diff --git a/opm/common/OpmLog/LogBackend.cpp b/opm/common/OpmLog/LogBackend.cpp
index ab8b74ea1..f12220bdb 100644
--- a/opm/common/OpmLog/LogBackend.cpp
+++ b/opm/common/OpmLog/LogBackend.cpp
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@
   along with OPM.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
  */
 
-#include <cstdint>
 #include <opm/common/OpmLog/LogBackend.hpp>
+#include <opm/common/OpmLog/LogUtil.hpp>
 
 namespace Opm {
 
@@ -31,17 +31,33 @@ namespace Opm {
     {
     }
 
-    bool LogBackend::includeMessage(int64_t messageFlag) {
-        if (((messageFlag & m_mask) == messageFlag) &&
-            (messageFlag > 0))
-            return true;
-        else
-            return false;
+    void LogBackend::configureDecoration(bool use_prefix, bool use_color_coding)
+    {
+        use_prefix_ = use_prefix;
+        use_color_coding_ = use_color_coding;
     }
 
-    int64_t LogBackend::getMask() const {
+    int64_t LogBackend::getMask() const
+    {
         return m_mask;
     }
 
+    bool LogBackend::includeMessage(int64_t messageFlag)
+    {
+        return ((messageFlag & m_mask) == messageFlag) && (messageFlag > 0);
+    }
+
+    std::string LogBackend::decorateMessage(int64_t messageFlag, const std::string& message)
+    {
+        std::string msg = message;
+        if (use_prefix_) {
+            msg = Log::prefixMessage(messageFlag, msg);
+        }
+        if (use_color_coding_) {
+            msg = Log::colorCodeMessage(messageFlag, msg);
+        }
+        return msg;
+    }
+
 
 }
diff --git a/opm/common/OpmLog/LogBackend.hpp b/opm/common/OpmLog/LogBackend.hpp
index 3113392f9..db3ab2331 100644
--- a/opm/common/OpmLog/LogBackend.hpp
+++ b/opm/common/OpmLog/LogBackend.hpp
@@ -37,6 +37,9 @@ namespace Opm
         /// Virtual destructor to enable inheritance.
         virtual ~LogBackend();
 
+        /// Configure how decorateMessage() will modify message strings.
+        void configureDecoration(bool use_prefix, bool use_color_coding);
+
         /// Add a message to the backend.
         ///
         /// Typically a subclass may filter, change, and output
@@ -49,10 +52,15 @@ namespace Opm
 
     protected:
         /// Return true if all bits of messageFlag are also set in our mask.
-        bool    includeMessage(int64_t messageFlag);
+        bool includeMessage(int64_t messageFlag);
+
+        /// Return decorated version of message depending on configureDecoration() arguments.
+        std::string decorateMessage(int64_t messageFlag, const std::string& message);
 
     private:
         int64_t m_mask;
+        bool use_prefix_ = false;
+        bool use_color_coding_ = false;
     };
 
 } // namespace LogBackend