diff --git a/command/agent/agent.go b/command/agent/agent.go
index 99b4d25b5..417c4552e 100644
--- a/command/agent/agent.go
+++ b/command/agent/agent.go
@@ -83,6 +83,9 @@ type Agent struct {
 	// checkTTLs maps the check ID to an associated check TTL
 	checkTTLs map[string]*CheckTTL
 
+	// checkDockers maps the check ID to an associated Docker Exec based check
+	checkDockers map[string]*CheckDocker
+
 	// checkLock protects updates to the check* maps
 	checkLock sync.Mutex
 
@@ -151,6 +154,7 @@ func Create(config *Config, logOutput io.Writer) (*Agent, error) {
 		checkTTLs:     make(map[string]*CheckTTL),
 		checkHTTPs:    make(map[string]*CheckHTTP),
 		checkTCPs:     make(map[string]*CheckTCP),
+		checkDockers:  make(map[string]*CheckDocker),
 		eventCh:       make(chan serf.UserEvent, 1024),
 		eventBuf:      make([]*UserEvent, 256),
 		shutdownCh:    make(chan struct{}),
@@ -905,7 +909,31 @@ func (a *Agent) AddCheck(check *structs.HealthCheck, chkType *CheckType, persist
 			tcp.Start()
 			a.checkTCPs[check.CheckID] = tcp
 
-		} else {
+		} else if chkType.IsDocker() {
+			if existing, ok := a.checkDockers[check.CheckID]; ok {
+				existing.Stop()
+			}
+			if chkType.Interval < MinInterval {
+				a.logger.Println(fmt.Sprintf("[WARN] agent: check '%s' has interval below minimum of %v",
+					check.CheckID, MinInterval))
+				chkType.Interval = MinInterval
+			}
+
+			dockerCheck := &CheckDocker{
+				Notify:            &a.state,
+				CheckID:           check.CheckID,
+				DockerContainerId: chkType.DockerContainerId,
+				Shell:             chkType.Shell,
+				Script:            chkType.Script,
+				Interval:          chkType.Interval,
+				Logger:            a.logger,
+			}
+			if err := dockerCheck.Init(); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+			dockerCheck.Start()
+			a.checkDockers[check.CheckID] = dockerCheck
+		} else if chkType.IsMonitor() {
 			if existing, ok := a.checkMonitors[check.CheckID]; ok {
 				existing.Stop()
 			}
@@ -924,6 +952,8 @@ func (a *Agent) AddCheck(check *structs.HealthCheck, chkType *CheckType, persist
 			}
 			monitor.Start()
 			a.checkMonitors[check.CheckID] = monitor
+		} else {
+			return fmt.Errorf("Check type is not valid")
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/command/agent/check.go b/command/agent/check.go
index d1d316569..8ca3e3cc6 100644
--- a/command/agent/check.go
+++ b/command/agent/check.go
@@ -6,12 +6,14 @@ import (
 	"log"
 	"net"
 	"net/http"
+	"os"
 	"os/exec"
 	"sync"
 	"syscall"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/armon/circbuf"
+	docker "github.com/fsouza/go-dockerclient"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/consul/consul/structs"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/go-cleanhttp"
 )
@@ -33,15 +35,17 @@ const (
 
 // CheckType is used to create either the CheckMonitor
 // or the CheckTTL.
-// Four types are supported: Script, HTTP, TCP and TTL
-// Script, HTTP and TCP all require Interval
+// Five types are supported: Script, HTTP, TCP, Docker and TTL
+// Script, HTTP, Docker and TCP all require Interval
 // Only one of the types needs to be provided
-//  TTL or Script/Interval or HTTP/Interval or TCP/Interval
+// TTL or Script/Interval or HTTP/Interval or TCP/Interval or Docker/Interval
 type CheckType struct {
-	Script   string
-	HTTP     string
-	TCP      string
-	Interval time.Duration
+	Script            string
+	HTTP              string
+	TCP               string
+	Interval          time.Duration
+	DockerContainerId string
+	Shell             string
 
