set up two different journal files (which also log different things): journalctl MESSAGE=a -f -o export | systemd-journal-remote -o logtest/a.journal - journalctl MESSAGE=b -f -o export | systemd-journal-remote -o logtest/b.journal - now open the directory with journalctl --dir ~/logtest/ -f and log some different messages to trigger writing into both file logger a logger b logger a logger b the output journal only prints: Mär 25 16:06:37 virtual-fedora-sbs tpiadmin[4266]: a Mär 25 16:06:38 virtual-fedora-sbs tpiadmin[4270]: a