diff --git a/app.js b/app.js
index 3f80ca02..af094d56 100755
--- a/app.js
+++ b/app.js
@@ -87,9 +87,9 @@ var server = cartodbWindshaft(serverOptions);
 // 128 is a good number if you have up to 1024 filedescriptors
 // 4 is good if you have max 32 filedescriptors
 // 1 is good if you have max 16 filedescriptors
-server.maxConnections = global.environment.maxConnections || 128;
+var backlog = global.environment.maxConnections || 128;
 
-var listener = server.listen(serverOptions.bind.port, serverOptions.bind.host);
+var listener = server.listen(serverOptions.bind.port, serverOptions.bind.host, backlog);
 
 var version = require("./package").version;
 
diff --git a/lib/cartodb/backends/template_maps.js b/lib/cartodb/backends/template_maps.js
index b550cb53..555cd8ff 100644
--- a/lib/cartodb/backends/template_maps.js
+++ b/lib/cartodb/backends/template_maps.js
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 var assert = require('assert');
 var crypto = require('crypto');
+var debug = require('debug')('windshaft:templates');
 var step = require('step');
 var _ = require('underscore');
 var dot = require('dot');
@@ -327,7 +328,7 @@ o.updTemplate = function(owner, tpl_id, template, callback) {
         function handleTemplateUpdate(err, didSetNewField) {
             assert.ifError(err);
             if (didSetNewField) {
-                console.warn('New template created on update operation');
+                debug('New template created on update operation');
             }
             return true;
         },
diff --git a/lib/cartodb/controllers/base.js b/lib/cartodb/controllers/base.js
index 419bdec6..24c06875 100644
--- a/lib/cartodb/controllers/base.js
+++ b/lib/cartodb/controllers/base.js
@@ -72,7 +72,6 @@ BaseController.prototype.req2params = function(req, callback){
     if ( req.params.token ) {
         // Token might match the following patterns:
         // - {user}@{tpl_id}@{token}:{cache_buster}
-        //console.log("Request parameters include token " + req.params.token);
         var tksplit = req.params.token.split(':');
         req.params.token = tksplit[0];
         if ( tksplit.length > 1 ) {
@@ -97,7 +96,6 @@ BaseController.prototype.req2params = function(req, callback){
                 /*var template_hash = */tksplit.shift(); // unused
             }
             req.params.token = tksplit.shift();
-            //console.log("Request for token " + req.params.token + " with signature from " + req.params.signer);
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/lib/cartodb/controllers/layergroup.js b/lib/cartodb/controllers/layergroup.js
index a1f13999..63210eb4 100644
--- a/lib/cartodb/controllers/layergroup.js
+++ b/lib/cartodb/controllers/layergroup.js
@@ -116,12 +116,6 @@ LayergroupController.prototype.tileOrLayer = function (req, res) {
         function mapController$finalize(err, tile, headers, stats) {
             req.profiler.add(stats);
             self.finalizeGetTileOrGrid(err, req, res, tile, headers);
-            return null;
-        },
-        function finish(err) {
-            if ( err ) {
-                console.error("windshaft.tiles: " + err);
-            }
         }
     );
 };
@@ -241,7 +235,7 @@ LayergroupController.prototype.sendResponse = function(req, res, body, status, h
         function sendResponse(err, affectedTables) {
             req.profiler.done('affectedTables');
             if (err) {
-                console.log('ERROR generating cache channel: ' + err);
+                global.logger.warn('ERROR generating cache channel: ' + err);
             }
             if (!!affectedTables) {
                 var tablesCacheEntry = new TablesCacheEntry(dbName, affectedTables);
diff --git a/lib/cartodb/controllers/map.js b/lib/cartodb/controllers/map.js
index 00d6d317..b72c7c1c 100644
--- a/lib/cartodb/controllers/map.js
