diff --git a/command/agent/agent.go b/command/agent/agent.go
index 418c5fef4c..35429b4409 100644
--- a/command/agent/agent.go
+++ b/command/agent/agent.go
@@ -114,6 +114,14 @@ func Create(config *Config, logOutput io.Writer) (*Agent, error) {
 	if config.Server {
 		err = agent.setupServer()
 		agent.state.SetIface(agent.server)
+
+		// Automatically register the "consul" service on server nodes
+		consulService := structs.NodeService{
+			Service: consul.ConsulServiceName,
+			ID:      consul.ConsulServiceID,
+			Port:    agent.config.Ports.Server,
+		}
+		agent.state.AddService(&consulService)
 	} else {
 		err = agent.setupClient()
 		agent.state.SetIface(agent.client)
@@ -452,6 +460,13 @@ func (a *Agent) AddService(service *structs.NodeService, chkType *CheckType) err
 // RemoveService is used to remove a service entry.
 // The agent will make a best effort to ensure it is deregistered
 func (a *Agent) RemoveService(serviceID string) error {
+	// Protect "consul" service from deletion by a user
+	if a.server != nil && serviceID == consul.ConsulServiceID {
+		return fmt.Errorf(
+			"Deregistering the %s service is not allowed",
+			consul.ConsulServiceID)
+	}
+
 	// Remove service immeidately
 	a.state.RemoveService(serviceID)
 
diff --git a/command/agent/agent_endpoint_test.go b/command/agent/agent_endpoint_test.go
index 73682a9cc4..798fd4a1db 100644
--- a/command/agent/agent_endpoint_test.go
+++ b/command/agent/agent_endpoint_test.go
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ func TestHTTPAgentServices(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("Err: %v", err)
 	}
 	val := obj.(map[string]*structs.NodeService)
-	if len(val) != 1 {
+	if len(val) != 2 {
 		t.Fatalf("bad services: %v", obj)
 	}
 	if val["mysql"].Port != 5000 {
diff --git a/command/agent/agent_test.go b/command/agent/agent_test.go
index 3343c4afc1..64ae5c873e 100644
--- a/command/agent/agent_test.go
+++ b/command/agent/agent_test.go
@@ -146,6 +146,11 @@ func TestAgent_RemoveService(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("err: %v", err)
 	}
 
+	// Remove the consul service
+	if err := agent.RemoveService("consul"); err == nil {
+		t.Fatalf("should have errored")
+	}
+
 	srv := &structs.NodeService{
 		ID:      "redis",
 		Service: "redis",
@@ -315,3 +320,14 @@ func TestAgent_UpdateCheck(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("bad: %v", status)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestAgent_ConsulService(t *testing.T) {
+	dir, agent := makeAgent(t, nextConfig())
+	defer os.RemoveAll(dir)
+	defer agent.Shutdown()
+
+	services := agent.state.Services()
+	if _, ok := services[consul.ConsulServiceID]; !ok {
+		t.Fatalf("%s service should be registered", consul.ConsulServiceID)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/command/agent/local.go b/command/agent/local.go
index b35e86e847..86b7e45ff2 100644
--- a/command/agent/local.go
+++ b/command/agent/local.go
@@ -314,11 +314,6 @@ func (l *localState) setSyncState() error {
 			// If we don't have the service locally, deregister it
 			existing, ok := l.services[id]
 			if !ok {
-				// The Consul service is created automatically, and
-				// does not need to be registered
-				if id == consul.ConsulServiceID && l.config.Server {
-					continue
-				}
 				l.serviceStatus[id] = syncStatus{remoteDelete: true}
 				continue
 			}
diff --git a/command/agent/local_test.go b/command/agent/local_test.go
index 29bf379806..7b1024c91f 100644
--- a/command/agent/local_test.go
+++ b/command/agent/local_test.go
@@ -119,10 +119,10 @@ func TestAgentAntiEntropy_Services(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	// Check the local state
-	if len(agent.state.services) != 3 {
+	if len(agent.state.services) != 4 {
 		t.Fatalf("bad: %v", agent.state.services)
 	}
-	if len(agent.state.serviceStatus) != 3 {
+	if len(agent.state.serviceStatus) != 4 {
 		t.Fatalf("bad: %v", agent.state.serviceStatus)
 	}
 	for name, status := range agent.state.serviceStatus {