diff --git a/logback-access/src/main/java/ch/qos/logback/access/jetty/RequestLogImpl.java b/logback-access/src/main/java/ch/qos/logback/access/jetty/RequestLogImpl.java
index 9071b03..eeb75d9 100644
--- a/logback-access/src/main/java/ch/qos/logback/access/jetty/RequestLogImpl.java
+++ b/logback-access/src/main/java/ch/qos/logback/access/jetty/RequestLogImpl.java
@@ -14,10 +14,12 @@
 package ch.qos.logback.access.jetty;
 
 import java.io.File;
+import java.io.InputStream;
 import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.Iterator;
 import java.util.List;
 
+import ch.qos.logback.core.status.InfoStatus;
 import ch.qos.logback.core.util.StatusPrinter;
 import org.eclipse.jetty.server.Request;
 import org.eclipse.jetty.server.RequestLog;
@@ -118,6 +120,7 @@ public class RequestLogImpl extends ContextBase implements RequestLog,
   AppenderAttachableImpl<IAccessEvent> aai = new AppenderAttachableImpl<IAccessEvent>();
   FilterAttachableImpl<IAccessEvent> fai = new FilterAttachableImpl<IAccessEvent>();
   String fileName;
+  String classpathFileName;
   boolean started = false;
   boolean quiet = false;
 
@@ -137,7 +140,8 @@ public class RequestLogImpl extends ContextBase implements RequestLog,
   }
 
   public void start() {
-    if (fileName == null) {
+    if (fileName == null && classpathFileName == null) {
+      // only look up fallback files if classpathFileName was unspecified
       String jettyHomeProperty = OptionHelper.getSystemProperty("jetty.home");
       if (OptionHelper.isEmpty(jettyHomeProperty)) {
         getStatusManager().add(
@@ -150,12 +154,27 @@ public class RequestLogImpl extends ContextBase implements RequestLog,
               new WarnStatus("fileName property not set. Assuming [" + fileName
                       + "]", this));
     }
-    File configFile = new File(fileName);
-    if (configFile.exists()) {
-      runJoranOnFile(configFile);
+
+    if (classpathFileName == null) {
+      // no classpath file set; proceed with filesystem configuration
+      File configFile = new File(fileName);
+      if (configFile.exists()) {
+        getStatusManager().add(new InfoStatus("Configuring via file [" + fileName + "]", this));
+        runJoranOnFile(configFile);
+      } else {
+        getStatusManager().add(
+                new ErrorStatus("Could not find logback-access configuration file [" + fileName + "]", this));
+      }
     } else {
-      getStatusManager().add(
-              new ErrorStatus("Could not find logback-access configuration file [" + fileName + "]", this));
+      // classpath file was set
+      InputStream configStream = getClass().getResourceAsStream(classpathFileName);
+      if (configStream != null) {
+        getStatusManager().add(new InfoStatus("Configuring via classpath resource [" + classpathFileName + "]", this));
+        runJoranOnStream(configStream);
+      } else {
+        getStatusManager().add(
+                new ErrorStatus("Could not find logback-access configuration file in classpath at [" + classpathFileName + "]", this));
+      }
     }
     if (!isQuiet()) {
       StatusPrinter.print(getStatusManager());
@@ -163,19 +182,36 @@ public class RequestLogImpl extends ContextBase implements RequestLog,
     started = true;
   }
 
+  private void runJoranOnStream(InputStream configFile) {
+    try {
+      getConfigurator().doConfigure(configFile);
+      setNamePostConfigure();
+    } catch (JoranException e) {
+      // errors have been registered as status messages
+    }
+  }
+
   private void runJoranOnFile(File configFile) {
     try {
-      JoranConfigurator jc = new JoranConfigurator();
-      jc.setContext(this);
-      jc.doConfigure(configFile);
-      if (getName() == null) {
-        setName("LogbackRequestLog");
-      }
+      getConfigurator().doConfigure(configFile);
+      setNamePostConfigure();
     } catch (JoranException e) {
       // errors have been registered as status messages
     }
   }
 
+  private void setNamePostConfigure() {
+    if (getName() == null) {
+      setName("LogbackRequestLog");
+    }
+  }
+
+  private JoranConfigurator getConfigurator() {
+    JoranConfigurator jc = new JoranConfigurator();
+    jc.setContext(this);
+    return jc;
+  }
+
   public void stop() {
     aai.detachAndStopAllAppenders();
     started = false;
@@ -185,10 +221,28 @@ public class RequestLogImpl extends ContextBase implements RequestLog,
     return started;
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Set the filesystem path to the logback-access config file. If non-null, this will be used in favor of any value set
+   * by {@link RequestLogImpl#setClasspathFileName(String)}.
+   *
+   * @param fileName filesystem path
+   * @see RequestLogImpl#setClasspathFileName(String)
+   */
   public void setFileName(String fileName) {
     this.fileName = fileName;
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Set the path in the classpath to the logback-access config file. This will only be used if the file name set via
+   * {@link RequestLogImpl#setFileName(String)} is null (which is its default).
+   *
+   * @param classpathFileName classpath path
+   * @see RequestLogImpl#setFileName(String)
+   */
+  public void setClasspathFileName(String classpathFileName) {
+    this.classpathFileName = classpathFileName;
+  }
+
   public boolean isStarted() {
     return started;
   }