 	Timeout time.Duration
 	TTL     time.Duration
@@ -54,7 +58,7 @@ type CheckTypes []*CheckType
 
 // Valid checks if the CheckType is valid
 func (c *CheckType) Valid() bool {
-	return c.IsTTL() || c.IsMonitor() || c.IsHTTP() || c.IsTCP()
+	return c.IsTTL() || c.IsMonitor() || c.IsHTTP() || c.IsTCP() || c.IsDocker()
 }
 
 // IsTTL checks if this is a TTL type
@@ -64,7 +68,7 @@ func (c *CheckType) IsTTL() bool {
 
 // IsMonitor checks if this is a Monitor type
 func (c *CheckType) IsMonitor() bool {
-	return c.Script != "" && c.Interval != 0
+	return c.Script != "" && c.DockerContainerId == "" && c.Interval != 0
 }
 
 // IsHTTP checks if this is a HTTP type
@@ -77,6 +81,10 @@ func (c *CheckType) IsTCP() bool {
 	return c.TCP != "" && c.Interval != 0
 }
 
+func (c *CheckType) IsDocker() bool {
+	return c.DockerContainerId != "" && c.Script != "" && c.Interval != 0
+}
+
 // CheckNotifier interface is used by the CheckMonitor
 // to notify when a check has a status update. The update
 // should take care to be idempotent.
@@ -493,3 +501,161 @@ func (c *CheckTCP) check() {
 	c.Logger.Printf("[DEBUG] agent: check '%v' is passing", c.CheckID)
 	c.Notify.UpdateCheck(c.CheckID, structs.HealthPassing, fmt.Sprintf("TCP connect %s: Success", c.TCP))
 }
+
+// A custom interface since go-dockerclient doesn't have one
+// We will use this interface in our test to inject a fake client
+type DockerClient interface {
+	CreateExec(docker.CreateExecOptions) (*docker.Exec, error)
+	StartExec(string, docker.StartExecOptions) error
+	InspectExec(string) (*docker.ExecInspect, error)
+}
+
+// CheckDocker is used to periodically invoke a script to
+// determine the health of an application running inside a
+// Docker Container. We assume that the script is compatible
+// with nagios plugins and expects the output in the same format.
+type CheckDocker struct {
+	Notify            CheckNotifier
+	CheckID           string
+	Script            string
+	DockerContainerId string
+	Shell             string
+	Interval          time.Duration
+	Logger            *log.Logger
+
+	dockerClient DockerClient
+	cmd          []string
+	stop         bool
+	stopCh       chan struct{}
+	stopLock     sync.Mutex
+}
+
+//Initializes the Docker Client
+func (c *CheckDocker) Init() error {
+	//create the docker client
+	var err error
+	c.dockerClient, err = docker.NewClientFromEnv()
+	if err != nil {
+		c.Logger.Println("[DEBUG] Error creating the Docker Client : %s", err.Error())
+		return err
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+// Start is used to start checks.
+// Docker Checks runs until stop is called
+func (c *CheckDocker) Start() {
+	c.stopLock.Lock()
+	defer c.stopLock.Unlock()
+
+	//figure out the shell
+	if c.Shell == "" {
+		c.Shell = shell()
+	}
+
+	c.cmd = []string{c.Shell, "-c", c.Script}
+
+	c.stop = false
+	c.stopCh = make(chan struct{})
+	go c.run()
+}
+
+// Stop is used to stop a docker check.
+func (c *CheckDocker) Stop() {
+	c.stopLock.Lock()
+	defer c.stopLock.Unlock()
+	if !c.stop {
+		c.stop = true
+		close(c.stopCh)
+	}
+}
+
+// run is invoked by a goroutine to run until Stop() is called
