diff --git includes/backend.inc includes/backend.inc
index 4e5e372..162f2d8 100644
--- includes/backend.inc
+++ includes/backend.inc
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@
  * Identify the JSON encoded output from a command.
  */
 define('DRUSH_BACKEND_OUTPUT_DELIMITER', 'DRUSH_BACKEND_OUTPUT_START>>>%s<<<DRUSH_BACKEND_OUTPUT_END');
+define('DRUSH_BACKEND_LOG_DELIMITER', "DRUSH_BACKEND_LOG_START>>>%s<<<DRUSH_BACKEND_LOG_END\n");
 
 function drush_backend_set_result($value) {
   if (drush_get_context('DRUSH_BACKEND')) {
@@ -169,6 +170,7 @@ function drush_backend_parse_output($string, $integrate = TRUE) {
 
   if (!empty($output)) {
     $data = json_decode($output, TRUE);
+    $data['output'] = $string;
     if (is_array($data)) {
       if ($integrate) {
         _drush_backend_integrate($data);
@@ -180,34 +182,15 @@ function drush_backend_parse_output($string, $integrate = TRUE) {
 }
 
 /**
- * Integrate log messages and error statuses into the current process.
- *
- * Output produced by the called script will be printed, errors will be set
- * and log messages will be logged locally.
+ * Set appropriate error if the backend command failed.
  *
  * @param data
  *    The associative array returned from the external command.
  */
 function _drush_backend_integrate($data) {
-  if (is_array($data['log'])) {
-    foreach($data['log'] as $log) {
-      $message = is_array($log['message']) ? implode("\n", $log['message']) : $log['message'];
-      if (!is_null($log['error'])) {
-        drush_set_error($log['error'], $message);
-      }
-      else {
-        drush_log($message, $log['type']);
-      }
-    }
-  }
-  // Output will either be printed, or buffered to the drush_backend_output command.
   if (drush_cmp_error('DRUSH_APPLICATION_ERROR') && !empty($data['output'])) {
     drush_set_error("DRUSH_APPLICATION_ERROR", dt("Output from failed command :\n !output", array('!output' => $data['output'])));
   }
-  else {
-    print ($data['output']);
-  }
-
 }
 
 /**
@@ -240,9 +223,34 @@ function _drush_proc_open($cmd, $data = NULL, $context = NULL) {
     $info = stream_get_meta_data($pipes[1]);
     stream_set_blocking($pipes[1], TRUE);
     stream_set_timeout($pipes[1], 1);
-    $string = '';
+    $output = '';
+    $end_of_output = FALSE;
+    $log_regex = sprintf(DRUSH_BACKEND_LOG_DELIMITER, '(.*)');
     while (!feof($pipes[1]) && !$info['timed_out']) {
-      $string .= fgets($pipes[1], 4096);
+      $string = fgets($pipes[1], 4096);
+      if (preg_match('/DRUSH_BACKEND_OUTPUT_START/', $string)) {
+        $end_of_output = TRUE;
+      }
+      if (!$end_of_output) {
+        // If the line is a log line, log it immediately, so the user can see
+        // it.
+        if (preg_match("/$log_regex/s", $string, $match)) {
+          $entry = (array) json_decode($match[1]);
+          $message = is_array($entry['message']) ? implode("\n", $entry['message']) : $entry['message'];
+          if (!is_null($entry['error'])) {
+            drush_set_error($entry['error'], $message);
+          }
+          else {
+            _drush_log_backend($entry);
+          }
+          $string = preg_replace("/$log_regex/s", '', $string);
+        }
+        else {
+          // Pass output through.
+          fwrite(STDOUT, $string);
+        }
+      }
+      $output .= $string;
       $info = stream_get_meta_data($pipes[1]);
       flush();
     };
@@ -251,7 +259,9 @@ function _drush_proc_open($cmd, $data = NULL, $context = NULL) {
     stream_set_blocking($pipes[2], TRUE);
     stream_set_timeout($pipes[2], 1);
     while (!feof($pipes[2]) && !$info['timed_out']) {
-      $string .= fgets($pipes[2], 4096);
+      $string = fgets($pipes[2], 4096);
+      $output .= $string;
+      fwrite(STDERR, $string);
       $info = stream_get_meta_data($pipes[2]);
       flush();
     };
@@ -259,7 +269,7 @@ function _drush_proc_open($cmd, $data = NULL, $context = NULL) {
     fclose($pipes[1]);
     fclose($pipes[2]);
     $code = proc_close($process);
-    return array('cmd' => $cmd, 'output' => $string, 'code' => $code);
+    return array('cmd' => $cmd, 'output' => $output, 'code' => $code);
   }
   return FALSE;
 }
diff --git includes/drush.inc includes/drush.inc
index 4957f63..6d9b5df 100644
--- includes/drush.inc
+++ includes/drush.inc
@@ -977,8 +977,6 @@ function drush_do_command_redispatch($command, $args = array(), $remote_host = N
  *   All other types of messages will be assumed to be notices.
  */
 function drush_log($message, $type = 'notice', $error = null) {
-  $log =& drush_get_context('DRUSH_LOG', array());
-  $callback = drush_get_context('DRUSH_LOG_CALLBACK', '_drush_print_log');
   $entry = array(
      'type' => $type,
      'message' => $message,
@@ -986,7 +984,22 @@ function drush_log($message, $type = 'notice', $error = null) {
      'memory' => memory_get_usage(),
    );
   $entry['error'] = $error;
+  return _drush_log_backend($entry);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Add a log message to the log history. For use for backend_invoke.
+ * @param entry
+ *   The log entry.
+ */
+function _drush_log_backend($entry) {
+  $log =& drush_get_context('DRUSH_LOG', array());
+  $callback = drush_get_context('DRUSH_LOG_CALLBACK', '_drush_print_log');
   $log[] = $entry;
+  if (drush_get_context('DRUSH_BACKEND')) {
+    printf(DRUSH_BACKEND_LOG_DELIMITER, json_encode($entry));
+  }
+
   return $callback($entry);
 }
 
diff --git includes/environment.inc includes/environment.inc
index 08850f5..6cc008f 100644
--- includes/environment.inc
+++ includes/environment.inc
@@ -654,7 +654,7 @@ function _drush_bootstrap_drush() {
 
   // When running in backend mode, all output is buffered, and returned
   // as a property of a JSON encoded associative array.
-  if ($backend || $quiet) {
+  if ($quiet) {
     ob_start();
   }