diff --git a/scripts/elway b/scripts/elway
index 855939a..916a4a0 100755
--- a/scripts/elway
+++ b/scripts/elway
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ from __future__ import annotations
 
 import argparse
 import dataclasses
+import datetime
 import getpass
 import json
 import os
@@ -91,6 +92,89 @@ except ImportError:
     sys.exit(2)
 
 
+# ─── Run logging ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+#
+# Every run tees output to two files in addition to the terminal so the
+# operator (or a sibling tool) can re-read what happened without scrolling
+# back. Two locations:
+#
+#   /tmp/elway-last.log                — overwritten per run; the easy
+#                                        "what just happened" target
+#   ~/.cache/elway/runs/<ts>-<host>-<playbook>.log
+#                                      — permanent timestamped record;
+#                                        accumulates over time
+#
+# ANSI color codes are kept in the file (modern less/tail handle them);
+# strip with `sed 's/\x1b\[[0-9;]*m//g'` if pasting somewhere that doesn't.
+
+LAST_LOG_PATH = Path("/tmp/elway-last.log")
+LOG_ROOT = Path.home() / ".cache" / "elway" / "runs"
+
+
+class _Tee:
+    """File-like that fans writes out to one or more streams."""
+
+    def __init__(self, *streams) -> None:
+        self._streams = [s for s in streams if s is not None]
+
+    def write(self, data) -> int:
+        for s in self._streams:
+            try:
+                s.write(data)
+            except (BrokenPipeError, ValueError):
+                pass
+        return len(data)
+
+    def flush(self) -> None:
+        for s in self._streams:
+            try:
+                s.flush()
+            except (BrokenPipeError, ValueError):
+                pass
+
+    def isatty(self) -> bool:
+        # Preserve color decisions: if the *first* stream (the real
+        # terminal) is a tty, the Tee reports as one. The on-disk files
+        # get the same colored output, which is fine.
+        return bool(self._streams) and getattr(self._streams[0], "isatty", lambda: False)()
+
+
+def _open_run_logs(host: str, playbook: Optional[str], explicit: Optional[Path]) -> tuple[Optional[Path], list]:
+    """Open log files for this run. Returns (permanent_log_path, [open_handles])."""
+    handles = []
+    perm_path = None
+
+    safe_host = re.sub(r"[^a-zA-Z0-9._-]", "_", host)
+    pb_label = "ad-hoc" if not playbook else re.sub(r"[^a-zA-Z0-9._-]", "_", Path(playbook).stem)
+
+    if explicit is not None:
+        # Caller forced a specific path — only open that one (no /tmp tee).
+        try:
+            explicit.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+            handles.append(open(explicit, "w", encoding="utf-8"))
+            perm_path = explicit
+        except OSError as exc:
+            sys.stderr.write(f"[elway] could not open --log {explicit}: {exc}\n")
+        return perm_path, handles
+
+    # Default: tee both /tmp/elway-last.log and a timestamped permanent log.
+    try:
+        handles.append(open(LAST_LOG_PATH, "w", encoding="utf-8"))
+    except OSError as exc:
+        sys.stderr.write(f"[elway] could not open {LAST_LOG_PATH}: {exc}\n")
+
+    try:
+        LOG_ROOT.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+        ts = datetime.datetime.now().strftime("%Y%m%d-%H%M%S")
+        perm_path = LOG_ROOT / f"{ts}-{safe_host}-{pb_label}.log"
+        handles.append(open(perm_path, "w", encoding="utf-8"))
+    except OSError as exc:
+        sys.stderr.write(f"[elway] could not open permanent log under {LOG_ROOT}: {exc}\n")
+        perm_path = None
+
+    return perm_path, handles
+
+
 # ─── Terminal output helpers ──────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 IS_TTY = sys.stdout.isatty() and os.environ.get("NO_COLOR") != "1"
@@ -680,6 +764,17 @@ def parse_args(argv: list[str]) -> argparse.Namespace:
     )
     p.add_argument("--dry-run", action="store_true", help="Print the plan without executing.")
     p.add_argument("-v", "--verbose", action="store_true", help="Show ssh/scp invocations.")
+    p.add_argument(
+        "--log",
+        type=Path,
+        default=None,
+        help="Override log file path. Default: tee to /tmp/elway-last.log + ~/.cache/elway/runs/<ts>-<host>-<playbook>.log",
+    )
+    p.add_argument(
+        "--no-log",
+        action="store_true",
+        help="Don't write run logs to disk; terminal-only.",
+    )
     return p.parse_args(argv)
 
 
@@ -718,6 +813,16 @@ def main(argv: Optional[list[str]] = None) -> int:
     merged_vars = dict(pb.vars)
     merged_vars.update(parse_var_args(args.var))
 
+    # Set up run logging — tee stdout to log file(s) so subsequent reads
+    # don't have to scroll the terminal. `--no-log` disables.
+    log_handles: list = []
+    perm_log: Optional[Path] = None
+    real_stdout = sys.stdout
+    if not args.no_log:
+        perm_log, log_handles = _open_run_logs(args.host, args.playbook, args.log)
+        if log_handles:
+            sys.stdout = _Tee(real_stdout, *log_handles)
+
     # ControlMaster socket in a temp dir scoped to this run.
     with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory(prefix="elway-") as tmp:
         control_path = os.path.join(tmp, "cm-%r@%h:%p")
@@ -735,6 +840,8 @@ def main(argv: Optional[list[str]] = None) -> int:
                       f"({len(pb.steps)} steps"
                       + (f", {len(pb.verify)} verify" if pb.verify else "")
                       + ")"))
+            if perm_log is not None:
+                print(DIM(f"   log: {perm_log}"))
             step_results = run_phase(
                 ctx, "steps", pb.steps, merged_vars,
                 global_stop_on_fail=not args.continue_on_error,
@@ -750,9 +857,18 @@ def main(argv: Optional[list[str]] = None) -> int:
                     global_stop_on_fail=not args.continue_on_error,
                     dry_run=args.dry_run,
                 )
-            return print_summary(step_results, verify_results)
+            rc = print_summary(step_results, verify_results)
+            if perm_log is not None:
+                print(DIM(f"log saved: {perm_log}"))
+            return rc
         finally:
             ctx.close_master()
+            sys.stdout = real_stdout
+            for h in log_handles:
+                try:
+                    h.close()
+                except Exception:
+                    pass
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":