diff --git a/pkg/ccl/testccl/authccl/auth_test.go b/pkg/ccl/testccl/authccl/auth_test.go
index 2b9ad5dc2641..a2e682e392e1 100644
--- a/pkg/ccl/testccl/authccl/auth_test.go
+++ b/pkg/ccl/testccl/authccl/auth_test.go
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ func jwtRunTest(t *testing.T, insecure bool) {
 		if err := cfg.Validate(&dir); err != nil {
 			t.Fatal(err)
 		}
-		cleanup, err := log.ApplyConfig(cfg, log.FileSinkMetrics{})
+		cleanup, err := log.ApplyConfig(cfg, log.FileSinkMetrics{}, nil /* fatalOnLogStall */)
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Fatal(err)
 		}
diff --git a/pkg/cli/log_flags.go b/pkg/cli/log_flags.go
index 5d7426c385f0..5f7fc92eb769 100644
--- a/pkg/cli/log_flags.go
+++ b/pkg/cli/log_flags.go
@@ -191,7 +191,10 @@ func setupLogging(ctx context.Context, cmd *cobra.Command, isServerCmd, applyCon
 
 	logBytesWritten := serverCfg.DiskWriteStatsCollector.CreateStat(fs.CRDBLogWriteCategory)
 	// Configuration ready and directories exist; apply it.
-	logShutdownFn, err := log.ApplyConfig(h.Config, log.FileSinkMetrics{LogBytesWritten: logBytesWritten})
+	fatalOnLogStall := func() bool {
+		return fs.MaxSyncDurationFatalOnExceeded.Get(&serverCfg.Settings.SV)
+	}
+	logShutdownFn, err := log.ApplyConfig(h.Config, log.FileSinkMetrics{LogBytesWritten: logBytesWritten}, fatalOnLogStall)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/roachtest/run.go b/pkg/cmd/roachtest/run.go
index da96a8f23016..3860f591ea58 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/roachtest/run.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/roachtest/run.go
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ func setLogConfig(baseDir string) {
 	if err := logConf.Validate(&baseDir); err != nil {
 		panic(err)
 	}
-	if _, err := log.ApplyConfig(logConf, log.FileSinkMetrics{}); err != nil {
+	if _, err := log.ApplyConfig(logConf, log.FileSinkMetrics{}, nil /* fatalOnLogStall */); err != nil {
 		panic(err)
 	}
 }
diff --git a/pkg/sql/admin_audit_log_test.go b/pkg/sql/admin_audit_log_test.go
index 3490694a0b4b..4a929b1a91ba 100644
--- a/pkg/sql/admin_audit_log_test.go
+++ b/pkg/sql/admin_audit_log_test.go
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ func installSensitiveAccessLogFileSink(sc *log.TestLogScope, t *testing.T) func(
 	if err := cfg.Validate(&dir); err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
-	cleanup, err := log.ApplyConfig(cfg, log.FileSinkMetrics{})
+	cleanup, err := log.ApplyConfig(cfg, log.FileSinkMetrics{}, nil /* fatalOnLogStall */)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/sql/event_log_test.go b/pkg/sql/event_log_test.go
index 3ccde5af3100..84a210c8f15a 100644
--- a/pkg/sql/event_log_test.go
+++ b/pkg/sql/event_log_test.go
@@ -686,7 +686,7 @@ func TestPerfLogging(t *testing.T) {
 	if err := cfg.Validate(&dir); err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
-	cleanup, err := log.ApplyConfig(cfg, log.FileSinkMetrics{})
+	cleanup, err := log.ApplyConfig(cfg, log.FileSinkMetrics{}, nil /* fatalOnLogStall */)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/sql/pgwire/auth_test.go b/pkg/sql/pgwire/auth_test.go
index ffbddadcf21f..d7c92faf05a0 100644
--- a/pkg/sql/pgwire/auth_test.go
+++ b/pkg/sql/pgwire/auth_test.go
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ func hbaRunTest(t *testing.T, insecure bool) {
 		if err := cfg.Validate(&dir); err != nil {
 			t.Fatal(err)
 		}
-		cleanup, err := log.ApplyConfig(cfg, log.FileSinkMetrics{})
+		cleanup, err := log.ApplyConfig(cfg, log.FileSinkMetrics{}, nil /* fatalOnLogStall */)
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Fatal(err)
 		}
diff --git a/pkg/util/log/clog_test.go b/pkg/util/log/clog_test.go
index df678c48960c..92e37637f3b2 100644
--- a/pkg/util/log/clog_test.go
+++ b/pkg/util/log/clog_test.go
@@ -410,7 +410,7 @@ func TestGetLogReader(t *testing.T) {
 	// Validate and apply the config.
 	require.NoError(t, config.Validate(&sc.logDir))
 	TestingResetActive()
-	cleanupFn, err := ApplyConfig(config, FileSinkMetrics{})
+	cleanupFn, err := ApplyConfig(config, FileSinkMetrics{}, nil /* fatalOnLogStall */)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	defer cleanupFn()
 