+func (c *CheckDocker) run() {
+	// Get the randomized initial pause time
+	initialPauseTime := randomStagger(c.Interval)
+	c.Logger.Printf("[DEBUG] agent: pausing %v before first invocation of %s -c %s in container %s", initialPauseTime, c.Shell, c.Script, c.DockerContainerId)
+	next := time.After(initialPauseTime)
+	for {
+		select {
+		case <-next:
+			c.check()
+			next = time.After(c.Interval)
+		case <-c.stopCh:
+			return
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func (c *CheckDocker) check() {
+	//Set up the Exec since
+	execOpts := docker.CreateExecOptions{
+		AttachStdin:  false,
+		AttachStdout: true,
+		AttachStderr: true,
+		Tty:          false,
+		Cmd:          c.cmd,
+		Container:    c.DockerContainerId,
+	}
+	var (
+		exec *docker.Exec
+		err  error
+	)
+	if exec, err = c.dockerClient.CreateExec(execOpts); err != nil {
+		c.Logger.Printf("[DEBUG] agent: Error while creating Exec: %s", err.Error())
+		c.Notify.UpdateCheck(c.CheckID, structs.HealthCritical, fmt.Sprintf("Unable to create Exec, error: %s", err.Error()))
+		return
+	}
+
+	// Collect the output
+	output, _ := circbuf.NewBuffer(CheckBufSize)
+
+	err = c.dockerClient.StartExec(exec.ID, docker.StartExecOptions{Detach: false, Tty: false, OutputStream: output, ErrorStream: output})
+	if err != nil {
+		c.Logger.Printf("[DEBUG] Error in executing health checks: %s", err.Error())
+		c.Notify.UpdateCheck(c.CheckID, structs.HealthCritical, fmt.Sprintf("Unable to start Exec: %s", err.Error()))
+		return
+	}
+
+	// Get the output, add a message about truncation
+	outputStr := string(output.Bytes())
+	if output.TotalWritten() > output.Size() {
+		outputStr = fmt.Sprintf("Captured %d of %d bytes\n...\n%s",
+			output.Size(), output.TotalWritten(), outputStr)
+	}
+
+	c.Logger.Printf("[DEBUG] agent: check '%s' script '%s' output: %s",
+		c.CheckID, c.Script, outputStr)
+
+	execInfo, err := c.dockerClient.InspectExec(exec.ID)
+	if err != nil {
+		c.Logger.Printf("[DEBUG] Error in inspecting check result : %s", err.Error())
+		c.Notify.UpdateCheck(c.CheckID, structs.HealthCritical, fmt.Sprintf("Unable to inspect Exec: %s", err.Error()))
+		return
+	}
+
+	// Sets the status of the check to healthy if exit code is 0
+	if execInfo.ExitCode == 0 {
+		c.Notify.UpdateCheck(c.CheckID, structs.HealthPassing, outputStr)
+		return
+	}
+
+	// Set the status of the check to Warning if exit code is 1
+	if execInfo.ExitCode == 1 {
+		c.Logger.Printf("[DEBUG] Check failed with exit code: %d", execInfo.ExitCode)
+		c.Notify.UpdateCheck(c.CheckID, structs.HealthWarning, outputStr)
+		return
+	}
+
+	// Set the health as critical
+	c.Logger.Printf("[WARN] agent: Check '%v' is now critical", c.CheckID)
+	c.Notify.UpdateCheck(c.CheckID, structs.HealthCritical, outputStr)
+}
+
+func shell() string {
+	if otherShell := os.Getenv("SHELL"); otherShell != "" {
+		return otherShell
+	} else {
+		return "/bin/sh"
+	}
+}
diff --git a/command/agent/check_test.go b/command/agent/check_test.go
index 6b9f59df7..3736f8d3a 100644
--- a/command/agent/check_test.go
+++ b/command/agent/check_test.go
@@ -1,15 +1,18 @@
 package agent
 
