diff --git a/_pytest/logging.py b/_pytest/logging.py
index 095115cd979..269d7ea01cb 100644
--- a/_pytest/logging.py
+++ b/_pytest/logging.py
@@ -371,14 +371,22 @@ def _runtest_for(self, item, when):
                            formatter=self.formatter, level=self.log_level) as log_handler:
             if self.log_cli_handler:
                 self.log_cli_handler.set_when(when)
+
+            if item is None:
+                yield  # run the test
+                return
+
             if not hasattr(item, 'catch_log_handlers'):
                 item.catch_log_handlers = {}
+
             item.catch_log_handlers[when] = log_handler
             item.catch_log_handler = log_handler
+
             try:
                 yield  # run test
             finally:
-                del item.catch_log_handler
+                if item:
+                    del item.catch_log_handler
                 if when == 'teardown':
                     del item.catch_log_handlers
 
@@ -402,9 +410,17 @@ def pytest_runtest_teardown(self, item):
         with self._runtest_for(item, 'teardown'):
             yield
 
+    @pytest.hookimpl(hookwrapper=True)
     def pytest_runtest_logstart(self):
         if self.log_cli_handler:
             self.log_cli_handler.reset()
+        with self._runtest_for(None, 'start'):
+            yield
+
+    @pytest.hookimpl(hookwrapper=True)
+    def pytest_runtest_logfinish(self):
+        with self._runtest_for(None, 'finish'):
+            yield
 
     @pytest.hookimpl(hookwrapper=True)
     def pytest_runtestloop(self, session):
@@ -474,7 +490,7 @@ def emit(self, record):
         if self.capture_manager is not None:
             self.capture_manager.suspend_global_capture()
         try:
-            if not self._first_record_emitted or self._when == 'teardown':
+            if not self._first_record_emitted or self._when in ('teardown', 'finish'):
                 self.stream.write('\n')
                 self._first_record_emitted = True
             if not self._section_name_shown:
diff --git a/changelog/3189.feature b/changelog/3189.feature
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..5fd81f99fc5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/3189.feature
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Allow the logging plugin, when live logs are enabled, to handle the hooks `pytest_runtest_logstart` and `pytest_runtest_logfinish`.
diff --git a/testing/logging/test_reporting.py b/testing/logging/test_reporting.py
index f5272aa0983..40e2cdbc530 100644
--- a/testing/logging/test_reporting.py
+++ b/testing/logging/test_reporting.py
@@ -161,6 +161,7 @@ def test_log_cli():
     if enabled:
         result.stdout.fnmatch_lines([
             'test_log_cli_enabled_disabled.py::test_log_cli ',
+            '*-- live log call --*',
             'test_log_cli_enabled_disabled.py* CRITICAL critical message logged by test',
             'PASSED*',
         ])
@@ -226,8 +227,20 @@ def test_log_2():
 
 
 def test_log_cli_default_level_sections(testdir, request):
-    """Check that with live logging enable we are printing the correct headers during setup/call/teardown."""
+    """Check that with live logging enable we are printing the correct headers during
+    start/setup/call/teardown/finish."""
     filename = request.node.name + '.py'
+    testdir.makeconftest('''
+        import pytest
+        import logging
+
+        def pytest_runtest_logstart():
+            logging.warning('>>>>> START >>>>>')
+
+        def pytest_runtest_logfinish():
+            logging.warning('<<<<< END <<<<<<<')
+    ''')
+
     testdir.makepyfile('''
         import pytest
         import logging
@@ -252,6 +265,8 @@ def test_log_2(fix):
     result = testdir.runpytest()
     result.stdout.fnmatch_lines([
         '{}::test_log_1 '.format(filename),
+        '*-- live log start --*',
+        '*WARNING* >>>>> START >>>>>*',
         '*-- live log setup --*',
         '*WARNING*log message from setup of test_log_1*',
         '*-- live log call --*',
@@ -259,8 +274,12 @@ def test_log_2(fix):
         'PASSED *50%*',
         '*-- live log teardown --*',
         '*WARNING*log message from teardown of test_log_1*',
+        '*-- live log finish --*',
+        '*WARNING* <<<<< END <<<<<<<*',
 
         '{}::test_log_2 '.format(filename),
+        '*-- live log start --*',
+        '*WARNING* >>>>> START >>>>>*',
         '*-- live log setup --*',
         '*WARNING*log message from setup of test_log_2*',
         '*-- live log call --*',
@@ -268,6 +287,8 @@ def test_log_2(fix):
         'PASSED *100%*',
         '*-- live log teardown --*',
         '*WARNING*log message from teardown of test_log_2*',
+        '*-- live log finish --*',
+        '*WARNING* <<<<< END <<<<<<<*',
         '=* 2 passed in *=',
     ])