diff --git a/agent/consul/intention_endpoint.go b/agent/consul/intention_endpoint.go
index 56f310e18f..c3723d7081 100644
--- a/agent/consul/intention_endpoint.go
+++ b/agent/consul/intention_endpoint.go
@@ -86,6 +86,11 @@ func (s *Intention) Apply(
 	// We always update the updatedat field. This has no effect for deletion.
 	args.Intention.UpdatedAt = time.Now()
 
+	// Default source type
+	if args.Intention.SourceType == "" {
+		args.Intention.SourceType = structs.IntentionSourceConsul
+	}
+
 	// Until we support namespaces, we force all namespaces to be default
 	if args.Intention.SourceNS == "" {
 		args.Intention.SourceNS = structs.IntentionDefaultNamespace
diff --git a/agent/consul/intention_endpoint_test.go b/agent/consul/intention_endpoint_test.go
index 2ee49f207a..3c38e695ab 100644
--- a/agent/consul/intention_endpoint_test.go
+++ b/agent/consul/intention_endpoint_test.go
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ func TestIntentionApply_new(t *testing.T) {
 			DestinationNS:   structs.IntentionDefaultNamespace,
 			DestinationName: "test",
 			Action:          structs.IntentionActionAllow,
+			SourceType:      structs.IntentionSourceConsul,
 			Meta:            map[string]string{},
 		},
 	}
@@ -93,6 +94,61 @@ func TestIntentionApply_new(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+// Test the source type defaults
+func TestIntentionApply_defaultSourceType(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+	dir1, s1 := testServer(t)
+	defer os.RemoveAll(dir1)
+	defer s1.Shutdown()
+	codec := rpcClient(t, s1)
+	defer codec.Close()
+
+	testrpc.WaitForLeader(t, s1.RPC, "dc1")
+
+	// Setup a basic record to create
+	ixn := structs.IntentionRequest{
+		Datacenter: "dc1",
+		Op:         structs.IntentionOpCreate,
+		Intention: &structs.Intention{
+			SourceNS:        structs.IntentionDefaultNamespace,
+			SourceName:      "test",
+			DestinationNS:   structs.IntentionDefaultNamespace,
+			DestinationName: "test",
+			Action:          structs.IntentionActionAllow,
+		},
+	}
+	var reply string
+
+	// Create
+	if err := msgpackrpc.CallWithCodec(codec, "Intention.Apply", &ixn, &reply); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %v", err)
+	}
+	if reply == "" {
+		t.Fatal("reply should be non-empty")
+	}
+
+	// Read
+	ixn.Intention.ID = reply
+	{
+		req := &structs.IntentionQueryRequest{
+			Datacenter:  "dc1",
+			IntentionID: ixn.Intention.ID,
+		}
+		var resp structs.IndexedIntentions
+		if err := msgpackrpc.CallWithCodec(codec, "Intention.Get", req, &resp); err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("err: %v", err)
+		}
+		if len(resp.Intentions) != 1 {
+			t.Fatalf("bad: %v", resp)
+		}
+
+		actual := resp.Intentions[0]
+		if actual.SourceType != structs.IntentionSourceConsul {
+			t.Fatalf("bad:\n\n%#v\n\n%#v", actual, ixn.Intention)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 // Shouldn't be able to create with an ID set
 func TestIntentionApply_createWithID(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
@@ -143,6 +199,7 @@ func TestIntentionApply_updateGood(t *testing.T) {
 			DestinationNS:   structs.IntentionDefaultNamespace,
 			DestinationName: "test",
 			Action:          structs.IntentionActionAllow,
+			SourceType:      structs.IntentionSourceConsul,
 			Meta:            map[string]string{},
 		},
 	}
diff --git a/agent/structs/intention.go b/agent/structs/intention.go
index a8da939f7d..579fef6c10 100644
--- a/agent/structs/intention.go
+++ b/agent/structs/intention.go
@@ -147,6 +147,13 @@ func (x *Intention) Validate() error {
 			"Action must be set to 'allow' or 'deny'"))
 	}
 
+	switch x.SourceType {
+	case IntentionSourceConsul:
+	default:
+		result = multierror.Append(result, fmt.Errorf(
+			"SourceType must be set to 'consul'"))
+	}
+
 	return result
 }
 
diff --git a/agent/structs/intention_test.go b/agent/structs/intention_test.go
index 500b24d5aa..ec0a2de669 100644
--- a/agent/structs/intention_test.go
+++ b/agent/structs/intention_test.go
@@ -92,6 +92,18 @@ func TestIntentionValidate(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 			"follow wildcard",
 		},
+
+		{
+			"SourceType is not set",
+			func(x *Intention) { x.SourceType = "" },
+			"SourceType must",
+		},
+
+		{
+			"SourceType is other",
+			func(x *Intention) { x.SourceType = IntentionSourceType("other") },
+			"SourceType must",
+		},
 	}
 
 	for _, tc := range cases {
diff --git a/agent/structs/testing_intention.go b/agent/structs/testing_intention.go
index b653c1174e..930e27869e 100644
--- a/agent/structs/testing_intention.go
+++ b/agent/structs/testing_intention.go
@@ -11,5 +11,7 @@ func TestIntention(t testing.T) *Intention {
 		SourceName:      "api",
 		DestinationNS:   "eng",
 		DestinationName: "db",
+		Action:          IntentionActionAllow,
+		SourceType:      IntentionSourceConsul,
 	}
 }