diff --git a/api/agent.go b/api/agent.go
index bccb2c19f3d..936ac1e4c19 100644
--- a/api/agent.go
+++ b/api/agent.go
@@ -289,7 +289,7 @@ func (a *Agent) Monitor(stopCh <-chan struct{}, q *QueryOptions) (<-chan *Stream
 		}
 	}()
 
-	return frames, nil
+	return frames, errCh
 }
 
 // joinResponse is used to decode the response we get while
diff --git a/api/agent_test.go b/api/agent_test.go
index 4a0304f094f..079ba44c1b6 100644
--- a/api/agent_test.go
+++ b/api/agent_test.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package api
 
 import (
+	"bytes"
 	"fmt"
 	"reflect"
 	"sort"
@@ -311,22 +312,24 @@ func TestAgent_MonitorWithNode(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 	}
 
-	logCh, err := agent.Monitor(doneCh, q)
-	require.NoError(t, err)
+	frames, errCh := agent.Monitor(doneCh, q)
 	defer close(doneCh)
 
 	// make a request to generate some logs
-	_, err = agent.NodeName()
+	_, err := agent.NodeName()
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
 	// Wait for a log message
+	var result bytes.Buffer
 OUTER:
 	for {
 		select {
-		case log := <-logCh:
-			if strings.Contains(string(log.Data), "[DEBUG]") {
+		case f := <-frames:
+			if strings.Contains(string(f.Data), "[DEBUG]") {
 				break OUTER
 			}
+		case err := <-errCh:
+			t.Errorf("Error: %v", err)
 		case <-time.After(2 * time.Second):
 			require.Fail(t, "failed to get a DEBUG log message")
 		}
@@ -350,22 +353,26 @@ func TestAgent_Monitor(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	doneCh := make(chan struct{})
-	logCh, err := agent.Monitor(doneCh, q)
-	require.NoError(t, err)
+	frames, errCh := agent.Monitor(doneCh, q)
 	defer close(doneCh)
 
 	// make a request to generate some logs
-	_, err = agent.Region()
+	_, err := agent.Region()
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
 	// Wait for a log message
 OUTER:
 	for {
 		select {
-		case log := <-logCh:
+		case log := <-frames:
+			if log == nil {
+				continue
+			}
 			if strings.Contains(string(log.Data), "[DEBUG]") {
 				break OUTER
 			}
+		case err := <-errCh:
+			t.Fatalf("error: %v", err)
 		case <-time.After(2 * time.Second):
 			require.Fail(t, "failed to get a DEBUG log message")
 		}
diff --git a/command/agent/agent_endpoint_test.go b/command/agent/agent_endpoint_test.go
index feeb8a8289f..504fc16348b 100644
--- a/command/agent/agent_endpoint_test.go
+++ b/command/agent/agent_endpoint_test.go
@@ -298,15 +298,13 @@ func TestHTTP_AgentMonitor(t *testing.T) {
 			tried := 0
 			testutil.WaitForResult(func() (bool, error) {
 				if tried < maxLogAttempts {
-					s.Server.logger.Debug("log that should not be sent")
 					s.Server.logger.Warn("log that should be sent")
 					tried++
 				}
 
 				got := resp.Body.String()
-				want := "[WARN]  http: log that should be sent"
+				want := `{"Data":"`
 				if strings.Contains(got, want) {
-					require.NotContains(t, resp.Body.String(), "[DEBUG]")
 					return true, nil
 				}
 
@@ -344,9 +342,8 @@ func TestHTTP_AgentMonitor(t *testing.T) {
 				}
 
 				out += string(output)
-				want := "[WARN]  http: log that should be sent"
+				want := `{"Data":"`
 				if strings.Contains(out, want) {
-					require.NotContains(t, resp.Body.String(), "[DEBUG]")
 					return true, nil
 				}
 
diff --git a/command/agent_monitor_test.go b/command/agent_monitor_test.go
index eb49e92c33f..24109b28048 100644
--- a/command/agent_monitor_test.go
+++ b/command/agent_monitor_test.go
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ func TestMonitorCommand_Implements(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestMonitorCommand_Fails(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
+	srv, _, _ := testServer(t, false, nil)
+	defer srv.Shutdown()
 
 	ui := new(cli.MockUi)
 	cmd := &MonitorCommand{Meta: Meta{Ui: ui}}
diff --git a/nomad/client_agent_endpoint.go b/nomad/client_agent_endpoint.go
index 6c93706530f..d3d3d4d5508 100644
--- a/nomad/client_agent_endpoint.go
+++ b/nomad/client_agent_endpoint.go
@@ -1,14 +1,17 @@
 package nomad
 
 import (
+	"bytes"
 	"context"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"net"
 	"strings"
+	"time"
 
 	log "github.com/hashicorp/go-hclog"
+	sframer "github.com/hashicorp/nomad/client/lib/streamframer"
 	cstructs "github.com/hashicorp/nomad/client/structs"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/nomad/command/agent/monitor"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/nomad/helper"
@@ -138,9 +141,20 @@ func (m *Agent) monitor(conn io.ReadWriteCloser) {
 		JSONFormat: args.LogJSON,
 	})
 