@@ -622,7 +622,7 @@ func TestFd2Capture(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 	TestingResetActive()
-	cleanupFn, err := ApplyConfig(cfg, FileSinkMetrics{})
+	cleanupFn, err := ApplyConfig(cfg, FileSinkMetrics{}, nil /* fatalOnLogStall */)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/util/log/file.go b/pkg/util/log/file.go
index 76c4107e818f..6d3540ea0076 100644
--- a/pkg/util/log/file.go
+++ b/pkg/util/log/file.go
@@ -90,6 +90,8 @@ type fileSink struct {
 	// include at the start of a log file.
 	getStartLines func(time.Time) []*buffer
 
+	fatalOnLogStall func() bool
+
 	filePermissions fs.FileMode
 
 	logBytesWritten *atomic.Uint64
@@ -259,14 +261,18 @@ func (l *fileSink) flushAndMaybeSyncLocked(doSync bool) {
 		// recursive back-and-forth between the copy of FATAL events to
 		// OPS and disk slowness detection here. (See the implementation
 		// of logfDepth for details.)
+		sev := severity.ERROR
+		// We default to assuming a fatal on log stall.
+		if l.fatalOnLogStall == nil || l.fatalOnLogStall() {
+			sev = severity.FATAL
+			// The write stall may prevent the process from exiting. If the process
+			// won't exit, we can at least terminate all our RPC connections first.
+			//
+			// See pkg/cli.runStart for where this function is hooked up.
+			MakeProcessUnavailable()
+		}
 
-		// The write stall may prevent the process from exiting. If the process
-		// won't exit, we can at least terminate all our RPC connections first.
-		//
-		// See pkg/cli.runStart for where this function is hooked up.
-		MakeProcessUnavailable()
-
-		Ops.Shoutf(context.Background(), severity.FATAL,
+		Ops.Shoutf(context.Background(), sev,
 			"disk stall detected: unable to sync log files within %s", maxSyncDuration,
 		)
 	})
diff --git a/pkg/util/log/file_log_gc_test.go b/pkg/util/log/file_log_gc_test.go
index 7aabb5af5e70..d0f609afded3 100644
--- a/pkg/util/log/file_log_gc_test.go
+++ b/pkg/util/log/file_log_gc_test.go
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ func TestSecondaryGC(t *testing.T) {
 	// Validate and apply the config.
 	require.NoError(t, config.Validate(&s.logDir))
 	TestingResetActive()
-	cleanupFn, err := ApplyConfig(config, FileSinkMetrics{})
+	cleanupFn, err := ApplyConfig(config, FileSinkMetrics{}, nil /* fatalOnLogStall */)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	defer cleanupFn()
 
diff --git a/pkg/util/log/flags.go b/pkg/util/log/flags.go
index 4ee2c3b59078..37ef26e21072 100644
--- a/pkg/util/log/flags.go
+++ b/pkg/util/log/flags.go
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ func init() {
 	// using TestLogScope.
 	cfg := getTestConfig(nil /* output to files disabled */, true /* mostly inline */)
 
-	if _, err := ApplyConfig(cfg, FileSinkMetrics{}); err != nil {
+	if _, err := ApplyConfig(cfg, FileSinkMetrics{}, nil /* fatalOnLogStall */); err != nil {
 		panic(err)
 	}
 
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ func IsActive() (active bool, firstUse string) {
 //
 // The returned logShutdownFn can be used to gracefully shut down logging facilities.
 func ApplyConfig(
-	config logconfig.Config, metrics FileSinkMetrics,
+	config logconfig.Config, metrics FileSinkMetrics, fatalOnLogStall func() bool,
 ) (logShutdownFn func(), err error) {
 	// Sanity check.
 	if active, firstUse := IsActive(); active {
@@ -319,6 +319,7 @@ func ApplyConfig(
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
+		fileSink.fatalOnLogStall = fatalOnLogStall
 		attachBufferWrapper(fileSinkInfo, fc.CommonSinkConfig.Buffering, closer)
 		attachSinkInfo(fileSinkInfo, &fc.Channels)
 
diff --git a/pkg/util/log/flags_test.go b/pkg/util/log/flags_test.go
index 402a9f1d7b78..0365d0ec861a 100644
--- a/pkg/util/log/flags_test.go
+++ b/pkg/util/log/flags_test.go
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ func TestAppliedConfig(t *testing.T) {
 			}
 