+++ b/lib/cartodb/controllers/map.js
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ MapController.prototype.afterLayergroupCreate = function(req, res, mapconfig, la
             req.profiler.done('incMapviewCount');
         }
         if ( err ) {
-            console.log("ERROR: failed to increment mapview count for user '" + username + "': " + err);
+            global.logger.log("ERROR: failed to increment mapview count for user '" + username + "': " + err);
         }
         done();
     });
diff --git a/lib/cartodb/controllers/named_maps.js b/lib/cartodb/controllers/named_maps.js
index bc6f7654..6bb6d2e8 100644
--- a/lib/cartodb/controllers/named_maps.js
+++ b/lib/cartodb/controllers/named_maps.js
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ NamedMapsController.prototype.sendResponse = function(req, res, resource, header
         function sendResponse(err, result) {
             req.profiler.done('affectedTables');
             if (err) {
-                console.log('ERROR generating cache channel: ' + err);
+                global.logger.log('ERROR generating cache channel: ' + err);
             }
             if (!result || !!result.affectedTables) {
                 // we increase cache control as we can invalidate it
diff --git a/lib/cartodb/models/cdb_request.js b/lib/cartodb/models/cdb_request.js
index db5c93ea..27c101f0 100644
--- a/lib/cartodb/models/cdb_request.js
+++ b/lib/cartodb/models/cdb_request.js
@@ -14,12 +14,11 @@ CdbRequest.prototype.userByReq = function(req) {
     }
     var mat = host.match(this.RE_USER_FROM_HOST);
     if ( ! mat ) {
-        console.error("Pattern '" + this.RE_USER_FROM_HOST + "' does not match hostname '" + host + "'");
+        global.logger.error("Pattern '%s' does not match hostname '%s'", this.RE_USER_FROM_HOST, host);
         return;
     }
-    // console.log("Matches: "); console.dir(mat);
     if ( mat.length !== 2 ) {
-        console.error("Pattern '" + this.RE_USER_FROM_HOST + "' gave unexpected matches against '" + host + "': ", mat);
+        global.logger.error("Pattern '%s' gave unexpected matches against '%s': %s", this.RE_USER_FROM_HOST, host, mat);
         return;
     }
     return mat[1];
diff --git a/lib/cartodb/server.js b/lib/cartodb/server.js
index 2a9c67ae..672c1f6b 100644
--- a/lib/cartodb/server.js
+++ b/lib/cartodb/server.js
@@ -78,9 +78,9 @@ module.exports = function(serverOptions) {
                 error: !!err ? JSON.stringify(err.message) : undefined
             });
             if (err) {
-                console.warn(logMessage);
+                global.logger.warn(logMessage);
             } else {
-                console.info(logMessage);
+                global.logger.info(logMessage);
             }
         });
     }
diff --git a/lib/cartodb/stats/client.js b/lib/cartodb/stats/client.js
index b8b09a89..614344cb 100644
--- a/lib/cartodb/stats/client.js
+++ b/lib/cartodb/stats/client.js
@@ -40,7 +40,6 @@ module.exports = {
                                 if (count > 1) {
                                     debug("last statsd client socket error repeated " + count + " times");
                                     instance.last_error.count = 1;
-                                    //console.log("Clearing interval");
                                     clearInterval(instance.last_error.interval);
                                     instance.last_error.interval = null;
                                 }
diff --git a/lib/cartodb/stats/reporter/renderer.js b/lib/cartodb/stats/reporter/renderer.js
index c6843a25..18545202 100644
--- a/lib/cartodb/stats/reporter/renderer.js
+++ b/lib/cartodb/stats/reporter/renderer.js
@@ -70,7 +70,6 @@ function rendererCacheErrorListener() {
 }
 
 function gcTimingListener(gcTime) {
-    console.log('gctime');
     global.statsClient.timing('windshaft.rendercache.gc', gcTime);
 }
 
