diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 2315a83d..21af5427 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ bugs in actually-released versions.
 - Show the configured Flamenco Manager name in the webapp's browser window title.
 - Workers can be marked as 'restartable' by using the `-restart-exit-code N` commandline option. More info in the [Worker Actions documentation](https://flamenco.blender.org/usage/worker-actions/).
 - The `{timestamp}` placeholder in the render output path is now replaced with a local timestamp (rather than UTC).
+- Log more information about the operating system at startup. On Windows this includes the version & edition (like "Core" or "Professional"), and on Linux this includes the distribution, version, and kernel version.
 - Security updates of some dependencies:
   - https://pkg.go.dev/vuln/GO-2023-1989
   - https://pkg.go.dev/vuln/GO-2023-1990
diff --git a/cmd/flamenco-manager/main.go b/cmd/flamenco-manager/main.go
index 7ca961ac..9b3c5409 100644
--- a/cmd/flamenco-manager/main.go
+++ b/cmd/flamenco-manager/main.go
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ import (
 	"projects.blender.org/studio/flamenco/internal/own_url"
 	"projects.blender.org/studio/flamenco/internal/upnp_ssdp"
 	"projects.blender.org/studio/flamenco/pkg/shaman"
+	"projects.blender.org/studio/flamenco/pkg/sysinfo"
 )
 
 var cliArgs struct {
@@ -58,11 +59,17 @@ const (
 func main() {
 	output := zerolog.ConsoleWriter{Out: colorable.NewColorableStdout(), TimeFormat: time.RFC3339}
 	log.Logger = log.Output(output)
+
+	osDetail, err := sysinfo.Description()
+	if err != nil {
+		osDetail = err.Error()
+	}
 	log.Info().
 		Str("version", appinfo.ApplicationVersion).
 		Str("git", appinfo.ApplicationGitHash).
 		Str("releaseCycle", appinfo.ReleaseCycle).
 		Str("os", runtime.GOOS).
+		Str("osDetail", osDetail).
 		Str("arch", runtime.GOARCH).
 		Msgf("starting %v", appinfo.ApplicationName)
 
diff --git a/cmd/flamenco-worker/main.go b/cmd/flamenco-worker/main.go
index e6ce3e7c..d42be507 100644
--- a/cmd/flamenco-worker/main.go
+++ b/cmd/flamenco-worker/main.go
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import (
 	"projects.blender.org/studio/flamenco/internal/appinfo"
 	"projects.blender.org/studio/flamenco/internal/worker"
 	"projects.blender.org/studio/flamenco/internal/worker/cli_runner"
+	"projects.blender.org/studio/flamenco/pkg/sysinfo"
 )
 
 var (
@@ -61,12 +62,18 @@ func main() {
 	output := zerolog.ConsoleWriter{Out: colorable.NewColorableStdout(), TimeFormat: time.RFC3339}
 	log.Logger = log.Output(output)
 
