diff --git a/acl/acl.go b/acl/acl.go
index 73bcc4fc3..4ac88f01c 100644
--- a/acl/acl.go
+++ b/acl/acl.go
@@ -60,6 +60,13 @@ type ACL interface {
 	// EventWrite determines if a specific event may be fired.
 	EventWrite(string) bool
 
+	// IntentionRead determines if a specific intention can be read.
+	IntentionRead(string) bool
+
+	// IntentionWrite determines if a specific intention can be
+	// created, modified, or deleted.
+	IntentionWrite(string) bool
+
 	// KeyList checks for permission to list keys under a prefix
 	KeyList(string) bool
 
@@ -154,6 +161,14 @@ func (s *StaticACL) EventWrite(string) bool {
 	return s.defaultAllow
 }
 
+func (s *StaticACL) IntentionRead(string) bool {
+	return s.defaultAllow
+}
+
+func (s *StaticACL) IntentionWrite(string) bool {
+	return s.defaultAllow
+}
+
 func (s *StaticACL) KeyRead(string) bool {
 	return s.defaultAllow
 }
@@ -275,6 +290,9 @@ type PolicyACL struct {
 	// agentRules contains the agent policies
 	agentRules *radix.Tree
 
+	// intentionRules contains the service intention policies
+	intentionRules *radix.Tree
+
 	// keyRules contains the key policies
 	keyRules *radix.Tree
 
@@ -308,6 +326,7 @@ func New(parent ACL, policy *Policy, sentinel sentinel.Evaluator) (*PolicyACL, e
 	p := &PolicyACL{
 		parent:             parent,
 		agentRules:         radix.New(),
+		intentionRules:     radix.New(),
 		keyRules:           radix.New(),
 		nodeRules:          radix.New(),
 		serviceRules:       radix.New(),
@@ -347,6 +366,25 @@ func New(parent ACL, policy *Policy, sentinel sentinel.Evaluator) (*PolicyACL, e
 			sentinelPolicy: sp.Sentinel,
 		}
 		p.serviceRules.Insert(sp.Name, policyRule)
+
+		// Determine the intention. The intention could be blank (not set).
+		// If the intention is not set, the value depends on the value of
+		// the service policy.
+		intention := sp.Intentions
+		if intention == "" {
+			switch sp.Policy {
+			case PolicyRead, PolicyWrite:
+				intention = PolicyRead
+			default:
+				intention = PolicyDeny
+			}
+		}
+
+		policyRule = PolicyRule{
+			aclPolicy:      intention,
+			sentinelPolicy: sp.Sentinel,
+		}
+		p.intentionRules.Insert(sp.Name, policyRule)
 	}
 
 	// Load the session policy
@@ -455,6 +493,44 @@ func (p *PolicyACL) EventWrite(name string) bool {
 	return p.parent.EventWrite(name)
 }
 
+// IntentionRead checks if writing (creating, updating, or deleting) of an
+// intention is allowed.
+func (p *PolicyACL) IntentionRead(prefix string) bool {
+	// Check for an exact rule or catch-all
+	_, rule, ok := p.intentionRules.LongestPrefix(prefix)
+	if ok {
+		pr := rule.(PolicyRule)
+		switch pr.aclPolicy {
+		case PolicyRead, PolicyWrite:
+			return true
+		default:
+			return false
+		}
+	}
+
+	// No matching rule, use the parent.
+	return p.parent.IntentionRead(prefix)
+}
+
+// IntentionWrite checks if writing (creating, updating, or deleting) of an
+// intention is allowed.
+func (p *PolicyACL) IntentionWrite(prefix string) bool {
+	// Check for an exact rule or catch-all
+	_, rule, ok := p.intentionRules.LongestPrefix(prefix)
+	if ok {
+		pr := rule.(PolicyRule)
+		switch pr.aclPolicy {
+		case PolicyWrite:
+			return true
+		default:
+			return false
+		}
+	}
+
+	// No matching rule, use the parent.
+	return p.parent.IntentionWrite(prefix)
+}
+
 // KeyRead returns if a key is allowed to be read
 func (p *PolicyACL) KeyRead(key string) bool {
 	// Look for a matching rule
diff --git a/acl/acl_test.go b/acl/acl_test.go
index 02ae0efb4..85f35f606 100644
--- a/acl/acl_test.go
+++ b/acl/acl_test.go
@@ -53,6 +53,9 @@ func TestStaticACL(t *testing.T) {
 	if !all.EventWrite("foobar") {
 		t.Fatalf("should allow")
 	}
+	if !all.IntentionWrite("foobar") {
+		t.Fatalf("should allow")
+	}
 	if !all.KeyRead("foobar") {
 		t.Fatalf("should allow")
 	}
@@ -123,6 +126,9 @@ func TestStaticACL(t *testing.T) {
 	if none.EventWrite("") {
 		t.Fatalf("should not allow")
 	}
+	if none.IntentionWrite("foo") {
+		t.Fatalf("should not allow")
+	}
 	if none.KeyRead("foobar") {
 		t.Fatalf("should not allow")
 	}
@@ -187,6 +193,9 @@ func TestStaticACL(t *testing.T) {
 	if !manage.EventWrite("foobar") {
 		t.Fatalf("should allow")
 	}
+	if !manage.IntentionWrite("foobar") {
+		t.Fatalf("should allow")
+	}
 	if !manage.KeyRead("foobar") {
 		t.Fatalf("should allow")
 	}
@@ -305,8 +314,14 @@ func TestPolicyACL(t *testing.T) {
 				Policy: PolicyDeny,
 			},
 			&ServicePolicy{
-				Name:   "barfoo",
-				Policy: PolicyWrite,
+				Name:       "barfoo",
+				Policy:     PolicyWrite,
+				Intentions: PolicyWrite,
+			},
+			&ServicePolicy{
+				Name:       "intbaz",
+				Policy:     PolicyWrite,
+				Intentions: PolicyDeny,
 			},
 		},
 	}
@@ -344,6 +359,31 @@ func TestPolicyACL(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}
 
+	// Test the intentions
+	type intentioncase struct {
+		inp   string
+		read  bool
+		write bool
+	}
+	icases := []intentioncase{
+		{"other", true, false},
+		{"foo", true, false},
+		{"bar", false, false},
+		{"foobar", true, false},
+		{"barfo", false, false},
+		{"barfoo", true, true},
+		{"barfoo2", true, true},
+		{"intbaz", false, false},
+	}
+	for _, c := range icases {
+		if c.read != acl.IntentionRead(c.inp) {
+			t.Fatalf("Read fail: %#v", c)
+		}
+		if c.write != acl.IntentionWrite(c.inp) {
+			t.Fatalf("Write fail: %#v", c)
+		}
+	}
+
 	// Test the services
 	type servicecase struct {
 		inp   string