diff --git a/api/tasks.go b/api/tasks.go
index 3e0bc40af72..291971b719f 100644
--- a/api/tasks.go
+++ b/api/tasks.go
@@ -82,9 +82,9 @@ func (r *RestartPolicy) Merge(rp *RestartPolicy) {
 // CheckRestart describes if and when a task should be restarted based on
 // failing health checks.
 type CheckRestart struct {
-	Limit          int           `mapstructure:"limit"`
-	Grace          time.Duration `mapstructure:"grace_period"`
-	IgnoreWarnings bool          `mapstructure:"ignore_warnings"`
+	Limit          int            `mapstructure:"limit"`
+	Grace          *time.Duration `mapstructure:"grace_period"`
+	IgnoreWarnings bool           `mapstructure:"ignore_warnings"`
 }
 
 // The ServiceCheck data model represents the consul health check that
@@ -107,6 +107,14 @@ type ServiceCheck struct {
 	CheckRestart  *CheckRestart `mapstructure:"check_restart"`
 }
 
+func (c *ServiceCheck) Canonicalize() {
+	if c.CheckRestart != nil {
+		if c.CheckRestart.Grace == nil {
+			c.CheckRestart.Grace = helper.TimeToPtr(1 * time.Second)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 // The Service model represents a Consul service definition
 type Service struct {
 	Id           string
@@ -127,6 +135,10 @@ func (s *Service) Canonicalize(t *Task, tg *TaskGroup, job *Job) {
 	if s.AddressMode == "" {
 		s.AddressMode = "auto"
 	}
+
+	for _, c := range s.Checks {
+		c.Canonicalize()
+	}
 }
 
 // EphemeralDisk is an ephemeral disk object
diff --git a/command/agent/job_endpoint.go b/command/agent/job_endpoint.go
index 8bfc8a1895a..7c7b0089b76 100644
--- a/command/agent/job_endpoint.go
+++ b/command/agent/job_endpoint.go
@@ -688,7 +688,7 @@ func ApiTaskToStructsTask(apiTask *api.Task, structsTask *structs.Task) {
 			if service.CheckRestart != nil {
 				structsTask.Services[i].CheckRestart = &structs.CheckRestart{
 					Limit:          service.CheckRestart.Limit,
-					Grace:          service.CheckRestart.Grace,
+					Grace:          *service.CheckRestart.Grace,
 					IgnoreWarnings: service.CheckRestart.IgnoreWarnings,
 				}
 			}
@@ -714,7 +714,7 @@ func ApiTaskToStructsTask(apiTask *api.Task, structsTask *structs.Task) {
 					if check.CheckRestart != nil {
 						structsTask.Services[i].Checks[j].CheckRestart = &structs.CheckRestart{
 							Limit:          check.CheckRestart.Limit,
-							Grace:          check.CheckRestart.Grace,
+							Grace:          *check.CheckRestart.Grace,
 							IgnoreWarnings: check.CheckRestart.IgnoreWarnings,
 						}
 					}