diff --git a/logtail/buffer.go b/logtail/buffer.go
index 499dea1c7..e33427fc5 100644
--- a/logtail/buffer.go
+++ b/logtail/buffer.go
@@ -15,6 +15,9 @@ type Buffer interface {
 	// TryReadLine tries to read a log line from the ring buffer.
 	// If no line is available it returns a nil slice.
 	// If the ring buffer is closed it returns io.EOF.
+	//
+	// The returned slice may point to data that will be overwritten
+	// by a subsequent call to TryReadLine.
 	TryReadLine() ([]byte, error)
 
 	// Write writes a log line into the ring buffer.
diff --git a/logtail/logtail.go b/logtail/logtail.go
index f63948e48..1793c8b78 100644
--- a/logtail/logtail.go
+++ b/logtail/logtail.go
@@ -62,8 +62,11 @@ type Config struct {
 	TimeNow        func() time.Time // if set, subsitutes uses of time.Now
 	Stderr         io.Writer        // if set, logs are sent here instead of os.Stderr
 	Buffer         Buffer           // temp storage, if nil a MemoryBuffer
-	CheckLogs      <-chan struct{}  // signals Logger to check for filched logs to upload
 	NewZstdEncoder func() Encoder   // if set, used to compress logs for transmission
+
+	// DrainLogs, if non-nil, disables autmatic uploading of new logs,
+	// so that logs are only uploaded when a token is sent to DrainLogs.
+	DrainLogs <-chan struct{}
 }
 
 func Log(cfg Config) Logger {
@@ -86,9 +89,6 @@ func Log(cfg Config) Logger {
 		}
 		cfg.Buffer = NewMemoryBuffer(pendingSize)
 	}
-	if cfg.CheckLogs == nil {
-		cfg.CheckLogs = make(chan struct{})
-	}
 	l := &logger{
 		stderr:         cfg.Stderr,
 		httpc:          cfg.HTTPC,
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ func Log(cfg Config) Logger {
 		skipClientTime: cfg.SkipClientTime,
 		sent:           make(chan struct{}, 1),
 		sentinel:       make(chan int32, 16),
-		checkLogs:      cfg.CheckLogs,
+		drainLogs:      cfg.DrainLogs,
 		timeNow:        cfg.TimeNow,
 		bo: backoff.Backoff{
 			Name: "logtail",
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ type logger struct {
 	skipClientTime bool
 	buffer         Buffer
 	sent           chan struct{}   // signal to speed up drain
-	checkLogs      <-chan struct{} // external signal to attempt a drain
+	drainLogs      <-chan struct{} // if non-nil, external signal to attempt a drain
 	sentinel       chan int32
 	timeNow        func() time.Time
 	bo             backoff.Backoff
@@ -164,6 +164,32 @@ func (l *logger) Close() {
 	l.Shutdown(context.Background())
 }
 
+// drainBlock is called by drainPending when there are no logs to drain.
+//
+// In typical operation, every call to the Write method unblocks and triggers
+// a buffer.TryReadline, so logs are written with very low latency.
+//
+// If the caller provides a DrainLogs channel, then unblock-drain-on-Write
+// is disabled, and it is up to the caller to trigger unblock the drain.
+func (l *logger) drainBlock() (shuttingDown bool) {
+	if l.drainLogs == nil {
+		select {
+		case <-l.shutdownStart:
+			return true
+		case <-l.sent:
+		}
+	} else {
+		select {
+		case <-l.shutdownStart:
+			return true
+		case <-l.drainLogs:
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
+// drainPending drains and encodes a batch of logs from the buffer for upload.
+// If no logs are available, drainPending blocks until logs are available.
 func (l *logger) drainPending() (res []byte) {
 	buf := new(bytes.Buffer)
 	entries := 0
@@ -182,12 +208,7 @@ func (l *logger) drainPending() (res []byte) {
 				break
 			}
 
-			select {
-			case <-l.shutdownStart:
-				batchDone = true
-			case <-l.checkLogs:
-			case <-l.sent:
-			}
+			batchDone = l.drainBlock()
 			continue
 		}
 
@@ -304,9 +325,11 @@ func (l *logger) Flush() error {
 
 func (l *logger) send(jsonBlob []byte) (int, error) {
 	n, err := l.buffer.Write(jsonBlob)
-	select {
-	case l.sent <- struct{}{}:
-	default:
+	if l.drainLogs == nil {
+		select {
+		case l.sent <- struct{}{}:
+		default:
+		}
 	}
 	return n, err
 }