 			TestingResetActive()
-			cleanup, err := ApplyConfig(h.Config, FileSinkMetrics{})
+			cleanup, err := ApplyConfig(h.Config, FileSinkMetrics{}, nil /* fatalOnLogStall */)
 			if err != nil {
 				t.Fatal(err)
 			}
diff --git a/pkg/util/log/fluent_client_test.go b/pkg/util/log/fluent_client_test.go
index 645912794a6e..0de1bfb13c0a 100644
--- a/pkg/util/log/fluent_client_test.go
+++ b/pkg/util/log/fluent_client_test.go
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ func TestFluentClient(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// Apply the configuration.
 	TestingResetActive()
-	cleanup, err := ApplyConfig(cfg, FileSinkMetrics{})
+	cleanup, err := ApplyConfig(cfg, FileSinkMetrics{}, nil /* fatalOnLogStall */)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	defer cleanup()
 
diff --git a/pkg/util/log/formats_test.go b/pkg/util/log/formats_test.go
index 6d86cb5b8f66..7913200b3c1f 100644
--- a/pkg/util/log/formats_test.go
+++ b/pkg/util/log/formats_test.go
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ func TestFormatRedaction(t *testing.T) {
 							// Validate and apply the config.
 							require.NoError(t, config.Validate(&sc.logDir))
 							TestingResetActive()
-							cleanupFn, err := ApplyConfig(config, FileSinkMetrics{})
+							cleanupFn, err := ApplyConfig(config, FileSinkMetrics{}, nil /* fatalOnLogStall */)
 							require.NoError(t, err)
 							defer cleanupFn()
 
diff --git a/pkg/util/log/http_sink_test.go b/pkg/util/log/http_sink_test.go
index 244ca4258d53..e642b0deca44 100644
--- a/pkg/util/log/http_sink_test.go
+++ b/pkg/util/log/http_sink_test.go
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ func testBase(
 
 	// Apply the configuration.
 	TestingResetActive()
-	cleanup, err := ApplyConfig(cfg, FileSinkMetrics{})
+	cleanup, err := ApplyConfig(cfg, FileSinkMetrics{}, nil /* fatalOnLogStall */)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	defer cleanup()
 
diff --git a/pkg/util/log/log_flush.go b/pkg/util/log/log_flush.go
index 083be1752292..260036b8d3a8 100644
--- a/pkg/util/log/log_flush.go
+++ b/pkg/util/log/log_flush.go
@@ -90,10 +90,21 @@ const flushInterval = time.Second
 // syncInterval is the multiple of flushInterval where the log is also synced to disk.
 const syncInterval = 30
 
-// maxSyncDuration is set to a conservative value since this is a new mechanism.
-// In practice, even a fraction of that would indicate a problem. This metric's
-// default should ideally match its sister metric in the storage engine, set by
-// COCKROACH_ENGINE_MAX_SYNC_DURATION.
+// maxSyncDuration is the maximum duration the file sink is allowed to take to
+// write a log entry before we fatal the process for a disk stall. Note that
+// this fataling behaviour can be disabled by the cluster setting
+// storage.max_sync_duration.fatal.enabled for most uses of the logger.
+//
+// This setting may sound similar to `ExitTimeoutForFatalLog`, however that
+// parameter configures how long we wait to write a *fatal* log entry to _any_
+// log sink before we exit the process. This one configures how long we wait
+// to write any log entry to a _file_ sink before we write a fatal log entry
+// instead (that could then take up to `ExitTimeoutForFatalLog` before crashing
+// the process).
+//
+// This metric's default should ideally match its sister metrics: one in the
+// storage engine, set by COCKROACH_ENGINE_MAX_SYNC_DURATION_DEFAULT and the
+// storage.max_sync_duration cluster setting, and another in `ExitTimeoutForFatalLog`.
 var maxSyncDuration = envutil.EnvOrDefaultDuration("COCKROACH_LOG_MAX_SYNC_DURATION", 20*time.Second)
 
