diff --git a/command/agent/local.go b/command/agent/local.go
index d0f6c0a47..ea1217f82 100644
--- a/command/agent/local.go
+++ b/command/agent/local.go
@@ -436,13 +436,11 @@ func (l *localState) setSyncState() error {
 		} else {
 			// Copy the existing check before potentially modifying
 			// it before the compare operation.
-			eCopy := new(structs.HealthCheck)
-			*eCopy = *existing
+			eCopy := existing.Clone()
 
 			// Copy the server's check before modifying, otherwise
 			// in-memory RPC-based unit tests will have side effects.
-			cCopy := new(structs.HealthCheck)
-			*cCopy = *check
+			cCopy := check.Clone()
 
 			// If there's a defer timer active then we've got a
 			// potentially spammy check so we don't sync the output
diff --git a/consul/structs/structs.go b/consul/structs/structs.go
index d582560cd..1979b9b9e 100644
--- a/consul/structs/structs.go
+++ b/consul/structs/structs.go
@@ -396,6 +396,13 @@ func (c *HealthCheck) IsSame(other *HealthCheck) bool {
 	return true
 }
 
+// Clone returns a distinct clone of the HealthCheck.
+func (c *HealthCheck) Clone() *HealthCheck {
+	clone := new(HealthCheck)
+	*clone = *c
+	return clone
+}
+
 type HealthChecks []*HealthCheck
 
 // CheckServiceNode is used to provide the node, its service
diff --git a/consul/structs/structs_test.go b/consul/structs/structs_test.go
index 6a7111688..d7672cad5 100644
--- a/consul/structs/structs_test.go
+++ b/consul/structs/structs_test.go
@@ -211,6 +211,28 @@ func TestStructs_HealthCheck_IsSame(t *testing.T) {
 	check(&other.ServiceName)
 }
 
+func TestStructs_HealthCheck_Clone(t *testing.T) {
+	hc := &HealthCheck{
+		Node:        "node1",
+		CheckID:     "check1",
+		Name:        "thecheck",
+		Status:      HealthPassing,
+		Notes:       "it's all good",
+		Output:      "lgtm",
+		ServiceID:   "service1",
+		ServiceName: "theservice",
+	}
+	clone := hc.Clone()
+	if !hc.IsSame(clone) {
+		t.Fatalf("should be equal to its clone")
+	}
+
+	clone.Output = "different"
+	if hc.IsSame(clone) {
+		t.Fatalf("should not longer be equal to its clone")
+	}
+}
+
 func TestStructs_CheckServiceNodes_Shuffle(t *testing.T) {
 	// Make a huge list of nodes.
 	var nodes CheckServiceNodes