diff --git a/pkgs/base/info.rkt b/pkgs/base/info.rkt
index d4dbbc1b04..eabe3392b8 100644
--- a/pkgs/base/info.rkt
+++ b/pkgs/base/info.rkt
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 
 (define collection 'multi)
 
-(define version "7.2.0.6")
+(define version "7.2.0.7")
 
 (define deps `("racket-lib"
                ["racket" #:version ,version]))
diff --git a/pkgs/racket-doc/scribblings/reference/logging.scrbl b/pkgs/racket-doc/scribblings/reference/logging.scrbl
index 6136135c1c..8a7ac27bf6 100644
--- a/pkgs/racket-doc/scribblings/reference/logging.scrbl
+++ b/pkgs/racket-doc/scribblings/reference/logging.scrbl
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ is evaluated.
                       [level log-level/c]
                       [topic (or/c symbol? #f) (logger-name logger)]
                       [message string?]
-                      [data any/c]
+                      [data any/c #f]
                       [prefix-message? any/c #t])
           void?]{
 
@@ -174,7 +174,8 @@ addition, if @racket[topic] and @racket[prefix-message?] are not
 @racket[#f], then @racket[message] is prefixed with the topic followed
 by @racket[": "] before it is sent to receivers.
 
-@history[#:changed "6.0.1.10" @elem{Added the @racket[prefix-message?] argument.}]}
+@history[#:changed "6.0.1.10" @elem{Added the @racket[prefix-message?] argument.}
+         #:changed "7.2.0.7" @elem{Made the @racket[data] argument optional.}]}
 
 
 @defproc[(log-level? [logger logger?]
diff --git a/pkgs/racket-test-core/tests/racket/logger.rktl b/pkgs/racket-test-core/tests/racket/logger.rktl
index 69a1a85d2d..7c05835127 100644
--- a/pkgs/racket-test-core/tests/racket/logger.rktl
+++ b/pkgs/racket-test-core/tests/racket/logger.rktl
@@ -319,6 +319,21 @@
  exn:fail:contract?
  #rx"define-logger: contract violation.+expected: \\(or/c logger\\? #f\\).+given: 'not-a-logger")
 
+; --------------------
+;; optional data for `log-message`
+
+(let ()
+  (define logger (make-logger))
+  (define m (make-log-receiver logger 'error))
+  (log-message logger 'error 'whatever "hi")
+  (test '#(error "whatever: hi" #f whatever) sync m))
+
+(let ()
+  (define logger (make-logger))
+  (define m (make-log-receiver logger 'error))
+  (log-message logger 'error "hi")
+  (test '#(error "hi" #f #f) sync m))
+
 ; --------------------
 
 (report-errs)
diff --git a/racket/src/io/logger/main.rkt b/racket/src/io/logger/main.rkt
index 8a16526bf1..bef09d6281 100644
--- a/racket/src/io/logger/main.rkt
+++ b/racket/src/io/logger/main.rkt
@@ -93,15 +93,26 @@
 (define/who log-message
   ;; Complex dispatch based on number and whether third is a string:
   (case-lambda
-    [(logger level message data)
+    [(logger level message)
      (define topic (and (logger? logger) (logger-name logger)))
-     (do-log-message who logger level topic message data #t)]
+     (do-log-message who logger level topic message #f #t)]
+    [(logger level topic/message message/data)
+     (cond
+       [(string? topic/message)
+        (define topic (and (logger? logger) (logger-name logger)))
+        (do-log-message who logger level topic topic/message message/data #t)]
+       [(or (not topic/message) (symbol? topic/message))
+        (do-log-message who logger level topic/message message/data #f #t)]
+       [else
+        (check who logger? logger)
+        (check-level who level)
+        (raise-argument-error who "(or/c string? symbol?)" topic/message)])]
     [(logger level topic/message message/data data/prefix?)
      (cond
        [(string? topic/message)
         (define topic (and (logger? logger) (logger-name logger)))
         (do-log-message who logger level topic topic/message message/data data/prefix?)]
-       [(symbol? topic/message)
+       [(or (not topic/message) (symbol? topic/message))
         (do-log-message who logger level topic/message message/data data/prefix? #t)]
        [else
         (check who logger? logger)
diff --git a/racket/src/racket/src/error.c b/racket/src/racket/src/error.c
index aa4c46f9b9..879641a115 100644
--- a/racket/src/racket/src/error.c
+++ b/racket/src/racket/src/error.c
@@ -815,7 +815,7 @@ void scheme_init_error(Scheme_Startup_Env *env)
   ADD_NONCM_PRIM("make-logger",       make_logger,     0, -1, env);
   ADD_NONCM_PRIM("make-log-receiver", make_log_reader, 2, -1, env);
 
-  ADD_PRIM_W_ARITY("log-message",    log_message,   4, 6, env);
+  ADD_PRIM_W_ARITY("log-message",    log_message,   3, 6, env);
   ADD_FOLDING_PRIM("logger?",        logger_p,      1, 1, 1, env);
   ADD_FOLDING_PRIM("logger-name",    logger_name,   1, 1, 1, env);
   ADD_FOLDING_PRIM("log-receiver?",  log_reader_p,  1, 1, 1, env);
@@ -4062,6 +4062,7 @@ log_message(int argc, Scheme_Object *argv[])
   Scheme_Logger *logger;
   Scheme_Object *bytes;
   Scheme_Object *name;
+  Scheme_Object *data;
   int level, pos, pfx;
 
   if (!SAME_TYPE(SCHEME_TYPE(argv[0]), scheme_logger_type))
@@ -4086,9 +4087,14 @@ log_message(int argc, Scheme_Object *argv[])
     pfx = SCHEME_TRUEP(argv[pos+1]);
   else
     pfx = 1;
+
+  if (pos >= argc)
+    data = scheme_false;
+  else
+    data = argv[pos];
   
   scheme_log_name_pfx_message(logger, level, name,
-                              SCHEME_BYTE_STR_VAL(bytes), SCHEME_BYTE_STRLEN_VAL(bytes), argv[pos],
+                              SCHEME_BYTE_STR_VAL(bytes), SCHEME_BYTE_STRLEN_VAL(bytes), data,
                               pfx);
 
   return scheme_void;
diff --git a/racket/src/racket/src/schvers.h b/racket/src/racket/src/schvers.h
index 1d3a4fc0e9..d5a4115546 100644
--- a/racket/src/racket/src/schvers.h
+++ b/racket/src/racket/src/schvers.h
@@ -13,12 +13,12 @@
    consistently.)
 */
 
-#define MZSCHEME_VERSION "7.2.0.6"
+#define MZSCHEME_VERSION "7.2.0.7"
 
 #define MZSCHEME_VERSION_X 7
 #define MZSCHEME_VERSION_Y 2
 #define MZSCHEME_VERSION_Z 0
-#define MZSCHEME_VERSION_W 6
+#define MZSCHEME_VERSION_W 7
 
 #define MZSCHEME_VERSION_MAJOR ((MZSCHEME_VERSION_X * 100) + MZSCHEME_VERSION_Y)
 #define MZSCHEME_VERSION_MINOR ((MZSCHEME_VERSION_Z * 1000) + MZSCHEME_VERSION_W)