diff --git a/command/agent/agent.go b/command/agent/agent.go
index a79454e085..2b7bfb93c9 100644
--- a/command/agent/agent.go
+++ b/command/agent/agent.go
@@ -741,6 +741,7 @@ func (a *Agent) reapServices() {
 // persistService saves a service definition to a JSON file in the data dir
 func (a *Agent) persistService(service *structs.NodeService) error {
 	svcPath := filepath.Join(a.config.DataDir, servicesDir, stringHash(service.ID))
+
 	wrapped := persistedService{
 		Token:   a.state.ServiceToken(service.ID),
 		Service: service,
@@ -749,18 +750,8 @@ func (a *Agent) persistService(service *structs.NodeService) error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	if err := os.MkdirAll(filepath.Dir(svcPath), 0700); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	fh, err := os.OpenFile(svcPath, os.O_CREATE|os.O_WRONLY|os.O_TRUNC, 0600)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	defer fh.Close()
-	if _, err := fh.Write(encoded); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	return nil
+
+	return writeFileAtomic(svcPath, encoded)
 }
 
 // purgeService removes a persisted service definition file from the data dir
@@ -787,18 +778,8 @@ func (a *Agent) persistCheck(check *structs.HealthCheck, chkType *CheckType) err
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	if err := os.MkdirAll(filepath.Dir(checkPath), 0700); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	fh, err := os.OpenFile(checkPath, os.O_CREATE|os.O_WRONLY|os.O_TRUNC, 0600)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	defer fh.Close()
-	if _, err := fh.Write(encoded); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	return nil
+
+	return writeFileAtomic(checkPath, encoded)
 }
 
 // purgeCheck removes a persisted check definition file from the data dir
@@ -810,6 +791,29 @@ func (a *Agent) purgeCheck(checkID types.CheckID) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+// writeFileAtomic writes the given contents to a temporary file in the same
+// directory, does an fsync and then renames the file to its real path
+func writeFileAtomic(path string, contents []byte) error {
+	tempPath := path + ".tmp"
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(filepath.Dir(path), 0700); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	fh, err := os.OpenFile(tempPath, os.O_CREATE|os.O_WRONLY|os.O_TRUNC, 0600)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if _, err := fh.Write(contents); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if err := fh.Sync(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if err := fh.Close(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	return os.Rename(tempPath, path)
+}
+
 // AddService is used to add a service entry.
 // This entry is persistent and the agent will make a best effort to
 // ensure it is registered
@@ -1184,8 +1188,16 @@ func (a *Agent) persistCheckState(check *CheckTTL, status, output string) error
 
 	// Write the state to the file
 	file := filepath.Join(dir, checkIDHash(check.CheckID))
-	if err := ioutil.WriteFile(file, buf, 0600); err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed writing file %q: %s", file, err)
+
+	// Create temp file in same dir, to make more likely atomic
+	tempFile := file + ".tmp"
+
+	// persistCheckState is called frequently, so don't use writeFileAtomic to avoid calling fsync here
+	if err := ioutil.WriteFile(tempFile, buf, 0600); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed writing temp file %q: %s", tempFile, err)
+	}
+	if err := os.Rename(tempFile, file); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to rename temp file from %q to %q: %s", tempFile, file, err)
 	}
 
 	return nil
@@ -1206,7 +1218,8 @@ func (a *Agent) loadCheckState(check *structs.HealthCheck) error {
 	// Decode the state data
 	var p persistedCheckState
 	if err := json.Unmarshal(buf, &p); err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed decoding check state: %s", err)
+		a.logger.Printf("[ERROR] agent: failed decoding check state: %s", err)
+		return a.purgeCheckState(check.CheckID)
 	}
 
 	// Check if the state has expired