diff --git a/nomad/resource_job.go b/nomad/resource_job.go
index 6c45ac20..5c7f3d93 100644
--- a/nomad/resource_job.go
+++ b/nomad/resource_job.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package nomad
 
 import (
+	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"log"
 	"reflect"
@@ -46,6 +47,12 @@ func resourceJob() *schema.Resource {
 				Default:     true,
 				Type:        schema.TypeBool,
 			},
+
+			"json": {
+				Description: "If true, the `jobspec` will be parsed as json instead of HCL.",
+				Optional:    true,
+				Type:        schema.TypeBool,
+			},
 		},
 	}
 }
@@ -58,9 +65,18 @@ func resourceJobRegister(d *schema.ResourceData, meta interface{}) error {
 	jobspecRaw := d.Get("jobspec").(string)
 
 	// Parse it
-	job, err := jobspec.Parse(strings.NewReader(jobspecRaw))
-	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("error parsing jobspec: %s", err)
+	var job *api.Job
+	if is_json := d.Get("json").(bool); is_json {
+		err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(jobspecRaw), &job)
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("error parsing jobspec: %s", err)
+		}
+	} else {
+		var err error
+		job, err = jobspec.Parse(strings.NewReader(jobspecRaw))
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("error parsing jobspec: %s", err)
+		}
 	}
 
 	// Inject the Vault token
@@ -97,7 +113,7 @@ func resourceJobRegister(d *schema.ResourceData, meta interface{}) error {
 	}
 
 	// Register the job
-	_, _, err = client.Jobs().RegisterOpts(job, &api.RegisterOptions{
+	_, _, err := client.Jobs().RegisterOpts(job, &api.RegisterOptions{
 		PolicyOverride: d.Get("policy_override").(bool),
 	}, nil)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/nomad/resource_job_test.go b/nomad/resource_job_test.go
index a42c84b3..23d4286d 100644
--- a/nomad/resource_job_test.go
+++ b/nomad/resource_job_test.go
@@ -46,6 +46,21 @@ func TestResourceJob_v086(t *testing.T) {
 	})
 }
 
+func TestResourceJob_json(t *testing.T) {
+	r.Test(t, r.TestCase{
+		Providers: testProviders,
+		PreCheck:  func() { testAccPreCheck(t) },
+		Steps: []r.TestStep{
+			{
+				Config: testResourceJob_jsonConfig,
+				Check:  testResourceJob_initialCheck,
+			},
+		},
+
+		CheckDestroy: testResourceJob_checkDestroy("foo-json"),
+	})
+}
+
 func TestResourceJob_refresh(t *testing.T) {
 	r.Test(t, r.TestCase{
 		Providers: testProviders,
@@ -227,6 +242,42 @@ resource "nomad_job" "test" {
 }
 `
 
+var testResourceJob_jsonConfig = `
+resource "nomad_job" "json_test" {
+	json = true
+	jobspec = <<EOT
+{
+  "Datacenters": [ "dc1" ],
+  "ID": "foo-json",
+  "Name": "foo-json",
+  "Type": "service",
+  "TaskGroups": [
+    {
+      "Name": "foo",
+      "Tasks": [{
+        "Config": {
+          "command": "/bin/sleep",
+          "args": [ "1" ]
+        },
+        "Driver": "raw_exec",
+        "Leader": true,
+        "LogConfig": {
+          "MaxFileSizeMB": 10,
+          "MaxFiles": 3
+        },
+        "Name": "foo",
+        "Resources": {
+          "CPU": 100,
+          "MemoryMB": 10
+        }
+      }
+      ]
+    }
+  ]
+}
+	EOT
+}
+`
 var testResourceJob_noDestroy = `
 resource "nomad_job" "test" {
 	deregister_on_destroy = false
diff --git a/website/docs/r/job.html.markdown b/website/docs/r/job.html.markdown
index a3250fb6..2ab04e5c 100644
--- a/website/docs/r/job.html.markdown
+++ b/website/docs/r/job.html.markdown
@@ -78,3 +78,6 @@ The following arguments are supported:
 
 - `policy_override` `(bool: false)` - Determines if the job will override any
   soft-mandatory Sentinel policies and register even if they fail.
+
+- `json` `(bool: false)` - Set this to true if your jobspec is stractured with
+  JSON instead of the default HCL.