diff --git a/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/db/CommitLog.java b/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/db/CommitLog.java
index deccf8dacf..a59f0821a4 100644
--- a/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/db/CommitLog.java
+++ b/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/db/CommitLog.java
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ public class CommitLog
                             }
                         }
                     }
-                }).start();
+                }, "PERIODIC-COMMIT-LOG-SYNCER").start();
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/db/CommitLogExecutorService.java b/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/db/CommitLogExecutorService.java
index 789cc75e0f..ddafe6a2f1 100644
--- a/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/db/CommitLogExecutorService.java
+++ b/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/db/CommitLogExecutorService.java
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ public class CommitLogExecutorService extends AbstractExecutorService implements
                 }
             }
         };
-        new Thread(runnable).start();
+        new Thread(runnable, "COMMIT-LOG-WRITER").start();
 
         MBeanServer mbs = ManagementFactory.getPlatformMBeanServer();
         try