Index: Doc/library/logging.rst
===================================================================
--- Doc/library/logging.rst	(revision 65034)
+++ Doc/library/logging.rst	(working copy)
@@ -2348,8 +2348,13 @@
    args=(sys.stdout,)
 
 The ``class`` entry indicates the handler's class (as determined by :func:`eval`
-in the ``logging`` package's namespace). The ``level`` is interpreted as for
-loggers, and ``NOTSET`` is taken to mean "log everything".
+in the ``logging`` package's namespace, or resolved as a dotted module and class
+name if the :func:`eval` failed). The ``level`` is interpreted as for loggers,
+and ``NOTSET`` is taken to mean "log everything".
+
+.. versionchanged:: 2.6
+  Added support for resolving the handler's class as a dotted module and class
+  name.
 
 The ``formatter`` entry indicates the key name of the formatter for this
 handler. If blank, a default formatter (``logging._defaultFormatter``) is used.
Index: Lib/logging/config.py
===================================================================
--- Lib/logging/config.py	(revision 65034)
+++ Lib/logging/config.py	(working copy)
@@ -146,7 +146,10 @@
             fmt = cp.get(sectname, "formatter")
         else:
             fmt = ""
-        klass = eval(klass, vars(logging))
+        try:
+            klass = eval(klass, vars(logging))
+        except (AttributeError, NameError):
+            klass = _resolve(klass)
         args = cp.get(sectname, "args")
         args = eval(args, vars(logging))
         h = apply(klass, args)
Index: Lib/test/test_logging.py
===================================================================
--- Lib/test/test_logging.py	(revision 65034)
+++ Lib/test/test_logging.py	(working copy)
@@ -584,6 +584,9 @@
     datefmt=
     """
 
+    # config5 specifies a custom handler class to be loaded
+    config5 = config1.replace('class=StreamHandler', 'class=logging.StreamHandler')
+
     def apply_config(self, conf):
         try:
             fn = tempfile.mktemp(".ini")
@@ -609,10 +612,10 @@
             # Original logger output is empty.
             self.assert_log_lines([])
 
-    def test_config1_ok(self):
+    def test_config1_ok(self, config=config1):
         # A config file defining a sub-parser as well.
         with captured_stdout() as output:
-            self.apply_config(self.config1)
+            self.apply_config(config)
             logger = logging.getLogger("compiler.parser")
             # Both will output a message
             logger.info(self.next_message())
@@ -647,6 +650,9 @@
             # Original logger output is empty
             self.assert_log_lines([])
 
+    def test_config5_ok(self):
+        self.test_config1_ok(config=self.config5)
+
 
 class LogRecordStreamHandler(StreamRequestHandler):