diff --git a/artiq/devices/ctlmgr.py b/artiq/devices/ctlmgr.py
index 0a09c7cb8..93b00db04 100644
--- a/artiq/devices/ctlmgr.py
+++ b/artiq/devices/ctlmgr.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import socket
 
 from artiq.protocols.sync_struct import Subscriber
 from artiq.protocols.pc_rpc import AsyncioClient
-from artiq.protocols.logging import parse_log_message, log_with_name
+from artiq.protocols.logging import LogParser
 from artiq.tools import Condition, TaskObject
 
 
@@ -41,14 +41,14 @@ class Controller:
         try:
             targets, _ = remote.get_rpc_id()
             remote.select_rpc_target(targets[0])
-            r = await getattr(remote, method)(*args, **kwargs)
+            r = await getattr(remote, method)()
         finally:
             remote.close_rpc()
         return r
 
     async def _ping(self):
         try:
-            ok = await asyncio.wait_for(self.call("ping"),
+            ok = await asyncio.wait_for(self._call_controller("ping"),
                                         self.ping_timeout)
             if ok:
                 self.retry_timer_cur = self.retry_timer
@@ -71,21 +71,8 @@ class Controller:
             else:
                 break
 
-    async def forward_logs(self, stream):
-        source = "controller({})".format(self.name)
-        while True:
-            try:
-                entry = (await stream.readline())
-                if not entry:
-                    break
-                entry = entry[:-1]
-                level, name, message = parse_log_message(entry.decode())
-                log_with_name(name, level, message, extra={"source": source})
-            except:
-                logger.debug("exception in log forwarding", exc_info=True)
-                break
-        logger.debug("stopped log forwarding of stream %s of %s",
-                     stream, self.name)
+    def _get_log_source(self):
+        return "controller({})".format(self.name)
 
     async def launcher(self):
         try:
@@ -96,10 +83,12 @@ class Controller:
                     self.process = await asyncio.create_subprocess_exec(
                         *shlex.split(self.command),
                         stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE)
-                    asyncio.ensure_future(self.forward_logs(
-                        self.process.stdout))
-                    asyncio.ensure_future(self.forward_logs(
-                        self.process.stderr))
+                    asyncio.ensure_future(
+                        LogParser(self._get_log_source).stream_task(
+                            self.process.stdout))
+                    asyncio.ensure_future(
+                        LogParser(self._get_log_source).stream_task(
+                            self.process.stderr))
                     await self._wait_and_ping()
                 except FileNotFoundError:
                     logger.warning("Controller %s failed to start", self.name)