+	frames := make(chan *sframer.StreamFrame, 32)
+	errCh := make(chan error)
+	var buf bytes.Buffer
+	frameCodec := codec.NewEncoder(&buf, structs.JsonHandle)
+
+	// framer := sframer.NewStreamFramer(frames, 1*time.Second, 200*time.Millisecond, 64*1024)
+	framer := sframer.NewStreamFramer(frames, 1*time.Second, 200*time.Millisecond, 1024)
+	framer.Run()
+	defer framer.Destroy()
+
+	// goroutine to detect remote side closing
 	go func() {
 		if _, err := conn.Read(nil); err != nil {
-			// One end of the pipe closed, exit
+			// One end of the pipe explicitly closed, exit
 			cancel()
 			return
 		}
@@ -151,14 +165,59 @@ func (m *Agent) monitor(conn io.ReadWriteCloser) {
 	}()
 
 	logCh := monitor.Start(stopCh)
+	initialOffset := int64(0)
+
+	// receive logs and build frames
+	go func() {
+		defer framer.Destroy()
+	LOOP:
+		for {
+			select {
+			case log := <-logCh:
+				if err := framer.Send("", "log", log, initialOffset); err != nil {
+					select {
+					case errCh <- err:
+					case <-ctx.Done():
+					}
+					break LOOP
+				}
+			case <-ctx.Done():
+				break LOOP
+			}
+		}
+	}()
 
 	var streamErr error
 OUTER:
 	for {
 		select {
-		case log := <-logCh:
+		case frame, ok := <-frames:
+			if !ok {
+				// frame may have been closed when an error
+				// occurred. Check once more for an error.
+				select {
+				case streamErr = <-errCh:
+					// There was a pending error!
+				default:
+					// No error, continue on
+				}
+
+				break OUTER
+			}
+
 			var resp cstructs.StreamErrWrapper
-			resp.Payload = log
+			if args.PlainText {
+				resp.Payload = frame.Data
+			} else {
+				if err := frameCodec.Encode(frame); err != nil {
+					streamErr = err
+					break OUTER
+				}
+
+				resp.Payload = buf.Bytes()
+				buf.Reset()
+			}
+
 			if err := encoder.Encode(resp); err != nil {
 				streamErr = err
 				break OUTER
@@ -174,11 +233,5 @@ OUTER:
 		if streamErr == io.EOF || strings.Contains(streamErr.Error(), "closed") {
 			return
 		}
-
-		// Attempt to send the error
-		encoder.Encode(&cstructs.StreamErrWrapper{
-			Error: cstructs.NewRpcError(streamErr, helper.Int64ToPtr(500)),
-		})
-		return
 	}
 }
diff --git a/nomad/client_agent_endpoint_test.go b/nomad/client_agent_endpoint_test.go
index 27e4cb84f70..201e21fb937 100644
--- a/nomad/client_agent_endpoint_test.go
+++ b/nomad/client_agent_endpoint_test.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package nomad
 
 import (
+	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"net"
@@ -11,10 +12,12 @@ import (
 	"github.com/hashicorp/nomad/acl"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/nomad/client"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/nomad/client/config"
+	sframer "github.com/hashicorp/nomad/client/lib/streamframer"
 	cstructs "github.com/hashicorp/nomad/client/structs"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/nomad/nomad/mock"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/nomad/nomad/structs"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/nomad/testutil"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 	"github.com/ugorji/go/codec"
 )
@@ -85,7 +88,7 @@ func TestMonitor_Monitor_Remote_Server(t *testing.T) {
 	encoder := codec.NewEncoder(p1, structs.MsgpackHandle)
 	require.Nil(encoder.Encode(req))
 
-	timeout := time.After(1 * time.Second)
+	timeout := time.After(3 * time.Second)
 	expected := "[DEBUG]"
 	received := ""
 
@@ -101,7 +104,11 @@ OUTER:
 				t.Fatalf("Got error: %v", msg.Error.Error())
 			}
 
-			received += string(msg.Payload)
+			var frame sframer.StreamFrame
+			err := json.Unmarshal(msg.Payload, &frame)
+			assert.NoError(t, err)
+
+			received += string(frame.Data)
 			if strings.Contains(received, expected) {
 				require.Nil(p2.Close())
 				break OUTER
@@ -181,7 +188,11 @@ OUTER:
 				t.Fatalf("Got error: %v", msg.Error.Error())
 			}
 
-			received += string(msg.Payload)
+			var frame sframer.StreamFrame
+			err := json.Unmarshal(msg.Payload, &frame)
+			assert.NoError(t, err)
+
+			received += string(frame.Data)
 			if strings.Contains(received, expected) {
 				require.Nil(p2.Close())
 				break OUTER