diff --git a/app/controllers/admin/users_controller.rb b/app/controllers/admin/users_controller.rb
index a02d0843615..98883af6286 100644
--- a/app/controllers/admin/users_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/admin/users_controller.rb
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ class Admin::UsersController < Admin::ApplicationController
 
       warden.set_user(user, scope: :user)
 
-      Gitlab::AppLogger.info(_("User %{current_user_username} has started impersonating %{username}") % { current_user_username: current_user.username, username: user.username })
+      log_impersonation_event
 
       flash[:alert] = _("You are now impersonating %{username}") % { username: user.username }
 
@@ -236,4 +236,8 @@ class Admin::UsersController < Admin::ApplicationController
   def check_impersonation_availability
     access_denied! unless Gitlab.config.gitlab.impersonation_enabled
   end
+
+  def log_impersonation_event
+    Gitlab::AppLogger.info(_("User %{current_user_username} has started impersonating %{username}") % { current_user_username: current_user.username, username: user.username })
+  end
 end
diff --git a/app/controllers/application_controller.rb b/app/controllers/application_controller.rb
index 75108bf2646..0c80a276fce 100644
--- a/app/controllers/application_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/application_controller.rb
@@ -499,9 +499,7 @@ class ApplicationController < ActionController::Base
   end
 
   def stop_impersonation
-    impersonated_user = current_user
-
-    Gitlab::AppLogger.info("User #{impersonator.username} has stopped impersonating #{impersonated_user.username}")
+    log_impersonation_event
 
     warden.set_user(impersonator, scope: :user)
     session[:impersonator_id] = nil
@@ -509,6 +507,14 @@ class ApplicationController < ActionController::Base
     impersonated_user
   end
 
+  def impersonated_user
+    current_user
+  end
+
+  def log_impersonation_event
+    Gitlab::AppLogger.info("User #{impersonator.username} has stopped impersonating #{impersonated_user.username}")
+  end
+
   def impersonator
     @impersonator ||= User.find(session[:impersonator_id]) if session[:impersonator_id]
   end
diff --git a/doc/administration/audit_events.md b/doc/administration/audit_events.md
index a80ff330e03..aaa43f67760 100644
--- a/doc/administration/audit_events.md
+++ b/doc/administration/audit_events.md
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@ recorded:
 - Changed password
 - Ask for password reset
 - Grant OAuth access
+- Started/stopped user impersonation
 
 It is possible to filter particular actions by choosing an audit data type from
 the filter drop-down. You can further filter by specific group, project or user
diff --git a/spec/controllers/admin/users_controller_spec.rb b/spec/controllers/admin/users_controller_spec.rb
index 89a0eba66f7..d7428f8b52c 100644
--- a/spec/controllers/admin/users_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/controllers/admin/users_controller_spec.rb
@@ -279,6 +279,12 @@ describe Admin::UsersController do
         expect(warden.user).to eq(user)
       end
 
+      it 'logs the beginning of the impersonation event' do
+        expect(Gitlab::AppLogger).to receive(:info).with("User #{admin.username} has started impersonating #{user.username}").and_call_original
+
+        post :impersonate, params: { id: user.username }
+      end
+
       it "redirects to root" do
         post :impersonate, params: { id: user.username }