diff --git a/command/services/config.go b/command/services/config.go
index 2241c90ec..ee2477d3c 100644
--- a/command/services/config.go
+++ b/command/services/config.go
@@ -65,13 +65,10 @@ func serviceToAgentService(svc *structs.ServiceDefinition) (*api.AgentServiceReg
 
 	// The structs version has non-pointer checks and the destination
 	// has pointers, so we need to set the destination to nil if there
-	// is no check ID set.
-	if result.Check != nil && result.Check.Name == "" {
+	// is a zero-value Check field.
+	if result.Check != nil && reflect.DeepEqual(*result.Check, api.AgentServiceCheck{}) {
 		result.Check = nil
 	}
-	if len(result.Checks) == 1 && result.Checks[0].Name == "" {
-		result.Checks = nil
-	}
 
 	return &result, nil
 }
diff --git a/command/services/config_test.go b/command/services/config_test.go
index d98e52a19..d6e93b3db 100644
--- a/command/services/config_test.go
+++ b/command/services/config_test.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package services
 
 import (
 	"testing"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/hashicorp/consul/agent/config"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/consul/agent/structs"
@@ -63,6 +64,32 @@ func TestStructsToAgentService(t *testing.T) {
 				},
 			},
 		},
+		{
+			"Service with an unnamed check",
+			&structs.ServiceDefinition{
+				Name: "web",
+				Check: structs.CheckType{
+					TTL: 5 * time.Second,
+				},
+			},
+			&api.AgentServiceRegistration{
+				Name: "web",
+				Check: &api.AgentServiceCheck{
+					TTL: "5s",
+				},
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			"Service with a zero-value check",
+			&structs.ServiceDefinition{
+				Name:  "web",
+				Check: structs.CheckType{},
+			},
+			&api.AgentServiceRegistration{
+				Name:  "web",
+				Check: nil,
+			},
+		},
 		{
 			"Service with checks",
 			&structs.ServiceDefinition{
diff --git a/command/services/register/register_test.go b/command/services/register/register_test.go
index fa2d95daa..e00e73626 100644
--- a/command/services/register/register_test.go
+++ b/command/services/register/register_test.go
@@ -153,6 +153,43 @@ func TestCommand_Flags_TaggedAddresses(t *testing.T) {
 	require.Equal(svc.TaggedAddresses["v6"].Port, 1234)
 }
 
+func TestCommand_FileWithUnnamedCheck(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	require := require.New(t)
+	a := agent.NewTestAgent(t, t.Name(), ``)
+	defer a.Shutdown()
+	client := a.Client()
+
+	ui := cli.NewMockUi()
+	c := New(ui)
+
+	contents := `{ "Service": { "Name": "web", "Check": { "TTL": "10s" } } }`
+	f := testFile(t, "json")
+	defer os.Remove(f.Name())
+	if _, err := f.WriteString(contents); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %#v", err)
+	}
+
+	args := []string{
+		"-http-addr=" + a.HTTPAddr(),
+		f.Name(),
+	}
+
+	require.Equal(0, c.Run(args), ui.ErrorWriter.String())
+
+	svcs, err := client.Agent().Services()
+	require.NoError(err)
+	require.Len(svcs, 1)
+
+	svc := svcs["web"]
+	require.NotNil(svc)
+
+	checks, err := client.Agent().Checks()
+	require.NoError(err)
+	require.Len(checks, 1)
+}
+
 func testFile(t *testing.T, suffix string) *os.File {
 	f := testutil.TempFile(t, "register-test-file")
 	if err := f.Close(); err != nil {