diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 8aadca1..08f5da1 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -58,3 +58,10 @@ return [
    (Since 1.2.0)
  * (*string|null*) `$replaceNewline` a string that should replace all newline characters in a log message.
    Default ist `null` for no replacement. (Since 1.1.0)
+ * (*bool*) `$disableTimestamp` whether to omit the timestamp prefix. The default is `false` which
+   will prepend every message with a timestamp generated by `yii\log\Target::getTime()`.
+ * (*string*) `$prefixString` a string that will be prefixed to every message at the first position
+   (even before the timestamp - if not disabled). Default is an empty string.
+ * (*bool*) `$enableLocking` whether enable locking with `flock()` on the target. Note, that this is not
+   supported by all stream types. Default is `false`.
+
diff --git a/src/Target.php b/src/Target.php
index 9d56a54..84a71ae 100644
--- a/src/Target.php
+++ b/src/Target.php
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 <?php
 namespace codemix\streamlog;
 
+use yii\log\LogRuntimeException;
 use yii\log\Target as BaseTarget;
 use yii\base\InvalidConfigException;
 
@@ -21,8 +22,28 @@ class Target extends BaseTarget
      */
     public $replaceNewline;
 
-    protected $fp;
+    /**
+     * @var bool whether to disable the timestamp. The default is `false` which
+     * will prepend every message with a timestamp created with
+     * [yii\log\Target::getTime()].
+     */
+    public $disableTimestamp = false;
+
+    /**
+     * @var bool whether to use flock() to lock/unlock the stream before/after
+     * writing. This can be used to ensure that the stream is written by 2
+     * processes simultaniously. Note though, that not all stream types support
+     * locking. The default is `false`.
+     */
+    public $enableLocking = false;
 
+    /**
+     * @var string a string to prepend to all messages. The string will be
+     * added to the very beginning (even before the timestamp).
+     */
+    public $prefixString = '';
+
+    protected $fp;
     protected $openedFp = false;
 
     /**
@@ -31,7 +52,7 @@ class Target extends BaseTarget
     public function __destruct()
     {
         if ($this->openedFp) {
-            fclose($this->fp);
+            @fclose($this->fp);
         }
     }
 
@@ -66,9 +87,9 @@ public function setFp($value)
      */
     public function getFp()
     {
-        if ($this->fp===null) {
+        if ($this->fp === null) {
             $this->fp = @fopen($this->url,'w');
-            if ($this->fp===false) {
+            if ($this->fp === false) {
                 throw new InvalidConfigException("Unable to open '{$this->url}' for writing.");
             }
             $this->openedFp = true;
@@ -79,11 +100,22 @@ public function getFp()
     /**
      * Writes a log message to the given target URL
      * @throws InvalidConfigException if unable to open the stream for writing
+     * @throws LogRuntimeException if unable to write log
      */
     public function export()
     {
         $text = implode("\n", array_map([$this, 'formatMessage'], $this->messages)) . "\n";
-        fwrite($this->getFp(), $text);
+        $fp = $this->getFp();
+        if ($this->enableLocking) {
+            @flock($fp, LOCK_EX);
+        }
+        if (@fwrite($fp, $text) === false) {
+            $error = error_get_last();
+            throw new LogRuntimeException("Unable to export log!: {$error['message']}");
+        }
+        if ($this->enableLocking) {
+            @flock($fp, LOCK_UN);
+        }
     }
 
     /**
@@ -91,11 +123,17 @@ public function export()
      */
     public function formatMessage($message)
     {
-        $text = parent::formatMessage($message);
-        if ($this->replaceNewline===null) {
-            return $text;
-        } else {
-            return str_replace("\n", $this->replaceNewline, $text);
-        }
+        $text = $this->prefixString . trim(parent::formatMessage($message));
+        return $this->replaceNewline === null ?
+            $text :
+            str_replace("\n", $this->replaceNewline, $text);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @inheritdoc
+     */
+    protected function getTime($timestamp)
+    {
+        return $this->disableTimestamp ? '' : parent::getTime($timestamp);
     }
 }