diff --git a/klog.go b/klog.go
index 15710be3..bb6f64be 100644
--- a/klog.go
+++ b/klog.go
@@ -395,7 +395,7 @@ func init() {
 	logging.addDirHeader = false
 	logging.skipLogHeaders = false
 	logging.oneOutput = false
-	logging.flushD = newFlushDaemon(flushInterval, logging.lockAndFlushAll, nil)
+	logging.flushD = newFlushDaemon(logging.lockAndFlushAll, nil)
 }
 
 // InitFlags is for explicitly initializing the flags.
@@ -449,6 +449,9 @@ type loggingT struct {
 	file [severity.NumSeverity]flushSyncWriter
 	// flushD holds a flushDaemon that frequently flushes log file buffers.
 	flushD *flushDaemon
+	// flushInterval is the interval for periodic flushing. If zero,
+	// the global default will be used.
+	flushInterval time.Duration
 	// pcs is used in V to avoid an allocation when computing the caller's PC.
 	pcs [1]uintptr
 	// vmap is a cache of the V Level for each V() call site, identified by PC.
@@ -976,7 +979,11 @@ const bufferSize = 256 * 1024
 // createFiles creates all the log files for severity from sev down to infoLog.
 // l.mu is held.
 func (l *loggingT) createFiles(sev severity.Severity) error {
-	l.flushD.run()
+	interval := l.flushInterval
+	if interval == 0 {
+		interval = flushInterval
+	}
+	l.flushD.run(interval)
 	now := time.Now()
 	// Files are created in decreasing severity order, so as soon as we find one
 	// has already been created, we can stop.
@@ -1000,7 +1007,6 @@ const flushInterval = 5 * time.Second
 type flushDaemon struct {
 	mu       sync.Mutex
 	clock    clock.WithTicker
-	interval time.Duration
 	flush    func()
 	stopC    chan struct{}
 	stopDone chan struct{}
@@ -1008,20 +1014,19 @@ type flushDaemon struct {
 
 // newFlushDaemon returns a new flushDaemon. If the passed clock is nil, a
 // clock.RealClock is used.
-func newFlushDaemon(interval time.Duration, flush func(), tickClock clock.WithTicker) *flushDaemon {
+func newFlushDaemon(flush func(), tickClock clock.WithTicker) *flushDaemon {
 	if tickClock == nil {
 		tickClock = clock.RealClock{}
 	}
 	return &flushDaemon{
-		interval: interval,
-		flush:    flush,
-		clock:    tickClock,
+		flush: flush,
+		clock: tickClock,
 	}
 }
 
 // run starts a goroutine that periodically calls the daemons flush function.
 // Calling run on an already running daemon will have no effect.
-func (f *flushDaemon) run() {
+func (f *flushDaemon) run(interval time.Duration) {
 	f.mu.Lock()
 	defer f.mu.Unlock()
 
@@ -1032,7 +1037,7 @@ func (f *flushDaemon) run() {
 	f.stopC = make(chan struct{}, 1)
 	f.stopDone = make(chan struct{}, 1)
 
-	ticker := f.clock.NewTicker(f.interval)
+	ticker := f.clock.NewTicker(interval)
 	go func() {
 		defer ticker.Stop()
 		defer func() { f.stopDone <- struct{}{} }()
@@ -1079,6 +1084,13 @@ func StopFlushDaemon() {
 	logging.flushD.stop()
 }
 
+// StartFlushDaemon ensures that the flush daemon runs with the given delay
+// between flush calls. If it is already running, it gets restarted.
+func StartFlushDaemon(interval time.Duration) {
+	StopFlushDaemon()
+	logging.flushD.run(interval)
+}
+
 // lockAndFlushAll is like flushAll but locks l.mu first.
 func (l *loggingT) lockAndFlushAll() {
 	l.mu.Lock()
diff --git a/klog_test.go b/klog_test.go
index ea9936f1..0a165748 100644
--- a/klog_test.go
+++ b/klog_test.go
@@ -381,8 +381,8 @@ func TestSetOutputDataRace(t *testing.T) {
 	var wg sync.WaitGroup
 	var daemons []*flushDaemon
 	for i := 1; i <= 50; i++ {
-		daemon := newFlushDaemon(time.Second, logging.lockAndFlushAll, nil)
-		daemon.run()
+		daemon := newFlushDaemon(logging.lockAndFlushAll, nil)
+		daemon.run(time.Second)
 		daemons = append(daemons, daemon)
 	}
 	for i := 1; i <= 50; i++ {
@@ -393,8 +393,8 @@ func TestSetOutputDataRace(t *testing.T) {
 		}()
 	}
 	for i := 1; i <= 50; i++ {
-		daemon := newFlushDaemon(time.Second, logging.lockAndFlushAll, nil)
-		daemon.run()
+		daemon := newFlushDaemon(logging.lockAndFlushAll, nil)
+		daemon.run(time.Second)
 		daemons = append(daemons, daemon)
 	}
 	for i := 1; i <= 50; i++ {
@@ -405,8 +405,8 @@ func TestSetOutputDataRace(t *testing.T) {
 		}()
 	}
 	for i := 1; i <= 50; i++ {
-		daemon := newFlushDaemon(time.Second, logging.lockAndFlushAll, nil)
-		daemon.run()
+		daemon := newFlushDaemon(logging.lockAndFlushAll, nil)
+		daemon.run(time.Second)
 		daemons = append(daemons, daemon)
 	}
 	wg.Wait()
@@ -1869,7 +1869,8 @@ func TestFlushDaemon(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 		testClock := testingclock.NewFakeClock(time.Now())
 		testLog := loggingT{
-			flushD: newFlushDaemon(time.Second, spyFunc, testClock),
+			flushInterval: time.Second,
+			flushD:        newFlushDaemon(spyFunc, testClock),
 		}
 
 		// Calling testLog will call createFile, which should start the daemon.
@@ -1910,8 +1911,8 @@ func TestFlushDaemon(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestStopFlushDaemon(t *testing.T) {
 	logging.flushD.stop()
-	logging.flushD = newFlushDaemon(time.Second, func() {}, nil)
-	logging.flushD.run()
+	logging.flushD = newFlushDaemon(func() {}, nil)
+	logging.flushD.run(time.Second)
 	if !logging.flushD.isRunning() {
 		t.Error("expected flushD to be running")
 	}