diff --git a/consul/client.go b/consul/client.go
index a00bc9a6e2..6cfeb98712 100644
--- a/consul/client.go
+++ b/consul/client.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"net"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
 	"sync"
 	"time"
 )
@@ -178,6 +179,7 @@ func (c *Client) lanEventHandler() {
 			case serf.EventMemberFailed:
 				c.nodeFail(e.(serf.MemberEvent))
 			case serf.EventUser:
+				c.localEvent(e.(serf.UserEvent))
 			default:
 				c.logger.Printf("[WARN] consul: unhandled LAN Serf Event: %#v", e)
 			}
@@ -250,6 +252,26 @@ func (c *Client) nodeFail(me serf.MemberEvent) {
 	}
 }
 
+// localEvent is called when we receive an event on the local Serf
+func (c *Client) localEvent(event serf.UserEvent) {
+	// Handle only consul events
+	if !strings.HasPrefix(event.Name, "consul:") {
+		return
+	}
+
+	switch event.Name {
+	case newLeaderEvent:
+		c.logger.Printf("[INFO] consul: New leader elected: %s", event.Payload)
+
+		// Trigger the callback
+		if c.config.ServerUp != nil {
+			c.config.ServerUp()
+		}
+	default:
+		c.logger.Printf("[WARN] consul: Unhandled local event: %v", event)
+	}
+}
+
 // RPC is used to forward an RPC call to a consul server, or fail if no servers
 func (c *Client) RPC(method string, args interface{}, reply interface{}) error {
 	// Check the last rpc time
diff --git a/consul/leader.go b/consul/leader.go
index 6a28bfdff4..a527056373 100644
--- a/consul/leader.go
+++ b/consul/leader.go
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ const (
 	SerfCheckName     = "Serf Health Status"
 	ConsulServiceID   = "consul"
 	ConsulServiceName = "consul"
+	newLeaderEvent    = "consul:new-leader"
 )
 
 // monitorLeadership is used to monitor if we acquire or lose our role
@@ -42,6 +43,12 @@ func (s *Server) monitorLeadership() {
 // leaderLoop runs as long as we are the leader to run various
 // maintence activities
 func (s *Server) leaderLoop(stopCh chan struct{}) {
+	// Fire a user event indicating a new leader
+	payload := []byte(s.config.NodeName)
+	if err := s.serfLAN.UserEvent(newLeaderEvent, payload, false); err != nil {
+		s.logger.Printf("[WARN] consul: failed to broadcast new leader event: %v", err)
+	}
+
 	// Reconcile channel is only used once initial reconcile
 	// has succeeded
 	var reconcileCh chan serf.Member
diff --git a/consul/serf.go b/consul/serf.go
index 61e92b4b37..4e03661dbe 100644
--- a/consul/serf.go
+++ b/consul/serf.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package consul
 import (
 	"github.com/hashicorp/serf/serf"
 	"net"
+	"strings"
 )
 
 // lanEventHandler is used to handle events from the lan Serf cluster
@@ -18,6 +19,7 @@ func (s *Server) lanEventHandler() {
 			case serf.EventMemberFailed:
 				s.localMemberEvent(e.(serf.MemberEvent))
 			case serf.EventUser:
+				s.localEvent(e.(serf.UserEvent))
 			default:
 				s.logger.Printf("[WARN] consul: unhandled LAN Serf Event: %#v", e)
 			}
@@ -68,6 +70,26 @@ func (s *Server) localMemberEvent(me serf.MemberEvent) {
 	}
 }
 
+// localEvent is called when we receive an event on the local Serf
+func (s *Server) localEvent(event serf.UserEvent) {
+	// Handle only consul events
+	if !strings.HasPrefix(event.Name, "consul:") {
+		return
+	}
+
+	switch event.Name {
+	case newLeaderEvent:
+		s.logger.Printf("[INFO] consul: New leader elected: %s", event.Payload)
+
+		// Trigger the callback
+		if s.config.ServerUp != nil {
+			s.config.ServerUp()
+		}
+	default:
+		s.logger.Printf("[WARN] consul: Unhandled local event: %v", event)
+	}
+}
+
 // remoteJoin is used to handle join events on the wan serf cluster
 func (s *Server) remoteJoin(me serf.MemberEvent) {
 	for _, m := range me.Members {