diff --git a/test/acceptance/multilayer.js b/test/acceptance/multilayer.js
index 17609b9c..b6409d98 100644
--- a/test/acceptance/multilayer.js
+++ b/test/acceptance/multilayer.js
@@ -174,7 +174,6 @@ suite(suiteName, function() {
           var errors = [];
           if ( err ) {
             errors.push(err.message);
-            console.log("Error: " + err);
           }
           redis_client.keys("map_cfg|" + expected_token, function(err, matches) {
               if ( err ) {
@@ -278,7 +277,6 @@ suite(suiteName, function() {
           var errors = [];
           if ( err ) {
             errors.push(err.message);
-            console.log("Error: " + err);
           }
           redis_client.keys("map_cfg|" + expected_token, function(err, matches) {
               if ( err ) {
@@ -500,7 +498,6 @@ suite(suiteName, function() {
           var errors = [];
           if ( err ) {
             errors.push(err.message);
-            console.log("Error: " + err);
           }
           redis_client.keys("map_cfg|" + expected_token, function(err, matches) {
               if ( err ) {
@@ -831,7 +828,6 @@ suite(suiteName, function() {
           var errors = [];
           if ( err ) {
             errors.push(err.message);
-            console.log("Error: " + err);
           }
           redis_client.keys("map_cfg|" + expected_token, function(err, matches) {
               if ( err ) {
@@ -950,7 +946,6 @@ suite(suiteName, function() {
           var errors = [];
           if ( err ) {
             errors.push(err.message);
-            console.log("Error: " + err);
           }
           redis_client.keys("map_cfg|" + expected_token, function(err, matches) {
               if ( err ) {
@@ -1114,7 +1109,6 @@ suite(suiteName, function() {
           var errors = [];
           if ( err ) {
             errors.push(err.message);
-            console.log("Error: " + err);
           }
           redis_client.keys("map_cfg|" + expected_token, function(err, matches) {
               if ( err ) {
@@ -1219,7 +1213,6 @@ suite(suiteName, function() {
         function finish(err) {
           if ( err ) {
             errors.push(err.message);
-            console.log("Error: " + err);
           }
           if ( errors.length ) {
               done(new Error(errors));
diff --git a/test/acceptance/named_static_maps.js b/test/acceptance/named_static_maps.js
index 3acd4bee..9258516e 100644
--- a/test/acceptance/named_static_maps.js
+++ b/test/acceptance/named_static_maps.js
@@ -139,8 +139,6 @@ describe('named static maps', function() {
             }
         };
 
-        console.log(url);
-
         var statusCode = options.status || 200;
 