 import (
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"log"
 	"net"
 	"net/http"
 	"net/http/httptest"
 	"os"
+	"os/exec"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
+	docker "github.com/fsouza/go-dockerclient"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/consul/consul/structs"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/consul/testutil"
 )
@@ -393,3 +396,269 @@ func TestCheckTCPPassing(t *testing.T) {
 	expectTCPStatus(t, tcpServer.Addr().String(), "passing")
 	tcpServer.Close()
 }
+
+// A fake docker client to test happy path scenario
+type fakeDockerClientWithNoErrors struct {
+}
+
+func (d *fakeDockerClientWithNoErrors) CreateExec(opts docker.CreateExecOptions) (*docker.Exec, error) {
+	return &docker.Exec{ID: "123"}, nil
+}
+
+func (d *fakeDockerClientWithNoErrors) StartExec(id string, opts docker.StartExecOptions) error {
+	fmt.Fprint(opts.OutputStream, "output")
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (d *fakeDockerClientWithNoErrors) InspectExec(id string) (*docker.ExecInspect, error) {
+	return &docker.ExecInspect{
+		ID:       "123",
+		ExitCode: 0,
+	}, nil
+}
+
+// A fake docker client to test truncation of output
+type fakeDockerClientWithLongOutput struct {
+}
+
+func (d *fakeDockerClientWithLongOutput) CreateExec(opts docker.CreateExecOptions) (*docker.Exec, error) {
+	return &docker.Exec{ID: "123"}, nil
+}
+
+func (d *fakeDockerClientWithLongOutput) StartExec(id string, opts docker.StartExecOptions) error {
+	b, _ := exec.Command("od", "-N", "81920", "/dev/urandom").Output()
+	fmt.Fprint(opts.OutputStream, string(b))
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (d *fakeDockerClientWithLongOutput) InspectExec(id string) (*docker.ExecInspect, error) {
+	return &docker.ExecInspect{
+		ID:       "123",
+		ExitCode: 0,
+	}, nil
+}
+
+// A fake docker client to test non-zero exit codes from exec invocation
+type fakeDockerClientWithExecNonZeroExitCode struct {
+}
+
+func (d *fakeDockerClientWithExecNonZeroExitCode) CreateExec(opts docker.CreateExecOptions) (*docker.Exec, error) {
+	return &docker.Exec{ID: "123"}, nil
+}
+
+func (d *fakeDockerClientWithExecNonZeroExitCode) StartExec(id string, opts docker.StartExecOptions) error {
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (d *fakeDockerClientWithExecNonZeroExitCode) InspectExec(id string) (*docker.ExecInspect, error) {
+	return &docker.ExecInspect{
+		ID:       "123",
+		ExitCode: 127,
+	}, nil
+}
+
+// A fake docker client to test exit code which result into Warning
+type fakeDockerClientWithExecExitCodeOne struct {
+}
+
+func (d *fakeDockerClientWithExecExitCodeOne) CreateExec(opts docker.CreateExecOptions) (*docker.Exec, error) {
+	return &docker.Exec{ID: "123"}, nil
+}
+
+func (d *fakeDockerClientWithExecExitCodeOne) StartExec(id string, opts docker.StartExecOptions) error {
+	fmt.Fprint(opts.OutputStream, "output")
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (d *fakeDockerClientWithExecExitCodeOne) InspectExec(id string) (*docker.ExecInspect, error) {
+	return &docker.ExecInspect{
+		ID:       "123",
+		ExitCode: 1,
+	}, nil
+}
+
+// A fake docker client to simulate create exec failing
+type fakeDockerClientWithCreateExecFailure struct {
+}
+
+func (d *fakeDockerClientWithCreateExecFailure) CreateExec(opts docker.CreateExecOptions) (*docker.Exec, error) {
+	return nil, errors.New("Exec Creation Failed")
+}
+
+func (d *fakeDockerClientWithCreateExecFailure) StartExec(id string, opts docker.StartExecOptions) error {
+	return errors.New("Exec doesn't exist")
+}
+
