diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 088c521..e79066a 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ mysql:link <service> <app> [--link-flags...]       # link the mysql service to t
 mysql:linked <service> <app>                       # check if the mysql service is linked to an app
 mysql:links <service>                              # list all apps linked to the mysql service
 mysql:list                                         # list all mysql services
-mysql:logs <service> [-t|--tail]                   # print the most recent log(s) for this service
+mysql:logs <service> [-t|--tail] <tail-num-optional> # print the most recent log(s) for this service
 mysql:promote <service> <app>                      # promote service <service> as DATABASE_URL in <app>
 mysql:restart <service>                            # graceful shutdown and restart of the mysql service container
 mysql:start <service>                              # start a previously stopped mysql service
@@ -153,12 +153,12 @@ dokku mysql:list
 
 ```shell
 # usage
-dokku mysql:logs <service> [-t|--tail]
+dokku mysql:logs <service> [-t|--tail] <tail-num-optional>
 ```
 
 flags:
 
-- `-t|--tail`: do not stop when end of the logs are reached and wait for additional output
+- `-t|--tail [<tail-num>]`: do not stop when end of the logs are reached and wait for additional output
 
 You can tail logs for a particular service:
 
@@ -172,6 +172,12 @@ By default, logs will not be tailed, but you can do this with the --tail flag:
 dokku mysql:logs lollipop --tail
 ```
 
+The default tail setting is to show all logs, but an initial count can also be specified:
+
+```shell
+dokku mysql:logs lollipop --tail 5
+```
+
 ### link the mysql service to the app
 
 ```shell
diff --git a/common-functions b/common-functions
index ee756c8..d84a267 100755
--- a/common-functions
+++ b/common-functions
@@ -578,14 +578,14 @@ service_list() {
 
 service_logs() {
   declare desc="display logs for a service"
-  declare SERVICE="$1" TAIL_FLAG="$2"
+  declare SERVICE="$1" TAIL_FLAG="$2" TAIL_COUNT="$3"
   local SERVICE_ROOT="$PLUGIN_DATA_ROOT/$SERVICE"
   local ID=$(cat "$SERVICE_ROOT/ID")
   local RE_INTEGER='^[0-9]+$'
 
-  DOKKU_LOGS_ARGS="--tail 100"
+  DOKKU_LOGS_ARGS="--tail $TAIL_COUNT"
   if [[ "$TAIL_FLAG" == "-t" ]] || [[ "$TAIL_FLAG" == "--tail" ]]; then
-    DOKKU_LOGS_ARGS="--follow"
+    DOKKU_LOGS_ARGS+=" --follow"
   fi
 
   docker inspect "$ID" &>/dev/null || dokku_log_fail "Service container does not exist"
diff --git a/help-functions b/help-functions
index ddcfa69..3ff6dc9 100755
--- a/help-functions
+++ b/help-functions
@@ -202,6 +202,9 @@ fn-help-subcommand-args() {
     elif [[ "$arg" == *_LIST ]]; then
       arg=${arg%_*}
       args+=" <${arg//_/-}...>"
+    elif [[ "$arg" == *_OPTIONAL ]]; then
+      argName="${arg/_OPTIONAL/}"
+      args+=" [<${argName//_/-}>]"
     else
       args+=" <${arg//_/-}>"
     fi
diff --git a/subcommands/logs b/subcommands/logs
index 38c8209..55f13ac 100755
--- a/subcommands/logs
+++ b/subcommands/logs
@@ -10,16 +10,18 @@ service-logs-cmd() {
   #E dokku $PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:logs lollipop
   #E by default, logs will not be tailed, but you can do this with the --tail flag:
   #E dokku $PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:logs lollipop --tail
+  #E the default tail setting is to show all logs, but an initial count can also be specified
+  #E dokku $PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:logs lollipop --tail 5
   #A service, service to run command against
-  #F -t|--tail, do not stop when end of the logs are reached and wait for additional output
+  #F -t|--tail [<tail-num>], do not stop when end of the logs are reached and wait for additional output
   declare desc="print the most recent log(s) for this service"
   local cmd="$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:logs" argv=("$@")
   [[ ${argv[0]} == "$cmd" ]] && shift 1
-  declare SERVICE="$1" TAIL_FLAG="$2"
+  declare SERVICE="$1" TAIL_FLAG="$2" TAIL_NUM_OPTIONAL="${3:-all}"
 
   [[ -z "$SERVICE" ]] && dokku_log_fail "Please specify a valid name for the service"
   verify_service_name "$SERVICE"
-  service_logs "$SERVICE" "$TAIL_FLAG"
+  service_logs "$SERVICE" "$TAIL_FLAG" "$TAIL_NUM_OPTIONAL"
 }
 
 service-logs-cmd "$@"