diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index a686535e5f..0b7cacd4c6 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -156,7 +156,8 @@ app-layer-smb.c app-layer-smb.h \
 app-layer-smb2.c app-layer-smb2.h \
 app-layer-dcerpc.c app-layer-dcerpc.h \
 app-layer-ftp.c app-layer-ftp.h \
-defrag.c defrag.h
+defrag.c defrag.h \
+output.c output.h
 
 # set the include path found by configure
 INCLUDES= $(all_includes)
diff --git a/src/alert-debuglog.c b/src/alert-debuglog.c
index 740238b004..44e58e68e9 100644
--- a/src/alert-debuglog.c
+++ b/src/alert-debuglog.c
@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@
 
 #include "util-debug.h"
 
+#include "output.h"
+#include "alert-debuglog.h"
+
 #define DEFAULT_LOG_FILENAME "alert-debug.log"
 
 TmEcode AlertDebuglog (ThreadVars *, Packet *, void *, PacketQueue *);
@@ -43,6 +46,8 @@ void TmModuleAlertDebuglogRegister (void) {
     tmm_modules[TMM_ALERTDEBUGLOG].ThreadExitPrintStats = AlertDebuglogExitPrintStats;
     tmm_modules[TMM_ALERTDEBUGLOG].ThreadDeinit = AlertDebuglogThreadDeinit;
     tmm_modules[TMM_ALERTDEBUGLOG].RegisterTests = NULL;
+
+    OutputRegisterModule("AlertDebuglog", "alert-debug", AlertDebuglogInitCtx);
 }
 
 typedef struct AlertDebuglogThread_ {
diff --git a/src/alert-fastlog.c b/src/alert-fastlog.c
index 32c98d91d1..d91ff9f393 100644
--- a/src/alert-fastlog.c
+++ b/src/alert-fastlog.c
@@ -30,6 +30,9 @@
 #include "detect-engine-mpm.h"
 #include "util-classification-config.h"
 
+#include "output.h"
+#include "alert-fastlog.h"
+
 #define DEFAULT_LOG_FILENAME "fast.log"
 
 TmEcode AlertFastlog (ThreadVars *, Packet *, void *, PacketQueue *);
@@ -48,6 +51,8 @@ void TmModuleAlertFastlogRegister (void) {
     tmm_modules[TMM_ALERTFASTLOG].ThreadExitPrintStats = AlertFastlogExitPrintStats;
     tmm_modules[TMM_ALERTFASTLOG].ThreadDeinit = AlertFastlogThreadDeinit;
     tmm_modules[TMM_ALERTFASTLOG].RegisterTests = AlertFastLogRegisterTests;
+
+    OutputRegisterModule("AlertFastlog", "fast", AlertFastlogInitCtx);
 }
 
 void TmModuleAlertFastlogIPv4Register (void) {
diff --git a/src/alert-unified-alert.c b/src/alert-unified-alert.c
index 214647e5fa..f3f40523d5 100644
--- a/src/alert-unified-alert.c
+++ b/src/alert-unified-alert.c
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@
 #include "util-error.h"
 #include "util-debug.h"
 
+#include "output.h"
+#include "alert-unified-alert.h"
+
 #define DEFAULT_LOG_FILENAME "unified.alert"
 
 TmEcode AlertUnifiedAlert (ThreadVars *, Packet *, void *, PacketQueue *);
@@ -41,6 +44,9 @@ void TmModuleAlertUnifiedAlertRegister (void) {
     tmm_modules[TMM_ALERTUNIFIEDALERT].Func = AlertUnifiedAlert;
     tmm_modules[TMM_ALERTUNIFIEDALERT].ThreadDeinit = AlertUnifiedAlertThreadDeinit;
     tmm_modules[TMM_ALERTUNIFIEDALERT].RegisterTests = AlertUnifiedAlertRegisterTests;
+
+    OutputRegisterModule("AlertUnifiedAlert", "unified-alert",
+        AlertUnifiedAlertInitCtx);
 }
 
 typedef struct AlertUnifiedAlertThread_ {
diff --git a/src/alert-unified-log.c b/src/alert-unified-log.c
index a39bfabec2..ba15e32222 100644
--- a/src/alert-unified-log.c
+++ b/src/alert-unified-log.c
@@ -29,6 +29,9 @@
 #include "util-debug.h"
 #include "util-error.h"
 
+#include "output.h"
+#include "alert-unified-log.h"
+
 #define DEFAULT_LOG_FILENAME "unified.log"
 