+func (d *fakeDockerClientWithCreateExecFailure) InspectExec(id string) (*docker.ExecInspect, error) {
+	return nil, errors.New("Exec doesn't exist")
+}
+
+// A fake docker client to simulate start exec failing
+type fakeDockerClientWithStartExecFailure struct {
+}
+
+func (d *fakeDockerClientWithStartExecFailure) CreateExec(opts docker.CreateExecOptions) (*docker.Exec, error) {
+	return &docker.Exec{ID: "123"}, nil
+}
+
+func (d *fakeDockerClientWithStartExecFailure) StartExec(id string, opts docker.StartExecOptions) error {
+	return errors.New("Couldn't Start Exec")
+}
+
+func (d *fakeDockerClientWithStartExecFailure) InspectExec(id string) (*docker.ExecInspect, error) {
+	return nil, errors.New("Exec doesn't exist")
+}
+
+// A fake docker client to test exec info query failures
+type fakeDockerClientWithExecInfoErrors struct {
+}
+
+func (d *fakeDockerClientWithExecInfoErrors) CreateExec(opts docker.CreateExecOptions) (*docker.Exec, error) {
+	return &docker.Exec{ID: "123"}, nil
+}
+
+func (d *fakeDockerClientWithExecInfoErrors) StartExec(id string, opts docker.StartExecOptions) error {
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (d *fakeDockerClientWithExecInfoErrors) InspectExec(id string) (*docker.ExecInspect, error) {
+	return nil, errors.New("Unable to query exec info")
+}
+
+func expectDockerCheckStatus(t *testing.T, dockerClient DockerClient, status string, output string) {
+	mock := &MockNotify{
+		state:   make(map[string]string),
+		updates: make(map[string]int),
+		output:  make(map[string]string),
+	}
+	check := &CheckDocker{
+		Notify:            mock,
+		CheckID:           "foo",
+		Script:            "/health.sh",
+		DockerContainerId: "54432bad1fc7",
+		Shell:             "/bin/sh",
+		Interval:          10 * time.Millisecond,
+		Logger:            log.New(os.Stderr, "", log.LstdFlags),
+		dockerClient:      dockerClient,
+	}
+	check.Start()
+	defer check.Stop()
+
+	time.Sleep(50 * time.Millisecond)
+
+	// Should have at least 2 updates
+	if mock.updates["foo"] < 2 {
+		t.Fatalf("should have 2 updates %v", mock.updates)
+	}
+
+	if mock.state["foo"] != status {
+		t.Fatalf("should be %v %v", status, mock.state)
+	}
+
+	if mock.output["foo"] != output {
+		t.Fatalf("should be %v %v", output, mock.output)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestDockerCheckWhenExecReturnsSuccessExitCode(t *testing.T) {
+	expectDockerCheckStatus(t, &fakeDockerClientWithNoErrors{}, "passing", "output")
+}
+
+func TestDockerCheckWhenExecCreationFails(t *testing.T) {
+	expectDockerCheckStatus(t, &fakeDockerClientWithCreateExecFailure{}, "critical", "Unable to create Exec, error: Exec Creation Failed")
+}
+
+func TestDockerCheckWhenExitCodeIsNonZero(t *testing.T) {
+	expectDockerCheckStatus(t, &fakeDockerClientWithExecNonZeroExitCode{}, "critical", "")
+}
+
+func TestDockerCheckWhenExitCodeIsone(t *testing.T) {
+	expectDockerCheckStatus(t, &fakeDockerClientWithExecExitCodeOne{}, "warning", "output")
+}
+
+func TestDockerCheckWhenExecStartFails(t *testing.T) {
+	expectDockerCheckStatus(t, &fakeDockerClientWithStartExecFailure{}, "critical", "Unable to start Exec: Couldn't Start Exec")
+}
+
+func TestDockerCheckWhenExecInfoFails(t *testing.T) {
+	expectDockerCheckStatus(t, &fakeDockerClientWithExecInfoErrors{}, "critical", "Unable to inspect Exec: Unable to query exec info")
+}
+
+func TestDockerCheckDefaultToSh(t *testing.T) {
+	os.Setenv("SHELL", "")
+	mock := &MockNotify{
+		state:   make(map[string]string),
+		updates: make(map[string]int),
+		output:  make(map[string]string),
+	}
+	check := &CheckDocker{
