diff --git a/src/bin/sqrl-server.rs b/src/bin/sqrl-server.rs
index bea37ea..c270cd8 100644
--- a/src/bin/sqrl-server.rs
+++ b/src/bin/sqrl-server.rs
@@ -84,10 +84,16 @@ async fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
             if clients.len() > 3 {
                 warn!("Replicating to many followers can greatly impact write performance");
             }
-            ReplicatedServer::new(clients.into(), app.log_file, app.addr)?
+            ReplicatedServer::new(clients.into(), app.log_file, app.addr)
+                .await?
+                .run()
+                .await
+        }
+        replication::Mode::Follower => {
+            StandaloneServer::new(app.log_file, app.addr)
+                .await?
                 .run()
                 .await
         }
-        replication::Mode::Follower => StandaloneServer::new(app.log_file, app.addr)?.run().await,
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/replication/server.rs b/src/replication/server.rs
index 9c584b6..60d2bc9 100644
--- a/src/replication/server.rs
+++ b/src/replication/server.rs
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ pub struct ReplicatedServer {
 }
 
 impl ReplicatedServer {
-    pub fn new<P>(
+    pub async fn new<P>(
         clients: Mutex<Vec<RemoteNodeClient>>,
         path: P,
         addr: SocketAddr,
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ impl ReplicatedServer {
     {
         Ok(Self {
             addr,
-            server: Arc::new(StandaloneServer::new(path, addr)?),
+            server: Arc::new(StandaloneServer::new(path, addr).await?),
             remote_replicas: Arc::new(clients),
         })
     }
diff --git a/src/server.rs b/src/server.rs
index cfadd1f..9839c19 100644
--- a/src/server.rs
+++ b/src/server.rs
@@ -16,11 +16,11 @@ pub struct StandaloneServer {
 }
 
 impl StandaloneServer {
-    pub fn new<P>(path: P, addr: SocketAddr) -> anyhow::Result<Self>
+    pub async fn new<P>(path: P, addr: SocketAddr) -> anyhow::Result<Self>
     where
         P: Into<std::path::PathBuf>,
     {
-        let store = Arc::new(KvStore::open(path)?);
+        let store = Arc::new(KvStore::open(path).await?);
         Ok(Self { store, addr })
     }
 
diff --git a/src/store.rs b/src/store.rs
index a351dde..9eb36a0 100644
--- a/src/store.rs
+++ b/src/store.rs
@@ -12,7 +12,10 @@ use std::path::PathBuf;
 use std::str::FromStr;
 use std::sync::atomic::AtomicUsize;
 use std::sync::{Arc, RwLock};
+use std::time::Duration;
 use std::usize;
+use tokio::sync::mpsc::error::TryRecvError;
+use tokio::sync::mpsc::{Receiver, Sender};
 use tracing::level_filters::LevelFilter;
 use tracing::{self, debug, info, warn};
 use tracing_subscriber::prelude::__tracing_subscriber_SubscriberExt;
@@ -62,6 +65,12 @@ pub struct KvStore {
     /// The maximum size of a log file in bytes.
     max_log_file_size: u64,
 
+    /// Channel on which compaction notifications are sent.
+    ///
+    /// This allows the [`KvStore`] to signal to the background task which receives
+    /// compaction jobs to begin its work.
+    compaction_tx: Sender<()>,
+
     _tracing: Option<Arc<tracing::subscriber::DefaultGuard>>,
 }
 
@@ -96,10 +105,11 @@ struct KeydirEntry {
     timestamp: i64,
 }
 
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+#[derive(Debug)]
 struct StoreConfig {
     log_location: PathBuf,
     max_log_file_size: u64,
+    compaction_tx: Sender<()>,
 }
 
 impl KvsEngine for KvStore {
@@ -230,28 +240,31 @@ impl KvStore {
     /// Create a new KvStore.
     ///
     /// The store is created in memory and is not persisted to disk.
-    fn new(config: StoreConfig) -> KvStore {
+    fn new(config: &StoreConfig) -> KvStore {
         KvStore {
             writer: Arc::new(RwLock::new(StoreWriter::default())),
-            log_location: config.log_location,
+            log_location: config.log_location.clone(),
             keydir: Arc::new(DashMap::new()),
             max_log_file_size: config.max_log_file_size,
+            compaction_tx: config.compaction_tx.clone(),
             _tracing: None,
         }
     }
 
     /// Open a KvStore at the given path.
-    pub fn open<P>(path: P) -> Result<KvStore>
+    pub async fn open<P>(path: P) -> Result<KvStore>
     where
         P: Into<PathBuf>,
     {
         let path = path.into();
+        let (tx, mut rx) = tokio::sync::mpsc::channel(5);
         let store_config = StoreConfig {
             log_location: path.clone(),
             max_log_file_size: MAX_LOG_FILE_SIZE.with(|f| *f),
+            compaction_tx: tx,
         };
 
-        let mut store = KvStore::new(store_config.clone());
+        let mut store = KvStore::new(&store_config);
         let log_level = std::env::var("KVS_LOG").unwrap_or("info".to_string());
         store.setup_logging(log_level)?;
         info!("Initialising store");
@@ -260,6 +273,24 @@ impl KvStore {
 
         debug!("Creating initial log file");
         store.set_active_log_handle()?;
+        tokio::spawn(async move {
+            let interval_ms = std::env::var("KVS_COMPACTION_INTERVAL_MS")
+                .unwrap_or_else(|_| "200".to_string())
+                .parse::<u64>()
+                .expect("Unable to parse default compaction interval");
+            let mut interval = tokio::time::interval(Duration::from_millis(interval_ms));
+            info!(interval_ms, "Background compaction polling");
+            loop {
+                interval.tick().await;
+                match rx.try_recv() {
+                    Ok(_trigger) => {
+                        info!("Compaction triggered");
+                    }
+                    Err(TryRecvError::Empty) => debug!("No compaction required"),
+                    Err(TryRecvError::Disconnected) => panic!("Compaction channel unavailable"),
+                }
+            }
+        });
         Ok(store)
     }
 
@@ -486,10 +517,17 @@ impl KvStore {
 
     pub(crate) fn setup_logging(&mut self, level: String) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
         let level = LevelFilter::from_str(&level)?;
-        let layer = tracing_subscriber::fmt::layer().with_writer(std::io::stderr);
+        let layer = tracing_subscriber::fmt::layer()
+            .compact()
+            .with_writer(std::io::stderr)
+            .with_thread_ids(true)
+            .with_line_number(true)
+            .with_file(true)
+            .with_target(false);
         let subscriber = tracing_subscriber::registry().with(level).with(layer);
-        let tracing_guard = tracing::subscriber::set_default(subscriber);
-        self._tracing = Some(Arc::new(tracing_guard));
+        tracing::subscriber::set_global_default(subscriber)?;
+        //let tracing_guard = tracing::subscriber::set_default(subscriber);
+        //self._tracing = Some(Arc::new(tracing_guard));
         Ok(())
     }
 }