diff --git a/parse_server/defaults/main.yml b/parse_server/defaults/main.yml
index f502ab50..8b4a4ab5 100644
--- a/parse_server/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/parse_server/defaults/main.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 ---
 parse_server_user: parsesrv
 parse_server_user_home: /srv/parse
+parse_server_config_dir: '{{ parse_server_user_home }}/config'
+parse_server_logs_dir: '{{ parse_server_user_home }}/logs'
 parse_server_npm_modules:
   - parse-server
   - pm2
@@ -8,7 +10,10 @@ parse_server_npm_modules:
 parse_server_http_port: 1337
 parse_server_db: parse_db
 parse_server_mongodb_uri: 'mongodb://localhost:27017/{{ parse_server_db }}'
-
+parse_server_verbose_mode: 0
+# VERBOSE, INFO, ERROR, NONE
+parse_server_log_level: ERROR
+parse_server_json_logs: 0
 parse_server_app_id: 'foo'
 #parse_server_master_key: 'use a vault file'
 parse_server_app_name: '{{ parse_server_app_id }}'
diff --git a/parse_server/tasks/main.yml b/parse_server/tasks/main.yml
index 0accb629..4111ede8 100644
--- a/parse_server/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/parse_server/tasks/main.yml
@@ -6,10 +6,16 @@
   - name: Create the parse home directory
     file: dest={{ parse_server_user_home }} owner={{ parse_server_user }} group={{ parse_server_user }} mode=0755 state=directory
 
+  - name: Create the parse config directory
+    file: dest={{ parse_server_config_dir }} owner={{ parse_server_user }} group={{ parse_server_user }} mode=0750 state=directory
+
   - name: Install the parse server
     npm: name={{ item }} global=yes state=present production=true
     with_items: '{{ parse_server_npm_modules }}'
 
+  - name: Install the parse server environment file
+    template: src=parse-server.env dest={{ parse_server_config_dir }}/parse-server.env owner={{ parse_server_user }} group={{ parse_server_user }} mode=0640 
+
   - name: Install the parse server startup script
     template: src=parse_server.upstart.j2 dest=/etc/init/parse_server.conf mode=0644
 
@@ -25,10 +31,10 @@
     with_items: '{{ parse_server_dashboard_npm_modules }}'
 
   - name: Install the parse dashboard environment variables file
-    template: src=parse-server-dashboard dest=/etc/default/parse-server-dashboard
+    template: src=parse-server-dashboard.env dest={{ parse_server_config_dir }}/parse-server-dashboard.env owner={{ parse_server_user }} group={{ parse_server_user }} mode=0640 
 
   - name: Install the parse dashboard configuration file
-    template: src=parse-dashboard-config.json dest={{ parse_server_user_home }}/parse-dashboard-config.json
+    template: src=parse-dashboard-config.json dest={{ parse_server_config_dir }}/parse-dashboard-config.json owner={{ parse_server_user }} group={{ parse_server_user }} mode=0640 
 
   - name: Install the parse dashboard startup script
     template: src=parse_server_dashboard.upstart.j2 dest=/etc/init/parse_server_dashboard.conf mode=0644
diff --git a/parse_server/templates/parse-server-dashboard b/parse_server/templates/parse-server-dashboard.env
similarity index 100%
rename from parse_server/templates/parse-server-dashboard
rename to parse_server/templates/parse-server-dashboard.env
diff --git a/parse_server/templates/parse-server.env b/parse_server/templates/parse-server.env
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..28b04137
--- /dev/null
+++ b/parse_server/templates/parse-server.env
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+export MASTER_KEY='{{ parse_server_master_key }}'
+export APPLICATION_ID='{{ parse_server_app_id }}'
+export LOG_LEVEL='{{ parse_server_log_level }}'
+export JSON_LOGS={{ parse_server_json_logs }}
+export PARSE_SERVER_LOGS_FOLDER='{{ parse_server_logs_dir }}'
+export VERBOSE={{ parse_server_verbose_mode }}
+export DATABASE_URI='{{ parse_server_mongodb_uri }}'
diff --git a/parse_server/templates/parse_server.upstart.j2 b/parse_server/templates/parse_server.upstart.j2
index 2bf04d2e..587a3a39 100644
--- a/parse_server/templates/parse_server.upstart.j2
+++ b/parse_server/templates/parse_server.upstart.j2
@@ -8,5 +8,13 @@ setuid {{ parse_server_user }}
 setgid {{ parse_server_user }}
 
 script
-  exec /usr/bin/parse-server --appId "{{ parse_server_app_id }}" --masterKey "{{ parse_server_master_key }}" --databaseURI {{ parse_server_mongodb_uri }}
+  . {{ parse_server_config_dir }}/parse-server.env
+  export MASTER_KEY
+  export APPLICATION_ID
+  export LOG_LEVEL
+  export PARSE_SERVER_LOGS_FOLDER
+  export JSON_LOGS
+  export VERBOSE
+  export DATABASE_URI
+  exec /usr/bin/parse-server --appId "$APPLICATION_ID" --masterKey "$MASTER_KEY" --databaseURI $DATABASE_URI > {{ parse_server_logs_dir }}/parse_server_startup.log 2>&1
 end script
diff --git a/parse_server/templates/parse_server_dashboard.upstart.j2 b/parse_server/templates/parse_server_dashboard.upstart.j2
index ee79fafe..8e023cb7 100644
--- a/parse_server/templates/parse_server_dashboard.upstart.j2
+++ b/parse_server/templates/parse_server_dashboard.upstart.j2
@@ -8,8 +8,8 @@ setuid {{ parse_server_user }}
 setgid {{ parse_server_user }}
 
 script
-  . /etc/default/parse-server-dashboard
+  . {{ parse_server_config_dir }}/parse-server-dashboard.env
   export PARSE_DASHBOARD_TRUST_PROXY
   export MOUNT_PATH
-  exec /usr/bin/parse-dashboard --config parse-dashboard-config.json
+  exec /usr/bin/parse-dashboard --config {{ parse_server_config_dir }}/parse-dashboard-config.json > {{ parse_server_logs_dir }}/parse_server_dashboard_startup.log 2>&1
 end script