diff --git a/usr.sbin/newsyslog/newsyslog.8 b/usr.sbin/newsyslog/newsyslog.8
--- a/usr.sbin/newsyslog/newsyslog.8
+++ b/usr.sbin/newsyslog/newsyslog.8
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 .\" the suitability of this software for any purpose.  It is
 .\" provided "as is" without express or implied warranty.
 .\"
-.Dd September 1, 2025
+.Dd September 22, 2025
 .Dt NEWSYSLOG 8
 .Os
 .Sh NAME
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 .Op Fl a Ar directory
 .Op Fl d Ar directory
 .Op Fl f Ar config_file
+.Op Fl I Ar signal
 .Op Fl S Ar pidfile
 .Op Fl t Ar timefmt
 .Op Oo Fl R Ar tagname Oc Ar
@@ -132,7 +133,7 @@
 must be running as root.
 Of course,
 .Nm
-will not be able to send a HUP signal to
+will not be able to send a signal to
 .Xr syslogd 8
 so this option should only be used in debugging.
 .It Fl s
@@ -247,6 +248,10 @@
 will return faster, since
 .Nm
 normally waits a few seconds after any signal that is sent.
+.It Fl I Ar signal
+Specify signal to send for entries that do not have signal configured.
+This option accepts either a signal number or a name as argument.
+The default value is HUP.
 .It Fl S Ar pidfile
 Use
 .Ar pidfile
diff --git a/usr.sbin/newsyslog/newsyslog.c b/usr.sbin/newsyslog/newsyslog.c
--- a/usr.sbin/newsyslog/newsyslog.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/newsyslog/newsyslog.c
@@ -241,6 +241,7 @@
 static int nosignal;		/* Do not send any signals */
 static int enforcepid = 0;	/* If PID file does not exist or empty, do nothing */
 static int force = 0;		/* Force the trim no matter what */
+static int defsignal = SIGHUP;	/* -I Signal to send by default */
 static int rotatereq = 0;	/* -R = Always rotate the file(s) as given */
 				/*    on the command (this also requires   */
 				/*    that a list of files *are* given on  */
@@ -455,7 +456,7 @@
 		tempwork->permissions = 0;
 		tempwork->flags = 0;
 		tempwork->compress = COMPRESS_NONE;
-		tempwork->sig = SIGHUP;
+		tempwork->sig = defsignal;
 		tempwork->def_cfg = 0;
 	}
 
@@ -700,7 +701,7 @@
 	hostname_shortlen = strcspn(hostname, ".");
 
 	/* Parse command line options. */
-	while ((ch = getopt(argc, argv, "a:d:f:nrst:vCD:FNPR:S:")) != -1)
+	while ((ch = getopt(argc, argv, "a:d:f:nrst:vCD:FI:NPR:S:")) != -1)
 		switch (ch) {
 		case 'a':
 			archtodir++;
@@ -748,6 +749,10 @@
 		case 'F':
 			force++;
 			break;
+		case 'I':
+			if (str2sig(optarg, &defsignal) != 0)
+				usage();
+			break;
 		case 'N':
 			norotate++;
 			break;
@@ -846,7 +851,7 @@
 
 	fprintf(stderr,
 	    "usage: newsyslog [-CFNPnrsv] [-a directory] [-d directory] [-f config_file]\n"
-	    "                 [-S pidfile] [-t timefmt] [[-R tagname] file ...]\n");
+	    "                 [-I signal] [-S pidfile] [-t timefmt] [[-R tagname] file ...]\n");
 	exit(1);
 }
 
@@ -1481,7 +1486,7 @@
 			*parse = '\0';
 		}
 
-		working->sig = SIGHUP;
+		working->sig = defsignal;
 		if (q && *q) {
 got_sig:
 			if (str2sig(q, &working->sig) != 0) {