 // syncWarnDuration is the threshold after which a slow disk warning is written
diff --git a/pkg/util/log/logtestutils/log_test_utils.go b/pkg/util/log/logtestutils/log_test_utils.go
index 7a4b75de74e2..28d3a0894952 100644
--- a/pkg/util/log/logtestutils/log_test_utils.go
+++ b/pkg/util/log/logtestutils/log_test_utils.go
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ func InstallLogFileSink(sc *log.TestLogScope, t *testing.T, channel logpb.Channe
 	if err := cfg.Validate(&dir); err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
-	cleanup, err := log.ApplyConfig(cfg, log.FileSinkMetrics{})
+	cleanup, err := log.ApplyConfig(cfg, log.FileSinkMetrics{}, nil /* fatalOnLogStall */)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/util/log/redact_test.go b/pkg/util/log/redact_test.go
index 1cafef95afbe..a3fb95f7737a 100644
--- a/pkg/util/log/redact_test.go
+++ b/pkg/util/log/redact_test.go
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ func TestSafeManaged(t *testing.T) {
 			if err := cfg.Validate(&s.logDir); err != nil {
 				t.Fatal(err)
 			}
-			cleanupFn, err := ApplyConfig(cfg, FileSinkMetrics{})
+			cleanupFn, err := ApplyConfig(cfg, FileSinkMetrics{}, nil /* fatalOnLogStall */)
 			if err != nil {
 				t.Fatal(err)
 			}
diff --git a/pkg/util/log/registry_test.go b/pkg/util/log/registry_test.go
index c3642535ba5f..5709fb33c300 100644
--- a/pkg/util/log/registry_test.go
+++ b/pkg/util/log/registry_test.go
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ func TestIterHTTPSinks(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// Apply the configuration
 	TestingResetActive()
-	cleanup, err := ApplyConfig(cfg, FileSinkMetrics{})
+	cleanup, err := ApplyConfig(cfg, FileSinkMetrics{}, nil /* fatalOnLogStall */)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	defer cleanup()
 
diff --git a/pkg/util/log/secondary_log_test.go b/pkg/util/log/secondary_log_test.go
index 0be1b5aa0dbd..0a8e4a496cca 100644
--- a/pkg/util/log/secondary_log_test.go
+++ b/pkg/util/log/secondary_log_test.go
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ func installSessionsFileSink(sc *TestLogScope, t *testing.T) func() {
 
 	// Apply the configuration.
 	TestingResetActive()
-	cleanup, err := ApplyConfig(cfg, FileSinkMetrics{})
+	cleanup, err := ApplyConfig(cfg, FileSinkMetrics{}, nil /* fatalOnLogStall */)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/util/log/test_log_scope.go b/pkg/util/log/test_log_scope.go
index 825a9119c80e..0dace6266e67 100644
--- a/pkg/util/log/test_log_scope.go
+++ b/pkg/util/log/test_log_scope.go
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ func newLogScope(t tShim, mostlyInline bool) (sc *TestLogScope) {
 
 		// Switch to the new configuration.
 		TestingResetActive()
-		sc.cleanupFn, err = ApplyConfig(cfg, FileSinkMetrics{})
+		sc.cleanupFn, err = ApplyConfig(cfg, FileSinkMetrics{}, nil /* fatalOnLogStall */)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
@@ -355,7 +355,7 @@ func (l *TestLogScope) SetupSingleFileLogging() (cleanup func()) {
 
 	// Apply the configuration.
 	TestingResetActive()
-	cleanup, err := ApplyConfig(cfg, FileSinkMetrics{})
+	cleanup, err := ApplyConfig(cfg, FileSinkMetrics{}, nil /* fatalOnLogStall */)
 	if err != nil {
 		panic(errors.NewAssertionErrorWithWrappedErrf(err, "unexpected error in predefined log config"))
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/util/log/testshout/shout_test.go b/pkg/util/log/testshout/shout_test.go
index 6f29ef29c98a..14e792120fcf 100644
--- a/pkg/util/log/testshout/shout_test.go
+++ b/pkg/util/log/testshout/shout_test.go
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ func Example_shout_before_log() {
 		panic(err)
 	}
 	cfg.Sinks.Stderr.Filter = severity.WARNING
-	cleanup, err := log.ApplyConfig(cfg, log.FileSinkMetrics{})
+	cleanup, err := log.ApplyConfig(cfg, log.FileSinkMetrics{}, nil /* fatalOnLogStall */)
 	if err != nil {
 		panic(err)
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/workload/cli/run.go b/pkg/workload/cli/run.go
index ee0c27c6eb49..89637f6c164c 100644
--- a/pkg/workload/cli/run.go
+++ b/pkg/workload/cli/run.go
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ func CmdHelper(
 			if err := cfg.Validate(nil /* no default log directory */); err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
-			if _, err := log.ApplyConfig(cfg, log.FileSinkMetrics{}); err != nil {
+			if _, err := log.ApplyConfig(cfg, log.FileSinkMetrics{}, nil /* fatalOnLogStall */); err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
 		}