with_items: '{{ tomcat_m_instances }}'
+  register: tomcat_first_install
+  when: tomcat_m_expose_log_directory
   tags: [ 'tomcat', 'tomcat_instances', 'tomcat_log_dir' ]
 
 - name: Create the instances work dirs