 TmEcode AlertUnifiedLog (ThreadVars *, Packet *, void *, PacketQueue *);
@@ -43,6 +46,9 @@ void TmModuleAlertUnifiedLogRegister (void) {
     tmm_modules[TMM_ALERTUNIFIEDLOG].Func = AlertUnifiedLog;
     tmm_modules[TMM_ALERTUNIFIEDLOG].ThreadDeinit = AlertUnifiedLogThreadDeinit;
     tmm_modules[TMM_ALERTUNIFIEDLOG].RegisterTests = AlertUnifiedLogRegisterTests;
+
+    OutputRegisterModule("AlertUnifiedLog", "unified-log",
+        AlertUnifiedLogInitCtx);
 }
 
 typedef struct AlertUnifiedLogThread_ {
diff --git a/src/alert-unified2-alert.c b/src/alert-unified2-alert.c
index 333304fd57..9643aa5aac 100644
--- a/src/alert-unified2-alert.c
+++ b/src/alert-unified2-alert.c
@@ -21,6 +21,10 @@
 #include "util-error.h"
 #include "util-debug.h"
 #include "util-time.h"
+
+#include "output.h"
+#include "alert-unified2-alert.h"
+
 #ifndef IPPROTO_SCTP
 #define IPPROTO_SCTP 132
 #endif
@@ -126,6 +130,9 @@ void TmModuleUnified2AlertRegister (void) {
     tmm_modules[TMM_ALERTUNIFIED2ALERT].Func = Unified2Alert;
     tmm_modules[TMM_ALERTUNIFIED2ALERT].ThreadDeinit = Unified2AlertThreadDeinit;
     tmm_modules[TMM_ALERTUNIFIED2ALERT].RegisterTests = Unified2RegisterTests;
+
+    OutputRegisterModule("Unified2Alert", "unified2-alert",
+        Unified2AlertInitCtx);
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/log-httplog.c b/src/log-httplog.c
index 8d4e228733..4f34ab7e81 100644
--- a/src/log-httplog.c
+++ b/src/log-httplog.c
@@ -20,6 +20,9 @@
 
 #include "util-debug.h"
 
+#include "output.h"
+#include "log-httplog.h"
+
 #define DEFAULT_LOG_FILENAME "http.log"
 
 TmEcode LogHttplog (ThreadVars *, Packet *, void *, PacketQueue *);
@@ -37,6 +40,8 @@ void TmModuleLogHttplogRegister (void) {
     tmm_modules[TMM_LOGHTTPLOG].ThreadExitPrintStats = LogHttplogExitPrintStats;
     tmm_modules[TMM_LOGHTTPLOG].ThreadDeinit = LogHttplogThreadDeinit;
     tmm_modules[TMM_LOGHTTPLOG].RegisterTests = NULL;
+
+    OutputRegisterModule("LogHttplog", "http-log", LogHttplogInitCtx);
 }
 
 void TmModuleLogHttplogIPv4Register (void) {
diff --git a/src/output.c b/src/output.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2643d711de
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/output.c
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+/* Copyright (c) 2009 Open Information Security Foundation */
+
+/**
+ * \file
+ * \author Endace Technology Limited, Jason Ish <jason.ish@endace.com>
+ */
+
+#include "suricata-common.h"
+#include "flow.h"
+#include "conf.h"
+#include "tm-modules.h"
+#include "util-error.h"
+#include "util-debug.h"
+#include "output.h"
+
+static TAILQ_HEAD(, OutputModule_) output_modules =
+    TAILQ_HEAD_INITIALIZER(output_modules);
+
+/**
+ * \brief Register an output module.
+ *
+ * This function will register an output module so it can be
+ * configured with the configuration file.
+ *
+ * \retval Returns 0 on success, -1 on failure.
+ */
+void
+OutputRegisterModule(char *name, char *conf_name, LogFileCtx *(*InitFunc)(ConfNode *))
+{
+    OutputModule *module = calloc(1, sizeof(*module));
+    if (module == NULL) {
+        SCLogError(SC_ERR_MEM_ALLOC,
+            "Failed to allocated memory for new output module");
+        exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+    }
+
+    module->name = strdup(name);
+    module->conf_name = strdup(conf_name);
+    module->InitFunc = InitFunc;
+    TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&output_modules, module, entries);
+
+    SCLogInfo("Output module \"%s\" registered.", name);
+}
+
+/**
+ * \brief Get an output module by name.
+ *
+ * \retval The OutputModule with the given name or NULL if no output module
+ * with the given name is registered.
+ */
+OutputModule *
+OutputGetModuleByConfName(char *conf_name)
+{
+    OutputModule *module;
+
+    TAILQ_FOREACH(module, &output_modules, entries) {
+        if (strcmp(module->conf_name, conf_name) == 0)
+            return module;
+    }
+
+    return NULL;
+}
+
+/**
+ * \brief Deregister all modules.  Useful for a memory clean exit.
+ */
+void
+OutputDeregisterAll(void)
+{
+    OutputModule *module;
+
+    while ((module = TAILQ_FIRST(&output_modules))) {
+        TAILQ_REMOVE(&output_modules, module, entries);
+        free(module->name);
+        free(module->conf_name);
+        free(module);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/output.h b/src/output.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c40eaa1c84
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/output.h
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+/* Copyright (c) 2009 Open Information Security Foundation */
+
+/**
+ * \file
+ * \author Endace Technology Limited, Jason Ish <jason.ish@endace.com>
+ */
+
+#ifndef __OUTPUT_H__
+#define __OUTPUT_H__
+
+typedef struct OutputModule_ {
+    char *name;
+    char *conf_name;
+    LogFileCtx *(*InitFunc)(ConfNode *);
+
+    TAILQ_ENTRY(OutputModule_) entries;
+} OutputModule;
+
+void OutputRegisterModule(char *, char *, LogFileCtx *(*)(ConfNode *));
+OutputModule *OutputGetModuleByConfName(char *name);
+void OutputDeregisterAll(void);
+
+#endif /* ! __OUTPUT_H__ */
diff --git a/src/runmodes.c b/src/runmodes.c
index 8bfbffdfca..ee0f23288d 100644
--- a/src/runmodes.c
+++ b/src/runmodes.c
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@
 
