diff --git a/util/log.h b/util/log.h
index e5f821cd609..8a26bd8f6a9 100644
--- a/util/log.h
+++ b/util/log.h
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ namespace mongo {
 #endif
 
                 if ( ! threadName.empty() ){
-                    cout << threadName << " ";
+                    cout << "[" << threadName << "] ";
                 }
                 cout << type << ( type[0] ? ": " : "" );
                 cout << s;
diff --git a/util/message_server_port.cpp b/util/message_server_port.cpp
index f1ffd617367..c0c38a85e3d 100644
--- a/util/message_server_port.cpp
+++ b/util/message_server_port.cpp
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ namespace mongo {
         MessageHandler * handler;
         
         void threadRun(){
+            setThreadName( "conn" );
             TicketHolderReleaser connTicketReleaser( &connTicketHolder );
         
             assert( grab );