+	osDetail, err := sysinfo.Description()
+	if err != nil {
+		osDetail = err.Error()
+	}
+
 	log.Info().
 		Str("version", appinfo.ApplicationVersion).
 		Str("git", appinfo.ApplicationGitHash).
 		Str("releaseCycle", appinfo.ReleaseCycle).
-		Str("OS", runtime.GOOS).
-		Str("ARCH", runtime.GOARCH).
+		Str("os", runtime.GOOS).
+		Str("osDetail", osDetail).
+		Str("arch", runtime.GOARCH).
 		Int("pid", os.Getpid()).
 		Msgf("starting %v Worker", appinfo.ApplicationName)
 	configLogLevel()
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index c56fe36d..3d636714 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/remyoudompheng/bigfft v0.0.0-20230129092748-24d4a6f8daec // indirect
 	github.com/valyala/bytebufferpool v1.0.0 // indirect
 	github.com/valyala/fasttemplate v1.2.1 // indirect
+	github.com/zcalusic/sysinfo v1.0.1 // indirect
 	golang.org/x/mod v0.8.0 // indirect
 	golang.org/x/text v0.13.0 // indirect
 	golang.org/x/time v0.0.0-20210220033141-f8bda1e9f3ba // indirect
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index 64fab2be..1e8e6188 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -172,6 +172,8 @@ github.com/yuin/goldmark v1.2.1/go.mod h1:3hX8gzYuyVAZsxl0MRgGTJEmQBFcNTphYh9dec
 github.com/yuin/goldmark v1.3.5/go.mod h1:mwnBkeHKe2W/ZEtQ+71ViKU8L12m81fl3OWwC1Zlc8k=
 github.com/yuin/goldmark v1.4.0/go.mod h1:mwnBkeHKe2W/ZEtQ+71ViKU8L12m81fl3OWwC1Zlc8k=
 github.com/yuin/goldmark v1.4.13/go.mod h1:6yULJ656Px+3vBD8DxQVa3kxgyrAnzto9xy5taEt/CY=
+github.com/zcalusic/sysinfo v1.0.1 h1:cVh8q3codjh43AGRTa54dJ2Zq+qPejv8n2VWpxKViwc=
+github.com/zcalusic/sysinfo v1.0.1/go.mod h1:LxwKwtQdbTIQc65drhjQzYzt0o7jfB80LrrZm7SWn8o=
 github.com/ziflex/lecho/v3 v3.1.0 h1:65bSzSc0yw7EEhi44lMnkOI877ZzbE7tGDWfYCQXZwI=
 github.com/ziflex/lecho/v3 v3.1.0/go.mod h1:dwQ6xCAKmSBHhwZ6XmiAiDptD7iklVkW7xQYGUncX0Q=
 golang.org/x/crypto v0.0.0-20190308221718-c2843e01d9a2/go.mod h1:djNgcEr1/C05ACkg1iLfiJU5Ep61QUkGW8qpdssI0+w=
diff --git a/pkg/sysinfo/sysinfo.go b/pkg/sysinfo/sysinfo.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..25fdd19d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/sysinfo/sysinfo.go
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+package sysinfo
+
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later
+
+// CanSymlink tries to determine whether the running system can use symbolic
+// links.
+func CanSymlink() (bool, error) {
+	return canSymlink()
+}
+
+// Description returns a string that describes the current platform in more
+// detail than runtime.GOOS does.
+func Description() (string, error) {
+	return description()
+}
diff --git a/pkg/sysinfo/sysinfo_darwin.go b/pkg/sysinfo/sysinfo_darwin.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b89cd031
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/sysinfo/sysinfo_darwin.go
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+package sysinfo
+
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later
+
+// canSymlink always returns true, as symlinking on non-Windows platforms is not
+// hard.
+func canSymlink() (bool, error) {
+	return true, nil
+}
+
+func description() (string, error) {
+	// TODO: figure out how to get more info on macOS.
+	return "macOS", nil
+}
diff --git a/pkg/sysinfo/sysinfo_linux.go b/pkg/sysinfo/sysinfo_linux.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..753eb145
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/sysinfo/sysinfo_linux.go
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+package sysinfo
+
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+
+	the_other_sysinfo "github.com/zcalusic/sysinfo"
+)
+
+// canSymlink always returns true, as symlinking on non-Windows platforms is not
+// hard.
+func canSymlink() (bool, error) {
+	return true, nil
+}
+
+func description() (string, error) {
+	var si the_other_sysinfo.SysInfo
+	si.GetSysInfo()
+	description := fmt.Sprintf("%s (%s)", si.OS.Name, si.Kernel.Release)
+	return description, nil
+}
diff --git a/pkg/sysinfo/sysinfo_windows.go b/pkg/sysinfo/sysinfo_windows.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..85b5e2f6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/sysinfo/sysinfo_windows.go
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+package sysinfo
+
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+
+	"github.com/rs/zerolog/log"
+	"golang.org/x/sys/windows/registry"
+)
+
+// editionCanSymlink maps the EditionID key in the registry to a boolean indicating whether
+// symlinks are available.
+var editionCanSymlink = map[string]bool{
+	"Core":         false, // Windows Home misses the tool to allow symlinking to a user.
+	"Professional": true,  // Still requires explicit right to be assigned to the user.
+}
+
+// canSymlink tries to determine whether the running system can use symbolic
+// links, based on information from the Windows registry.
+func canSymlink() (bool, error) {
+	editionID, err := windowsEditionID()
+	if err != nil {
+		return false, fmt.Errorf("determining edition of Windows: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	canSymlink, found := editionCanSymlink[editionID]
+	if !found {
+		log.Warn().Str("editionID", editionID).Msg("unknown Windows edition, assuming it can use symlinks")
+		return true, nil
+	}
+
+	return canSymlink, nil
+}
+
+func description() (string, error) {
+	productName, err := registryReadString(
+		`SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion`,
+		"ProductName",
+	)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+
+	editionID, err := windowsEditionID()
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+
+	description := fmt.Sprintf("%s (%s)", productName, editionID)
+	return description, nil
+}
+
+func windowsEditionID() (string, error) {
+	// Values seen so far:
+	// - "Professional"
+	// - "Core"
+	return registryReadString(
+		`SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion`,
+		"EditionID",
+	)
+}
+
+func registryReadString(keyPath, valueName string) (string, error) {
+	regkey, err := registry.OpenKey(
+		registry.LOCAL_MACHINE,
+		keyPath,
+		registry.QUERY_VALUE)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("opening registry key %q: %w", keyPath, err)
+	}
+	defer regkey.Close()
+
+	value, _, err := regkey.GetStringValue(valueName)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("reading registry key %q: %w", valueName, err)
+	}
+
+	return value, nil
+}