diff --git a/command/agent/agent.go b/command/agent/agent.go
index ea3c515079..d1d9e92915 100644
--- a/command/agent/agent.go
+++ b/command/agent/agent.go
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import (
 	"regexp"
 	"strconv"
 	"sync"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/hashicorp/consul/consul"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/consul/consul/structs"
@@ -23,7 +24,8 @@ const (
 	servicesDir = "services"
 
 	// Path to save local agent checks
-	checksDir = "checks"
+	checksDir     = "checks"
+	checkStateDir = "checks/state"
 
 	// The ID of the faux health checks for maintenance mode
 	serviceMaintCheckPrefix = "_service_maintenance"
@@ -757,6 +759,13 @@ func (a *Agent) AddCheck(check *structs.HealthCheck, chkType *CheckType, persist
 				TTL:     chkType.TTL,
 				Logger:  a.logger,
 			}
+
+			// Restore persisted state, if any
+			if err := a.loadCheckState(check); err != nil {
+				a.logger.Printf("[WARN] agent: failed restoring state for check %q: %s",
+					check.CheckID, err)
+			}
+
 			ttl.Start()
 			a.checkTTLs[check.CheckID] = ttl
 
@@ -842,7 +851,12 @@ func (a *Agent) RemoveCheck(checkID string, persist bool) error {
 		delete(a.checkTTLs, checkID)
 	}
 	if persist {
-		return a.purgeCheck(checkID)
+		if err := a.purgeCheck(checkID); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		if err := a.purgeCheckState(checkID); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
 	}
 	log.Printf("[DEBUG] agent: removed check %q", checkID)
 	return nil
@@ -861,9 +875,88 @@ func (a *Agent) UpdateCheck(checkID, status, output string) error {
 
 	// Set the status through CheckTTL to reset the TTL
 	check.SetStatus(status, output)
+
+	// Always persist the state for TTL checks
+	if err := a.persistCheckState(check, status, output); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed persisting state for check %q: %s", checkID, err)
+	}
+
 	return nil
 }
 
