diff --git a/distrib/sets/lists/minix/mi b/distrib/sets/lists/minix/mi
index 88071c186..3a47f67f1 100644
--- a/distrib/sets/lists/minix/mi
+++ b/distrib/sets/lists/minix/mi
@@ -2292,6 +2292,8 @@
 ./usr/libexec/makewhatis		minix-sys
 ./usr/libexec/virecover			minix-sys
 ./usr/log				minix-sys
+./usr/log/messages			minix-sys
+./usr/log/syslog			minix-sys
 ./usr/Makefile				minix-sys
 ./usr/man				minix-sys
 ./usr/man/man1				minix-sys
diff --git a/etc/Makefile b/etc/Makefile
index a4b4a47f3..02566c6dd 100644
--- a/etc/Makefile
+++ b/etc/Makefile
@@ -355,7 +355,10 @@ install-etc-files-safe: .PHONY .MAKE check_DESTDIR MAKEDEV
 	${ETC_INSTALL_OBJ_FILE} -o ${BINOWN} -g ${BINGRP} -m 555 \
 	    MAKEDEV ${DESTDIR}/dev
 .else
+# As /var is a symlink to /usr, we need to use /usr for /var files here.
 .for owner group mode file in \
+		${BINOWN} ${BINGRP}	644	/usr/log/messages \
+		${BINOWN} ${BINGRP}	644	/usr/log/syslog \
 		games games		664	/var/games/tetris.scores
 	${_MKMSG_INSTALL} ${DESTDIR}${file}
 	if [ ! -e ${DESTDIR}${file} -o -s ${DESTDIR}${file} ]; then \