diff --git a/coremain/logo.go b/coremain/logo.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..09db8de42
--- /dev/null
+++ b/coremain/logo.go
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+package coremain
+
+// This is CoreDNS' ascii LOGO, nothing fancy. It's generated with:
+// figlet -f slant CoreDNS
+// We're printing the logo line by line, hence splitting it up.
+var logo = []string{
+	`   ______                ____  _   _______`,
+	`  / ____/___  ________  / __ \/ | / / ___/`,
+	` / /   / __ \/ ___/ _ \/ / / /  |/ /\__ \ `,
+	`/ /___/ /_/ / /  /  __/ /_/ / /|  /___/ / `,
+	`\____/\____/_/   \___/_____/_/ |_//____/  `,
+}
+
+const marker = "~ "
diff --git a/coremain/run.go b/coremain/run.go
index 5f3b610bd..508c74c62 100644
--- a/coremain/run.go
+++ b/coremain/run.go
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/coredns/coredns/core/dnsserver"
-	clog "github.com/coredns/coredns/plugin/pkg/log"
 
 	"github.com/caddyserver/caddy"
 )
@@ -82,7 +81,6 @@ func Run() {
 		mustLogFatal(err)
 	}
 
-	logVersion()
 	if !dnsserver.Quiet {
 		showVersion()
 	}
@@ -141,24 +139,21 @@ func defaultLoader(serverType string) (caddy.Input, error) {
 	}, nil
 }
 
-// logVersion logs the version that is starting.
-func logVersion() {
-	clog.Info(versionString())
-	clog.Info(releaseString())
-}
-
-// showVersion prints the version that is starting.
+// showVersion prints the version that is starting. We print our logo on the left.
 func showVersion() {
+	fmt.Println(logo[0])
 	fmt.Print(versionString())
 	fmt.Print(releaseString())
 	if devBuild && gitShortStat != "" {
 		fmt.Printf("%s\n%s\n", gitShortStat, gitFilesModified)
 	}
+	fmt.Println(logo[3])
+	fmt.Println(logo[4])
 }
 
 // versionString returns the CoreDNS version as a string.
 func versionString() string {
-	return fmt.Sprintf("%s-%s\n", caddy.AppName, caddy.AppVersion)
+	return fmt.Sprintf("%s\t%s%s-%s\n", logo[1], marker, caddy.AppName, caddy.AppVersion)
 }
 
 // releaseString returns the release information related to CoreDNS version:
@@ -166,7 +161,7 @@ func versionString() string {
 // e.g.,
 // linux/amd64, go1.8.3, a6d2d7b5
 func releaseString() string {
-	return fmt.Sprintf("%s/%s, %s, %s\n", runtime.GOOS, runtime.GOARCH, runtime.Version(), GitCommit)
+	return fmt.Sprintf("%s\t%s%s/%s, %s, %s\n", logo[2], marker, runtime.GOOS, runtime.GOARCH, runtime.Version(), GitCommit)
 }
 
 // setVersion figures out the version information