diff --git a/nomad/state/state_store.go b/nomad/state/state_store.go
index 859353726..9e5c09b76 100644
--- a/nomad/state/state_store.go
+++ b/nomad/state/state_store.go
@@ -475,6 +475,54 @@ func (s *StateStore) Evals() (memdb.ResultIterator, error) {
 	return iter, nil
 }
 
+// UpdateAllocFromClient is used to update an allocation based on input
+// from a client. While the schedulers are the authority on the allocation for
+// most things, some updates are authoritative from the client. Specifically,
+// the desired state comes from the schedulers, while the actual state comes
+// from clients.
+func (s *StateStore) UpdateAllocFromClient(index uint64, alloc *structs.Allocation) error {
+	txn := s.db.Txn(true)
+	defer txn.Abort()
+
+	// Look for existing alloc
+	existing, err := txn.First("allocs", "id", alloc.ID)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("alloc lookup failed: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// Nothing to do if this does not exist
+	if existing == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+	exist := existing.(*structs.Allocation)
+
+	// Copy everything from the existing allocation
+	copyAlloc := new(structs.Allocation)
+	*copyAlloc = *exist
+
+	// Pull in anything the client is the authority on
+	copyAlloc.ClientStatus = alloc.ClientStatus
+	copyAlloc.ClientDescription = alloc.ClientDescription
+
+	// Update the modify index
+	copyAlloc.ModifyIndex = index
+
+	// Update the allocation
+	if err := txn.Insert("allocs", copyAlloc); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("alloc insert failed: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// Update the indexes
+	if err := txn.Insert("index", &IndexEntry{"allocs", index}); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("index update failed: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	nodes := map[string]struct{}{alloc.NodeID: struct{}{}}
+	txn.Defer(func() { s.watch.notifyAllocs(nodes) })
+	txn.Commit()
+	return nil
+}
+
 // UpdateAllocations is used to evict a set of allocations
 // and allocate new ones at the same time.
 func (s *StateStore) UpdateAllocations(index uint64, allocs []*structs.Allocation) error {
diff --git a/nomad/state/state_store_test.go b/nomad/state/state_store_test.go
index 593374349..b6c971e5e 100644
--- a/nomad/state/state_store_test.go
+++ b/nomad/state/state_store_test.go
@@ -611,6 +611,43 @@ func TestStateStore_RestoreEval(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestStateStore_UpdateAllocFromClient(t *testing.T) {
+	state := testStateStore(t)
+
+	alloc := mock.Alloc()
+	err := state.UpdateAllocations(1000, []*structs.Allocation{alloc})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	update := new(structs.Allocation)
+	*update = *alloc
+	update.ClientStatus = structs.AllocClientStatusFailed
+
+	err = state.UpdateAllocFromClient(1001, update)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	out, err := state.GetAllocByID(alloc.ID)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	update.ModifyIndex = 1001
+	if !reflect.DeepEqual(update, out) {
+		t.Fatalf("bad: %#v %#v", update, out)
+	}
+
+	index, err := state.GetIndex("allocs")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %v", err)
+	}
+	if index != 1001 {
+		t.Fatalf("bad: %d", index)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestStateStore_UpsertAlloc_GetAlloc(t *testing.T) {
 	state := testStateStore(t)