diff --git a/consul/state/state_store.go b/consul/state/state_store.go
index 8a52a87352..fb894104ab 100644
--- a/consul/state/state_store.go
+++ b/consul/state/state_store.go
@@ -352,6 +352,21 @@ func (s *StateStore) EnsureCheck(idx uint64, hc *structs.HealthCheck) error {
 // a health check into the state store. It ensures safety against inserting
 // checks with no matching node or service.
 func (s *StateStore) ensureCheckTxn(idx uint64, hc *structs.HealthCheck, tx *memdb.Txn) error {
+	// Check if we have an existing health check
+	existing, err := tx.First("checks", "id", hc.Node, hc.CheckID)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed health check lookup: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	// Set the indexes
+	if existing != nil {
+		hc.CreateIndex = existing.(*structs.HealthCheck).CreateIndex
+		hc.ModifyIndex = idx
+	} else {
+		hc.CreateIndex = idx
+		hc.ModifyIndex = idx
+	}
+
 	// Use the default check status if none was provided
 	if hc.Status == "" {
 		hc.Status = structs.HealthCritical
diff --git a/consul/state/state_store_test.go b/consul/state/state_store_test.go
index 2545fe99c0..230aeb9367 100644
--- a/consul/state/state_store_test.go
+++ b/consul/state/state_store_test.go
@@ -332,9 +332,30 @@ func TestStateStore_EnsureCheck(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
 	}
 	if len(checks) != 1 {
-		t.Fatalf("bad number of checks: %d", len(checks))
+		t.Fatalf("wrong number of checks: %d", len(checks))
 	}
 	if !reflect.DeepEqual(checks[0], check) {
 		t.Fatalf("bad: %#v", checks[0])
 	}
+
+	// Modify the health check
+	check.Output = "bbb"
+	if err := s.EnsureCheck(4, check); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	// Check that we successfully updated
+	checks, err = s.NodeChecks("node1")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
+	}
+	if len(checks) != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("wrong number of checks: %d", len(checks))
+	}
+	if checks[0].Output != "bbb" {
+		t.Fatalf("wrong check output: %#v", checks[0])
+	}
+	if checks[0].CreateIndex != 3 || checks[0].ModifyIndex != 4 {
+		t.Fatalf("bad index: %#v", checks[0])
+	}
 }
diff --git a/consul/structs/structs.go b/consul/structs/structs.go
index 9b7cab7452..12a82410bb 100644
--- a/consul/structs/structs.go
+++ b/consul/structs/structs.go
@@ -283,6 +283,8 @@ type HealthCheck struct {
 	Output      string // Holds output of script runs
 	ServiceID   string // optional associated service
 	ServiceName string // optional service name
+
+	RaftIndex
 }
 type HealthChecks []*HealthCheck