diff --git a/docker/routlin-dash/app/pages/dnsblocking/action.py b/docker/routlin-dash/app/pages/dnsblocking/action.py
index 141435e..6493106 100644
--- a/docker/routlin-dash/app/pages/dnsblocking/action.py
+++ b/docker/routlin-dash/app/pages/dnsblocking/action.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import config_utils
 import sanitize
 import mod_validation as validate
 
-DNS_LOG_FILE = Path(config_utils.CONFIGS_DIR) / 'blocklists.log'
+DNS_LOG_FILE = Path(config_utils.BLOCKLISTS_DIR) / '.log'
 
 _PAGE = Path(__file__).parent.name
 
diff --git a/docker/routlin-dash/app/pages/dnsblocking/view.py b/docker/routlin-dash/app/pages/dnsblocking/view.py
index 3cb4016..db74473 100644
--- a/docker/routlin-dash/app/pages/dnsblocking/view.py
+++ b/docker/routlin-dash/app/pages/dnsblocking/view.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ from datetime import datetime, timezone
 import config_utils
 import factory
 
-DNS_LOG_FILE = f'{config_utils.CONFIGS_DIR}/blocklists.log'
+DNS_LOG_FILE = f'{config_utils.BLOCKLISTS_DIR}/.log'
 DNS_LOG_MAX  = 50
 
 BL_TYPE_LABELS = {'community': 'Community', 'local': 'Local'}
diff --git a/routlin/dl_blocklists.py b/routlin/dl_blocklists.py
index d4d1cc7..016776f 100644
--- a/routlin/dl_blocklists.py
+++ b/routlin/dl_blocklists.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ Usage:
 """
 
 import json
+import logging
 import os
 import sys
 import urllib.request
@@ -21,6 +22,8 @@ from pathlib import Path
 SCRIPT_DIR    = Path(__file__).parent
 CONFIG_FILE   = SCRIPT_DIR / "config.json"
 BLOCKLIST_DIR = SCRIPT_DIR / "blocklists"
+LOG_FILE      = BLOCKLIST_DIR / ".log"
+LAST_DL_FILE  = BLOCKLIST_DIR / ".last-dl"
 
 
 def die(msg):
@@ -40,9 +43,27 @@ def load_config():
         return json.load(f)
 
 
+def setup_logging():
+    BLOCKLIST_DIR.mkdir(exist_ok=True)
+    try:
+        file_handler = logging.FileHandler(LOG_FILE, mode='a')
+    except PermissionError:
+        print(f"WARNING: Cannot write to {LOG_FILE} -- run with sudo.")
+        file_handler = None
+    handlers = [logging.StreamHandler()]
+    if file_handler:
+        handlers.insert(0, file_handler)
+    logging.basicConfig(
+        level=logging.INFO,
+        format="%(asctime)s  %(levelname)-8s  %(message)s",
+        datefmt="%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S",
+        handlers=handlers,
+        force=True,
+    )
+
+
 def download_blocklists(data):
     any_fail = False
-    BLOCKLIST_DIR.mkdir(exist_ok=True)
     for bl in data.get("dns_blocking", {}).get("blocklists", []):
         if bl.get("bl_type") == "local":
             continue
@@ -50,32 +71,29 @@ def download_blocklists(data):
         save_as = bl.get("save_as", "")
         name    = bl.get("name", "?")
         if not url or not save_as:
-            print(f"  Skipped '{name}': missing url or save_as")
+            logging.warning("Skipped '%s': missing url or save_as", name)
             continue
         try:
             req = urllib.request.Request(url, headers={"User-Agent": "routlin/1.0"})
             with urllib.request.urlopen(req, timeout=30) as r:
                 content = r.read()
             (BLOCKLIST_DIR / save_as).write_bytes(content)
-            print(f"  Downloaded: {name} ({len(content):,} bytes)")
+            logging.info("Downloaded: %s (%s bytes)", name, f"{len(content):,}")
         except Exception as e:
-            print(f"  ERROR: Failed to download '{name}': {e}")
+            logging.error("Failed to download '%s': %s", name, e)
             any_fail = True
     return not any_fail
 
 
-LAST_DL_FILE  = BLOCKLIST_DIR / ".last-dl"
-
-
 def main():
     check_root()
+    setup_logging()
     data = load_config()
-    print("Downloading blocklists ==============================================")
+    logging.info("Downloading blocklists ==========================================")
     success = download_blocklists(data)
-    BLOCKLIST_DIR.mkdir(exist_ok=True)
     LAST_DL_FILE.write_text(str(int(__import__('time').time())))
     if not success:
-        print("WARNING: One or more downloads failed.")
+        logging.warning("One or more downloads failed.")
         sys.exit(1)
 
 
diff --git a/routlin/mod_dnsmasq.py b/routlin/mod_dnsmasq.py
index fed82f2..9a607d6 100644
--- a/routlin/mod_dnsmasq.py
+++ b/routlin/mod_dnsmasq.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ import mod_validation as validation
 
 BLOCKLIST_DIR = shared.SCRIPT_DIR / "blocklists"
 DB_FILE       = BLOCKLIST_DIR / "domains.db"
-LOG_FILE      = shared.SCRIPT_DIR / "blocklists.log"
+LOG_FILE      = BLOCKLIST_DIR / ".log"
 RESOLV_CONF   = Path("/etc/resolv.conf")
 
 _log = logging.getLogger("blocklists")
diff --git a/routlin/mod_timers.py b/routlin/mod_timers.py
index 482c7c2..423550f 100644
--- a/routlin/mod_timers.py
+++ b/routlin/mod_timers.py
@@ -69,7 +69,8 @@ def install_timer(data):
         "",
     ])
 
-    blocklist_script = shared.SCRIPT_DIR / "dl_blocklists.py"
+    dl_script    = shared.SCRIPT_DIR / "dl_blocklists.py"
+    merge_script = shared.SCRIPT_DIR / "core.py"
     service_content = "\n".join([
         "# Generated by core.py -- do not edit manually.",
         "",
@@ -80,7 +81,8 @@ def install_timer(data):
         "",
         "[Service]",
         "Type=oneshot",
-        f"ExecStart=/usr/bin/python3 {blocklist_script}",
+        f"ExecStart=/usr/bin/python3 {dl_script}",
+        f"ExecStart=/usr/bin/python3 {merge_script} --merge-blocklists",
         "",
     ])