diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 01769c7..cabd027 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -206,11 +206,18 @@
   log "github.com/Sirupsen/logrus"
   "github.com/Sirupsen/logrus/hooks/airbrake"
   "github.com/Sirupsen/logrus/hooks/syslog"
+  "log/syslog"
 )
 
 func init() {
   log.AddHook(new(logrus_airbrake.AirbrakeHook))
-  log.AddHook(logrus_syslog.NewSyslogHook("udp", "localhost:514", syslog.LOG_INFO, ""))
+
+  hook, err := logrus_syslog.NewSyslogHook("udp", "localhost:514", syslog.LOG_INFO, "")
+  if err != nil {
+    log.Error("Unable to connect to local syslog daemon")
+  } else {
+    log.AddHook(hook)
+  }
 }
 ```
 
diff --git a/entry.go b/entry.go
index a77c4b0..e164eec 100644
--- a/entry.go
+++ b/entry.go
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@
 	// panic() to use in Entry#Panic(), we avoid the allocation by checking
 	// directly here.
 	if level <= PanicLevel {
-		panic(reader.String())
+		panic(entry)
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/entry_test.go b/entry_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..98717df
--- /dev/null
+++ b/entry_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+package logrus
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"fmt"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+)
+
+func TestEntryPanicln(t *testing.T) {
+	errBoom := fmt.Errorf("boom time")
+
+	defer func() {
+		p := recover()
+		assert.NotNil(t, p)
+
+		switch pVal := p.(type) {
+		case *Entry:
+			assert.Equal(t, "kaboom", pVal.Message)
+			assert.Equal(t, errBoom, pVal.Data["err"])
+		default:
+			t.Fatalf("want type *Entry, got %T: %#v", pVal, pVal)
+		}
+	}()
+
+	logger := New()
+	logger.Out = &bytes.Buffer{}
+	entry := NewEntry(logger)
+	entry.WithField("err", errBoom).Panicln("kaboom")
+}
+
+func TestEntryPanicf(t *testing.T) {
+	errBoom := fmt.Errorf("boom again")
+
+	defer func() {
+		p := recover()
+		assert.NotNil(t, p)
+
+		switch pVal := p.(type) {
+		case *Entry:
+			assert.Equal(t, "kaboom true", pVal.Message)
+			assert.Equal(t, errBoom, pVal.Data["err"])
+		default:
+			t.Fatalf("want type *Entry, got %T: %#v", pVal, pVal)
+		}
+	}()
+
+	logger := New()
+	logger.Out = &bytes.Buffer{}
+	entry := NewEntry(logger)
+	entry.WithField("err", errBoom).Panicf("kaboom %v", true)
+}
diff --git a/examples/basic/basic.go b/examples/basic/basic.go
index 3594550..a62ba45 100644
--- a/examples/basic/basic.go
+++ b/examples/basic/basic.go
@@ -12,6 +12,17 @@
 }
 
 func main() {
+	defer func() {
+		err := recover()
+		if err != nil {
+			log.WithFields(logrus.Fields{
+				"omg":    true,
+				"err":    err,
+				"number": 100,
+			}).Fatal("The ice breaks!")
+		}
+	}()
+
 	log.WithFields(logrus.Fields{
 		"animal": "walrus",
 		"size":   10,
@@ -23,7 +34,7 @@
 	}).Warn("The group's number increased tremendously!")
 
 	log.WithFields(logrus.Fields{
-		"omg":    true,
-		"number": 100,
-	}).Fatal("The ice breaks!")
+		"animal": "orca",
+		"size":   9009,
+	}).Panic("It's over 9000!")
 }
diff --git a/exported.go b/exported.go
index 0e2d59f..d087124 100644
--- a/exported.go
+++ b/exported.go
@@ -30,6 +30,11 @@
 	std.Level = level
 }
 
+// GetLevel returns the standard logger level.
+func GetLevel() Level {
+	return std.Level
+}
+
 // AddHook adds a hook to the standard logger hooks.
 func AddHook(hook Hook) {
 	std.mu.Lock()
diff --git a/hooks/papertrail/papertrail.go b/hooks/papertrail/papertrail.go
index 48e2fea..12c56f2 100644
--- a/hooks/papertrail/papertrail.go
+++ b/hooks/papertrail/papertrail.go
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
 // Fire is called when a log event is fired.
 func (hook *PapertrailHook) Fire(entry *logrus.Entry) error {
 	date := time.Now().Format(format)
-	payload := fmt.Sprintf("<22> %s %s: [%s] %s", date, hook.AppName, entry.Data["level"], entry.Message)
+	payload := fmt.Sprintf("<22> %s %s: [%s] %s", date, hook.AppName, entry.Level, entry.Message)
 
 	bytesWritten, err := hook.UDPConn.Write([]byte(payload))
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/hooks/syslog/syslog.go b/hooks/syslog/syslog.go
index 2a18ce6..b6fa374 100644
--- a/hooks/syslog/syslog.go
+++ b/hooks/syslog/syslog.go
@@ -29,18 +29,18 @@
 		return err
 	}
 
-	switch entry.Data["level"] {
-	case "panic":
+	switch entry.Level {
+	case logrus.PanicLevel:
 		return hook.Writer.Crit(line)
-	case "fatal":
+	case logrus.FatalLevel:
 		return hook.Writer.Crit(line)
-	case "error":
+	case logrus.ErrorLevel:
 		return hook.Writer.Err(line)
-	case "warn":
+	case logrus.WarnLevel:
 		return hook.Writer.Warning(line)
-	case "info":
+	case logrus.InfoLevel:
 		return hook.Writer.Info(line)
-	case "debug":
+	case logrus.DebugLevel:
 		return hook.Writer.Debug(line)
 	default:
 		return nil