diff --git a/control-core/src/machines/manager.rs b/control-core/src/machines/manager.rs
index 9098de8e..b39d5764 100644
--- a/control-core/src/machines/manager.rs
+++ b/control-core/src/machines/manager.rs
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ impl MachineManager {
         let device_grouping_result = group_devices_by_identification(device_identifications);
 
         tracing::info!(
-            "Device Groups {:?}",
+            "Device Groups {}",
             device_grouping_result.device_groups.len()
         );
 
diff --git a/docs/logging.md b/docs/logging.md
index 4ea1614b..5c3d9bc9 100644
--- a/docs/logging.md
+++ b/docs/logging.md
@@ -308,15 +308,32 @@ pub fn my_function() {
 
 ### Structured Logging
 
+**Important**: When logging to journald (systemd's logging service), key-value pairs in event logs are not properly captured. Instead, include structured data using string formatting within the message itself.
+
 ```rust
 use tracing::{info, instrument};
 
+// ❌ Don't use key-value pairs in event logs (won't work with journald)
+info!(
+    user_id = %user.id,
+    email = %user.email,
+    "Updating user profile"
+);
+
+// ✅ Use string formatting instead (works with journald)
+info!(
+    "Updating user profile user_id={} email={}",
+    user.id,
+    user.email
+);
+
+// ✅ Spans can still use structured fields
 #[instrument(fields(user_id = %user.id, operation = "update"))]
 pub fn update_user(user: &User) {
     info!(
-        user_id = %user.id,
-        email = %user.email,
-        "Updating user profile"
+        "Updating user profile user_id={} email={}",
+        user.id,
+        user.email
     );
 }
 ```
@@ -353,11 +370,11 @@ use anyhow::Result;
 pub fn operation_with_error_handling() -> Result<()> {
     match risky_operation() {
         Ok(result) => {
-            info!(result = ?result, "Operation completed successfully");
+            info!("Operation completed successfully result={:?}", result);
             Ok(())
         }
         Err(e) => {
-            error!(error = %e, "Operation failed");
+            error!("Operation failed error={}", e);
             Err(e)
         }
     }
diff --git a/server/src/logging/opentelemetry.rs b/server/src/logging/opentelemetry.rs
index be5fa3d7..25827fb1 100644
--- a/server/src/logging/opentelemetry.rs
+++ b/server/src/logging/opentelemetry.rs
@@ -103,10 +103,10 @@ where
     let tracer = tracer_provider.tracer(SERVICE_NAME);
 
     tracing::info!(
-        service_name = SERVICE_NAME,
-        service_namespace = SERVICE_NAMESPACE,
-        endpoint = OTLP_ENDPOINT,
-        "OpenTelemetry tracer initialized with channel-based exporter"
+        "OpenTelemetry tracer initialized with channel-based exporter service_name={} namespace={} endpoint={}",
+        SERVICE_NAME,
+        SERVICE_NAMESPACE,
+        OTLP_ENDPOINT
     );
 
     Box::new(tracing_opentelemetry::layer().with_tracer(tracer))
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ fn spawn_exporter_thread(receiver: Receiver<Vec<SpanData>>) {
                         exporter
                     }
                     Err(error) => {
-                        tracing::error!(%error, "Failed to create OTLP exporter");
+                        tracing::error!("Failed to create OTLP exporter error={}", error);
                         return;
                     }
                 };
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ fn spawn_exporter_thread(receiver: Receiver<Vec<SpanData>>) {
                 while let Ok(spans) = receiver.recv() {
                     if !spans.is_empty() {
                         if let Err(error) = export_spans(&exporter, spans).await {
-                            tracing::warn!(%error, "Failed to export span batch");
+                            tracing::warn!("Failed to export span batch error={}", error);
                         }
                     }
                 }
diff --git a/server/src/rest/handlers/machine_mutation.rs b/server/src/rest/handlers/machine_mutation.rs
index 92fbf1d6..1027dc37 100644
--- a/server/src/rest/handlers/machine_mutation.rs
+++ b/server/src/rest/handlers/machine_mutation.rs
@@ -49,9 +49,9 @@ async fn _post_machine_mutate(
 
     // log
     tracing::info!(
-        machine = %body.machine_identification_unique,
-        data = ?body.data,
-        "Mutating machine"
+        "Mutating machine machine={} data={:?}",
+        body.machine_identification_unique,
+        body.data,
     );
     let span = tracing::info_span!("machine_mutate", machine = %body.machine_identification_unique);
     let _span = span.enter();
diff --git a/server/src/socketio/init.rs b/server/src/socketio/init.rs
index 6d1f2ab7..9dc2cbe0 100644
--- a/server/src/socketio/init.rs
+++ b/server/src/socketio/init.rs
@@ -65,9 +65,9 @@ fn setup_disconnection(socket: SocketRef, namespace_id: NamespaceId, app_state:
         // Spawn async task to avoid blocking and potential deadlocks
         smol::spawn(async move {
             tracing::debug!(
-                socket = ?socket.id,
-                namespace = %namespace_id,
-                "Socket disconnected from namespace",
+                "Socket disconnected from namespace socket={:?} namespace={}",
+                socket.id,
+                namespace_id,
             );
             let mut socketio_namespaces_guard = app_state.socketio_setup.namespaces.write().await;
 
@@ -116,9 +116,9 @@ fn setup_connection(socket: SocketRef, namespace_id: NamespaceId, app_state: Arc
                             }
                             Err(err) => {
                                 tracing::warn!(
-                                    socket = ?socket_clone.id,
-                                    namespace = %namespace_id_clone,
-                                    "Couln't subscribe socket to namespace, disconnecting: {:?}",
+                                    "Couldn't subscribe socket to namespace, disconnecting socket={:?} namespace={} error={:?}",
+                                    socket_clone.id,
+                                    namespace_id_clone,
                                     err
                                 );
                                 let _ = socket_clone.disconnect();
@@ -133,8 +133,8 @@ fn setup_connection(socket: SocketRef, namespace_id: NamespaceId, app_state: Arc
     .detach();
 
     tracing::info!(
-        socket = ?socket.id,
-        namespace = %namespace_id,
-        "Socket connected to namespace",
+        "Socket connected to namespace socket={:?} namespace={}",
+        socket.id,
+        namespace_id,
     );
 }