+		Notify:            mock,
+		CheckID:           "foo",
+		Script:            "/health.sh",
+		DockerContainerId: "54432bad1fc7",
+		Interval:          10 * time.Millisecond,
+		Logger:            log.New(os.Stderr, "", log.LstdFlags),
+		dockerClient:      &fakeDockerClientWithNoErrors{},
+	}
+	check.Start()
+	defer check.Stop()
+
+	time.Sleep(50 * time.Millisecond)
+	if check.Shell != "/bin/sh" {
+		t.Fatalf("Shell should be: %v , actual: %v", "/bin/sh", check.Shell)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestDockerCheckUseShellFromEnv(t *testing.T) {
+	mock := &MockNotify{
+		state:   make(map[string]string),
+		updates: make(map[string]int),
+		output:  make(map[string]string),
+	}
+	os.Setenv("SHELL", "/bin/bash")
+	check := &CheckDocker{
+		Notify:            mock,
+		CheckID:           "foo",
+		Script:            "/health.sh",
+		DockerContainerId: "54432bad1fc7",
+		Interval:          10 * time.Millisecond,
+		Logger:            log.New(os.Stderr, "", log.LstdFlags),
+		dockerClient:      &fakeDockerClientWithNoErrors{},
+	}
+	check.Start()
+	defer check.Stop()
+
+	time.Sleep(50 * time.Millisecond)
+	if check.Shell != "/bin/bash" {
+		t.Fatalf("Shell should be: %v , actual: %v", "/bin/bash", check.Shell)
+	}
+	os.Setenv("SHELL", "")
+}
+
+func TestDockerCheckTruncateOutput(t *testing.T) {
+	mock := &MockNotify{
+		state:   make(map[string]string),
+		updates: make(map[string]int),
+		output:  make(map[string]string),
+	}
+	check := &CheckDocker{
+		Notify:            mock,
+		CheckID:           "foo",
+		Script:            "/health.sh",
+		DockerContainerId: "54432bad1fc7",
+		Shell:             "/bin/sh",
+		Interval:          10 * time.Millisecond,
+		Logger:            log.New(os.Stderr, "", log.LstdFlags),
+		dockerClient:      &fakeDockerClientWithLongOutput{},
+	}
+	check.Start()
+	defer check.Stop()
+
+	time.Sleep(50 * time.Millisecond)
+
+	// Allow for extra bytes for the truncation message
+	if len(mock.output["foo"]) > CheckBufSize+100 {
+		t.Fatalf("output size is too long")
+	}
+
+}
diff --git a/command/agent/config.go b/command/agent/config.go
index e7b3322bd..6240b33f2 100644
--- a/command/agent/config.go
+++ b/command/agent/config.go
@@ -773,6 +773,9 @@ func FixupCheckType(raw interface{}) error {
 		case "service_id":
 			rawMap["serviceid"] = v
 			delete(rawMap, "service_id")
+		case "docker_container_id":
+			rawMap["DockerContainerId"] = v
+			delete(rawMap, "docker_container_id")
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/command/agent/config_test.go b/command/agent/config_test.go
index b7a107be6..dc0517f34 100644
--- a/command/agent/config_test.go
+++ b/command/agent/config_test.go
@@ -1072,7 +1072,7 @@ func TestDecodeConfig_Service(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestDecodeConfig_Check(t *testing.T) {
 	// Basics
-	input := `{"check": {"id": "chk1", "name": "mem", "notes": "foobar", "script": "/bin/check_redis", "interval": "10s", "ttl": "15s" }}`
+	input := `{"check": {"id": "chk1", "name": "mem", "notes": "foobar", "script": "/bin/check_redis", "interval": "10s", "ttl": "15s", "shell": "/bin/bash", "docker_container_id": "redis" }}`
 	config, err := DecodeConfig(bytes.NewReader([]byte(input)))
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
@@ -1106,6 +1106,14 @@ func TestDecodeConfig_Check(t *testing.T) {
 	if chk.TTL != 15*time.Second {
 		t.Fatalf("bad: %v", chk)
 	}
+
+	if chk.Shell != "/bin/bash" {
+		t.Fatalf("bad: %v", chk)
+	}
+
+	if chk.DockerContainerId != "redis" {
+		t.Fatalf("bad: %v", chk)
+	}
 }
 
 func TestMergeConfig(t *testing.T) {