 #include "log-httplog.h"
 
+#include "output.h"
+
 /**
  * Define a linked list to use as a registry of LogFileCtx shutdown hooks.
  */
@@ -69,32 +71,6 @@ void RunModeShutDown(void)
     RunLogFileCtxShutDownHooks();
 }
 
-struct AlertOutput {
-    char *shortname;
-    char *longname;
-    LogFileCtx *(*InitFunc)(ConfNode *);
-} alert_descriptor[] = {
-    {"fast", "AlertFastlog", AlertFastlogInitCtx},
-    {"http-log", "LogHttplog", LogHttplogInitCtx},
-    {"unified-log", "AlertUnifiedLog", AlertUnifiedLogInitCtx},
-    {"unified-alert", "AlertUnifiedAlert", AlertUnifiedAlertInitCtx},
-    {"unified2-alert", "Unified2Alert", Unified2AlertInitCtx},
-    {"alert-debug", "AlertDebuglog", AlertDebuglogInitCtx},
-};
-
-struct AlertOutput *
-GetAlertOutputByName(char *name)
-{
-    int i;
-
-    for (i = 0; i < sizeof(alert_descriptor)/sizeof(alert_descriptor[0]); i++) {
-        if (strcmp(alert_descriptor[i].shortname, name) == 0)
-            return &alert_descriptor[i];
-    }
-
-    return NULL;
-}
-
 static void SetupOutputs(ThreadVars *tv_outputs)
 {
     ConfNode *outputs = ConfGetNode("outputs");
@@ -105,16 +81,18 @@ static void SetupOutputs(ThreadVars *tv_outputs)
 
     ConfNode *output, *output_config;
     TmModule *tm_module;
-    struct AlertOutput *output_info;
     const char *enabled;
+
     TAILQ_FOREACH(output, &outputs->head, next) {
-        output_info = GetAlertOutputByName(output->val);
-        if (output_info == NULL) {
-            printf("Unknown output type: %s\n", output->val);
+
+        OutputModule *module = OutputGetModuleByConfName(output->val);
+        if (module == NULL) {
+            SCLogWarning(SC_INVALID_ARGUMENT,
+                "No output module named %s, ignoring", output->val);
             continue;
         }
 
-        output_config = ConfNodeLookupChild(output, output_info->shortname);
+        output_config = ConfNodeLookupChild(output, module->conf_name);
         if (output_config == NULL) {
             /* Shouldn't happen. */
             SCLogError(SC_INVALID_ARGUMENT,
@@ -124,19 +102,16 @@ static void SetupOutputs(ThreadVars *tv_outputs)
 
         enabled = ConfNodeLookupChildValue(output_config, "enabled");
         if (enabled != NULL && strcasecmp(enabled, "yes") == 0) {
-            LogFileCtx *logfile_ctx = output_info->InitFunc(output_config);
+            LogFileCtx *logfile_ctx = module->InitFunc(output_config);
             if (logfile_ctx == NULL) {
                 /* In most cases the init function will have logged the
-                 * error. */
+                 * error. Maybe we should exit on init errors? */
                 continue;
             }
-            if (logfile_ctx == NULL) {
-                printf("* fast_ctx is NULL\n");
-            }
-            tm_module = TmModuleGetByName(output_info->longname);
+            tm_module = TmModuleGetByName(module->name);
             if (tm_module == NULL) {
                 SCLogError(SC_INVALID_ARGUMENT,
-                    "TmModuleGetByName for AlertFastlog failed");
+                    "TmModuleGetByName for %s failed", module->name);
                 exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
             }
             TmVarSlotSetFuncAppend(tv_outputs, tm_module, logfile_ctx);
diff --git a/src/suricata.c b/src/suricata.c
index 987f517c8e..60b3db2bd2 100644
--- a/src/suricata.c
+++ b/src/suricata.c
@@ -88,6 +88,8 @@
 #include "detect-engine-siggroup.h"
 #include "util-daemon.h"
 
+#include "output.h"
+
 /*
  * we put this here, because we only use it here in main.
  */
@@ -754,6 +756,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     DetectEngineCtxFree(de_ctx);
 
     RunModeShutDown();
+    OutputDeregisterAll();
 
     exit(EXIT_SUCCESS);
 }