diff --git a/pmb/parse/arguments.py b/pmb/parse/arguments.py
index 2b754e54..46a396d9 100644
--- a/pmb/parse/arguments.py
+++ b/pmb/parse/arguments.py
@@ -73,13 +73,17 @@ def arguments():
     # Actions
     sub = parser.add_subparsers(title="action", dest="action")
     sub.add_parser("init", help="initialize config file")
-    sub.add_parser("log", help="follow the pmbootstrap logfile")
-    sub.add_parser("log_distccd", help="follow the distccd logfile")
     sub.add_parser("shutdown", help="umount, unregister binfmt")
     sub.add_parser("index", help="re-index all repositories with custom built"
                    " packages (do this after manually removing package files)")
     arguments_flasher(sub)
 
+    # Action: log
+    log = sub.add_parser("log", help="follow the pmbootstrap logfile")
+    log_distccd = sub.add_parser("log_distccd", help="follow the distccd logfile")
+    for action in [log, log_distccd]:
+        action.add_argument("-n", "--lines", default="30", help="count of initial output lines")
+
     # Action: zap
     zap = sub.add_parser("zap", help="safely delete chroot"
                          "folders")
diff --git a/pmbootstrap.py b/pmbootstrap.py
index 1d1c7e48..6c8dead5 100755
--- a/pmbootstrap.py
+++ b/pmbootstrap.py
@@ -78,10 +78,11 @@ def main():
         elif args.action == "stats":
             pmb.build.ccache_stats(args, args.arch)
         elif args.action == "log":
-            pmb.helpers.run.user(args, ["tail", "-f", args.log], log=False)
+            pmb.helpers.run.user(args, ["tail", "-f", args.log,
+                                 "-n", args.lines], log=False)
         elif args.action == "log_distccd":
-            pmb.chroot.user(args, ["tail", "-f", "/home/user/distccd.log"],
-                            log=False)
+            pmb.chroot.user(args, ["tail", "-f", "/home/user/distccd.log",
+                            "-n", args.lines], log=False)
         elif args.action == "zap":
             pmb.chroot.zap(args)
         else: