--- old/src/java.logging/share/classes/java/util/logging/LogManager.java	2014-10-10 16:56:43.000000000 +0200
+++ new/src/java.logging/share/classes/java/util/logging/LogManager.java	2014-10-10 16:56:43.000000000 +0200
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 import java.security.*;
 import java.lang.ref.ReferenceQueue;
 import java.lang.ref.WeakReference;
+import java.util.concurrent.CopyOnWriteArrayList;
 import sun.misc.JavaAWTAccess;
 import sun.misc.SharedSecrets;
 
@@ -169,6 +170,33 @@
     // True if JVM death is imminent and the exit hook has been called.
     private boolean deathImminent;
 
+    // This list contains the loggers for which some handlers have been
+    // explicitely configured in the configuration file.
+    // It prevents these loggers from being arbitrarily garbage collected.
+    private static final class PersistentLogger {
+        private final Logger logger;
+        private PersistentLogger(Logger ref) {
+            this.logger = Objects.requireNonNull(ref);
+        }
+        @Override
+        public boolean equals(Object other) {
+            return (other instanceof PersistentLogger) && ((PersistentLogger)other).logger == logger;
+        }
+        @Override
+        public int hashCode() {
+            return System.identityHashCode(logger);
+        }
+        public Logger get() {
+            return logger;
+        }
+        public static PersistentLogger create(Logger logger) {
+            return new PersistentLogger(logger);
+        }
+    }
+    private final CopyOnWriteArrayList<PersistentLogger> persistentLoggers =
+            new CopyOnWriteArrayList<>();
+
+
     private final Map<Object, Runnable> listeners =
             Collections.synchronizedMap(new IdentityHashMap<>());
 
@@ -204,7 +232,6 @@
         });
     }
 
-
     // This private class is used as a shutdown hook.
     // It does a "reset" to close all open handlers.
     private class Cleaner extends Thread {
@@ -875,6 +902,7 @@
             @Override
             public Object run() {
                 String names[] = parseClassNames(handlersPropertyName);
+                int count = 0;
                 for (String word : names) {
                     try {
                         Class<?> clz = ClassLoader.getSystemClassLoader().loadClass(word);
@@ -893,12 +921,18 @@
                         }
                         // Add this Handler to the logger
                         logger.addHandler(hdl);
+                        if (++count == 1) {
+                            // add this logger to the persitentLoggers list.
+                            persistentLoggers.addIfAbsent(
+                                    PersistentLogger.create(logger));
+                        }
                     } catch (Exception ex) {
                         System.err.println("Can't load log handler \"" + word + "\"");
                         System.err.println("" + ex);
                         ex.printStackTrace();
                     }
                 }
+
                 return null;
             }
         });