diff --git a/Shorewall/Perl/Shorewall/Proc.pm b/Shorewall/Perl/Shorewall/Proc.pm
index 71448e4de..58955fc00 100644
--- a/Shorewall/Perl/Shorewall/Proc.pm
+++ b/Shorewall/Perl/Shorewall/Proc.pm
@@ -352,13 +352,12 @@ sub setup_interface_proc( $ ) {
 sub setup_log_backend($) {
     if ( my $setting = $config{LOG_BACKEND} ) {
 	my $family   = shift;
-	my $file     = '/proc/net/netfilter/nf_log';
-	my $ctl      = 'net.netfilter.nf_log.' . ( $family == F_IPV4 ? '2' : '10' );
+	my $file     = '/proc/sys/net/netfilter/nf_log/' . ( $family == F_IPV4 ? '2' : '10' );
 
 	emit( 'progress_message2 "Setting up log backend"',
 	      '',
 	      "if [ -f $file ]; then",
-	      "   if sysctl $ctl=$setting; then",
+	      "   if echo $setting > $file; then",
 	      "       progress_message 'Log Backend set to $setting'",
 	      '   else',
 	      "       error_message 'WARNING: Unable to set log backend to $setting'",