+// persistCheckState is used to record the check status into the data dir.
+// This allows the state to be restored on a later agent start. Currently
+// only useful for TTL based checks.
+func (a *Agent) persistCheckState(check *CheckTTL, status, output string) error {
+	// Create the persisted state
+	state := persistedCheckState{
+		CheckID: check.CheckID,
+		Status:  status,
+		Output:  output,
+		Expires: time.Now().Add(check.TTL).Unix(),
+	}
+
+	// Encode the state
+	buf, err := json.Marshal(state)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	// Create the state dir if it doesn't exist
+	dir := filepath.Join(a.config.DataDir, checkStateDir)
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(dir, 0700); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed creating check state dir %q: %s", dir, err)
+	}
+
+	// Write the state to the file
+	file := filepath.Join(dir, stringHash(check.CheckID))
+	if err := ioutil.WriteFile(file, buf, 0600); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed writing file %q: %s", file, err)
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+// loadCheckState is used to restore the persisted state of a check.
+func (a *Agent) loadCheckState(check *structs.HealthCheck) error {
+	// Try to read the persisted state for this check
+	file := filepath.Join(a.config.DataDir, checkStateDir, stringHash(check.CheckID))
+	buf, err := ioutil.ReadFile(file)
+	if err != nil {
+		if os.IsNotExist(err) {
+			return nil
+		}
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed reading file %q: %s", file, err)
+	}
+
+	// Decode the state data
+	var p persistedCheckState
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(buf, &p); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed decoding check state: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	// Check if the state has expired
+	if time.Now().Unix() >= p.Expires {
+		a.logger.Printf("[DEBUG] agent: check state expired for %q, not restoring", check.CheckID)
+		return a.purgeCheckState(check.CheckID)
+	}
+
+	// Restore the fields from the state
+	check.Output = p.Output
+	check.Status = p.Status
+	return nil
+}
+
+// purgeCheckState is used to purge the state of a check from the data dir
+func (a *Agent) purgeCheckState(checkID string) error {
+	file := filepath.Join(a.config.DataDir, checkStateDir, stringHash(checkID))
+	err := os.Remove(file)
+	if os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		return nil
+	}
+	return err
+}
+
 // Stats is used to get various debugging state from the sub-systems
 func (a *Agent) Stats() map[string]map[string]string {
 	toString := func(v uint64) string {
diff --git a/command/agent/agent_test.go b/command/agent/agent_test.go
index 7a2b43f764..b36a8a2741 100644
--- a/command/agent/agent_test.go
+++ b/command/agent/agent_test.go
@@ -459,6 +459,49 @@ func TestAgent_AddCheck_MissingService(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestAgent_AddCheck_RestoreState(t *testing.T) {
+	dir, agent := makeAgent(t, nextConfig())
+	defer os.RemoveAll(dir)
+	defer agent.Shutdown()
+
+	// Create some state and persist it
+	ttl := &CheckTTL{
+		CheckID: "baz",
+		TTL:     time.Minute,
+	}
+	err := agent.persistCheckState(ttl, structs.HealthPassing, "yup")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	// Build and register the check definition and initial state
+	health := &structs.HealthCheck{
+		Node:    "foo",
+		CheckID: "baz",
+		Name:    "baz check 1",
+	}
+	chk := &CheckType{
+		TTL: time.Minute,
+	}
+	err = agent.AddCheck(health, chk, false, "")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	// Ensure the check status was restored during registration
+	checks := agent.state.Checks()
+	check, ok := checks["baz"]
+	if !ok {
+		t.Fatalf("missing check")
+	}
+	if check.Status != structs.HealthPassing {
+		t.Fatalf("bad: %#v", check)
+	}
+	if check.Output != "yup" {
+		t.Fatalf("bad: %#v", check)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestAgent_RemoveCheck(t *testing.T) {
 	dir, agent := makeAgent(t, nextConfig())
 	defer os.RemoveAll(dir)
@@ -1349,3 +1392,146 @@ func TestAgent_loadChecks_checkFails(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("should have purged check")
 	}
 }
+
+func TestAgent_persistCheckState(t *testing.T) {
+	config := nextConfig()
+	dir, agent := makeAgent(t, config)
+	defer os.RemoveAll(dir)
+	defer agent.Shutdown()
+
+	// Create the TTL check to persist
+	check := &CheckTTL{
+		CheckID: "check1",
+		TTL:     10 * time.Minute,
+	}
+
+	// Persist some check state for the check
+	err := agent.persistCheckState(check, structs.HealthCritical, "nope")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	// Check the persisted file exists and has the content
+	file := filepath.Join(agent.config.DataDir, checkStateDir, stringHash("check1"))
+	buf, err := ioutil.ReadFile(file)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	// Decode the state
+	var p persistedCheckState
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(buf, &p); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	// Check the fields
+	if p.CheckID != "check1" {
+		t.Fatalf("bad: %#v", p)
+	}
+	if p.Output != "nope" {
+		t.Fatalf("bad: %#v", p)
+	}
+	if p.Status != structs.HealthCritical {
+		t.Fatalf("bad: %#v", p)
+	}
+
+	// Check the expiration time was set
+	if p.Expires < time.Now().Unix() {
+		t.Fatalf("bad: %#v", p)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestAgent_loadCheckState(t *testing.T) {
+	config := nextConfig()
+	dir, agent := makeAgent(t, config)
+	defer os.RemoveAll(dir)
+	defer agent.Shutdown()
+
+	// Create a check whose state will expire immediately
+	check := &CheckTTL{
+		CheckID: "check1",
+		TTL:     0,
+	}
+
+	// Persist the check state
+	err := agent.persistCheckState(check, structs.HealthPassing, "yup")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	// Try to load the state
+	health := &structs.HealthCheck{
+		CheckID: "check1",
+		Status:  structs.HealthCritical,
+	}
+	if err := agent.loadCheckState(health); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	// Should not have restored the status due to expiration
+	if health.Status != structs.HealthCritical {
+		t.Fatalf("bad: %#v", health)
+	}
+	if health.Output != "" {
+		t.Fatalf("bad: %#v", health)
+	}
+
+	// Should have purged the state
+	file := filepath.Join(agent.config.DataDir, checksDir, stringHash("check1"))
+	if _, err := os.Stat(file); !os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		t.Fatalf("should have purged state")
+	}
+
+	// Set a TTL which will not expire before we check it
+	check.TTL = time.Minute
+	err = agent.persistCheckState(check, structs.HealthPassing, "yup")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	// Try to load
+	if err := agent.loadCheckState(health); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	// Should have restored
+	if health.Status != structs.HealthPassing {
+		t.Fatalf("bad: %#v", health)
+	}
+	if health.Output != "yup" {
+		t.Fatalf("bad: %#v", health)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestAgent_purgeCheckState(t *testing.T) {
+	config := nextConfig()
+	dir, agent := makeAgent(t, config)
+	defer os.RemoveAll(dir)
+	defer agent.Shutdown()
+
+	// No error if the state does not exist
+	if err := agent.purgeCheckState("check1"); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	// Persist some state to the data dir
+	check := &CheckTTL{
+		CheckID: "check1",
+		TTL:     time.Minute,
+	}
+	err := agent.persistCheckState(check, structs.HealthPassing, "yup")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	// Purge the check state
+	if err := agent.purgeCheckState("check1"); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	// Removed the file
+	file := filepath.Join(agent.config.DataDir, checkStateDir, stringHash("check1"))
+	if _, err := os.Stat(file); !os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		t.Fatalf("should have removed file")
+	}
+}
diff --git a/command/agent/check.go b/command/agent/check.go
index 66578db8e7..6677483886 100644
--- a/command/agent/check.go
+++ b/command/agent/check.go
@@ -266,6 +266,17 @@ type persistedCheck struct {
 	Token   string
 }
 
+// persistedCheckState is used to persist the current state of a given
+// check. This is different from the check definition, and includes an
+// expiration timestamp which is used to determine staleness on later
+// agent restarts.
+type persistedCheckState struct {
+	CheckID string
+	Output  string
+	Status  string
+	Expires int64
+}
+
 // CheckHTTP is used to periodically make an HTTP request to
 // determine the health of a given check.
 // The check is passing if the response code is 2XX.
diff --git a/website/source/docs/agent/checks.html.markdown b/website/source/docs/agent/checks.html.markdown
index 324661b249..d9b0c0f17b 100644
--- a/website/source/docs/agent/checks.html.markdown
+++ b/website/source/docs/agent/checks.html.markdown
@@ -37,7 +37,10 @@ There are three different kinds of checks:
   set to the failed state. This mechanism, conceptually similar to a dead man's switch,
   relies on the application to directly report its health. For example, a healthy app
   can periodically `PUT` a status update to the HTTP endpoint; if the app fails, the TTL will
-  expire and the health check enters a critical state.
+  expire and the health check enters a critical state. TTL checks also persist
+  their last known status to disk. This allows the Consul agent to restore the
+  last known status of the check across restarts. Persisted check status is
+  valid through the end of the TTL from the time of the last check.
 
 ## Check Definition