         var expectedResponse = {
diff --git a/test/acceptance/ported/multilayer.js b/test/acceptance/ported/multilayer.js
index fe1f3b47..8572a1c7 100644
--- a/test/acceptance/ported/multilayer.js
+++ b/test/acceptance/ported/multilayer.js
@@ -41,7 +41,6 @@ describe('multilayer', function() {
           fs.readFile(filename, "binary", function(err, file) {
             if ( err ) {
               response.writeHead(404, {'Content-Type': 'text/plain'});
-              console.log("File '" + filename + "' not found");
               response.write("404 Not Found\n");
             } else {
               response.writeHead(200);
@@ -499,7 +498,6 @@ describe('multilayer', function() {
         },
         function do_get_tile(err)
         {
-          console.log(err);
           assert.ifError(err);
           var next = this;
           assert.response(server, {
@@ -742,7 +740,6 @@ describe('multilayer', function() {
           return null;
         },
         function finish(err) {
-//if ( err ) console.log(err.stack);
           var errors = [];
           if ( err ) {
               errors.push(''+err);
diff --git a/test/acceptance/ported/server_gettile.js b/test/acceptance/ported/server_gettile.js
index b185728a..3e95b4a6 100644
--- a/test/acceptance/ported/server_gettile.js
+++ b/test/acceptance/ported/server_gettile.js
@@ -201,10 +201,8 @@ describe('server_gettile', function() {
     };
     var test_strict_lbl = "unused directives are not tolerated if strict";
     if ( semver.satisfies(mapnik.versions.mapnik, '2.3.x') ) {
-      // Strictness handling changed in 2.3.x, possibly a bug:
-      // see http://github.com/mapnik/mapnik/issues/2301
-      console.warn("Strictness test skipped due to http://github.com/mapnik/mapnik/issues/2301");
-      it.skip(test_strict_lbl,  test_strictness);
+      // Strictness handling changed in 2.3.x, possibly a bug: see http://github.com/mapnik/mapnik/issues/2301
+      it.skip('[skipped due to http://github.com/mapnik/mapnik/issues/2301]' + test_strict_lbl,  test_strictness);
     }
     else {
       it(test_strict_lbl,  test_strictness);
diff --git a/test/acceptance/server.js b/test/acceptance/server.js
index 326e0329..40c45c44 100644
--- a/test/acceptance/server.js
+++ b/test/acceptance/server.js
@@ -44,16 +44,10 @@ suite('server', function() {
         }, function(res) {
           var parsed = JSON.parse(res.body);
           assert.ok(parsed.hasOwnProperty('windshaft_cartodb'), "No 'windshaft_cartodb' version in " + parsed);
-          console.log("Windshaft-cartodb: " + parsed.windshaft_cartodb);
           assert.ok(parsed.hasOwnProperty('windshaft'), "No 'windshaft' version in " + parsed);
-          console.log("Windshaft: " + parsed.windshaft);
           assert.ok(parsed.hasOwnProperty('grainstore'), "No 'grainstore' version in " + parsed);
-          console.log("Grainstore: " + parsed.grainstore);
           assert.ok(parsed.hasOwnProperty('node_mapnik'), "No 'node_mapnik' version in " + parsed);
-          console.log("Node-mapnik: " + parsed.node_mapnik);
           assert.ok(parsed.hasOwnProperty('mapnik'), "No 'mapnik' version in " + parsed);
-          console.log("Mapnik: " + parsed.mapnik);
-          // TODO: check actual versions ?
           done();
         });
     });
diff --git a/test/support/test_helper.js b/test/support/test_helper.js
index 02380e3f..d9035a97 100644
--- a/test/support/test_helper.js
+++ b/test/support/test_helper.js
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ var lzmaWorker = new LZMA();
 
 var redis = require('redis');
 var nock = require('nock');
+var log4js = require('log4js');
 
 // set environment specific variables
 global.environment  = require(__dirname + '/../../config/environments/test');
@@ -19,6 +20,11 @@ global.environment.name = 'test';
 process.env.NODE_ENV = 'test';
 
 
+// don't output logs in test environment to reduce noise
+log4js.configure({ appenders: [] });
+global.logger = log4js.getLogger();
+
+
 // Utility function to compress & encode LZMA
 function lzma_compress_to_base64(payload, mode, callback) {
   lzmaWorker.compress(payload, mode,
diff --git a/test/unit/cartodb/req2params.test.js b/test/unit/cartodb/req2params.test.js
index f3187d86..43f79ae0 100644
--- a/test/unit/cartodb/req2params.test.js
+++ b/test/unit/cartodb/req2params.test.js
@@ -61,7 +61,6 @@ suite('req2params', function() {
       var req = {headers: { host:'localhost' }, query: {} };
       baseController.req2params(prepareRequest(req), function(err, req) {
           if ( err ) { done(err); return; }
-          //console.dir(req);
           assert.ok(_.isObject(req.query), 'request has query');
           assert.ok(!req.query.hasOwnProperty('dbuser'), 'dbuser was removed from query');
           assert.ok(req.hasOwnProperty('params'), 'request has params');
@@ -76,7 +75,6 @@ suite('req2params', function() {
       var req = {headers: { host:'localhost' }, query: {map_key: '1234'} };
       baseController.req2params(prepareRequest(req), function(err, req) {
           if ( err ) { done(err); return; }
-          //console.dir(req);
           assert.ok(_.isObject(req.query), 'request has query');
           assert.ok(!req.query.hasOwnProperty('dbuser'), 'dbuser was removed from query');
           assert.ok(req.hasOwnProperty('params'), 'request has params');