diff --git a/plugins/inputs/ipmi_sensor/README.md b/plugins/inputs/ipmi_sensor/README.md
index 820af50a4..74cfe3bc5 100644
--- a/plugins/inputs/ipmi_sensor/README.md
+++ b/plugins/inputs/ipmi_sensor/README.md
@@ -22,7 +22,10 @@ ipmitool -I lan -H SERVER -U USERID -P PASSW0RD sdr
 [[inputs.ipmi_sensor]]
   ## optionally specify the path to the ipmitool executable
   # path = "/usr/bin/ipmitool"
-  #
+  ##
+  ## optionally force session privilege level. Can be CALLBACK, USER, OPERATOR, ADMINISTRATOR
+  # privilege = "ADMINISTRATOR"
+  ##
   ## optionally specify one or more servers via a url matching
   ##  [username[:password]@][protocol[(address)]]
   ##  e.g.
diff --git a/plugins/inputs/ipmi_sensor/connection.go b/plugins/inputs/ipmi_sensor/connection.go
index b93cda7d4..87922b984 100644
--- a/plugins/inputs/ipmi_sensor/connection.go
+++ b/plugins/inputs/ipmi_sensor/connection.go
@@ -14,10 +14,12 @@ type Connection struct {
 	Password  string
 	Port      int
 	Interface string
+	Privilege string
 }
 
-func NewConnection(server string) *Connection {
+func NewConnection(server string, privilege string) *Connection {
 	conn := &Connection{}
+	conn.Privilege = privilege
 	inx1 := strings.LastIndex(server, "@")
 	inx2 := strings.Index(server, "(")
 	inx3 := strings.Index(server, ")")
@@ -59,7 +61,9 @@ func (t *Connection) options() []string {
 	if t.Port != 0 {
 		options = append(options, "-p", strconv.Itoa(t.Port))
 	}
-
+	if t.Privilege != "" {
+		options = append(options, "-L", t.Privilege)
+	}
 	return options
 }
 
diff --git a/plugins/inputs/ipmi_sensor/connection_test.go b/plugins/inputs/ipmi_sensor/connection_test.go
index 13a62061d..74944890f 100644
--- a/plugins/inputs/ipmi_sensor/connection_test.go
+++ b/plugins/inputs/ipmi_sensor/connection_test.go
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ func TestNewConnection(t *testing.T) {
 				Username:  "USERID",
 				Password:  "PASSW0RD",
 				Interface: "lan",
+				Privilege: "USER",
 			},
 		},
 		{
@@ -32,11 +33,12 @@ func TestNewConnection(t *testing.T) {
 				Username:  "USERID",
 				Password:  "PASS:!@#$%^&*(234)_+W0RD",
 				Interface: "lan",
+				Privilege: "USER",
 			},
 		},
 	}
 
 	for _, v := range testData {
-		assert.Equal(t, v.con, NewConnection(v.addr))
+		assert.Equal(t, v.con, NewConnection(v.addr, "USER"))
 	}
 }
diff --git a/plugins/inputs/ipmi_sensor/ipmi.go b/plugins/inputs/ipmi_sensor/ipmi.go
index 9448208bd..2d7bcaefc 100644
--- a/plugins/inputs/ipmi_sensor/ipmi.go
+++ b/plugins/inputs/ipmi_sensor/ipmi.go
@@ -17,15 +17,19 @@ var (
 )
 
 type Ipmi struct {
-	Path    string
-	Servers []string
-	Timeout internal.Duration
+	Path      string
+	Privilege string
+	Servers   []string
+	Timeout   internal.Duration
 }
 
 var sampleConfig = `
   ## optionally specify the path to the ipmitool executable
   # path = "/usr/bin/ipmitool"
-  #
+  ##
+  ## optionally force session privilege level. Can be CALLBACK, USER, OPERATOR, ADMINISTRATOR
+  # privilege = "ADMINISTRATOR"
+  ##
   ## optionally specify one or more servers via a url matching
   ##  [username[:password]@][protocol[(address)]]
   ##  e.g.
@@ -77,13 +81,11 @@ func (m *Ipmi) Gather(acc telegraf.Accumulator) error {
 func (m *Ipmi) parse(acc telegraf.Accumulator, server string) error {
 	opts := make([]string, 0)
 	hostname := ""
-
 	if server != "" {
-		conn := NewConnection(server)
+		conn := NewConnection(server, m.Privilege)
 		hostname = conn.Hostname
 		opts = conn.options()
 	}
-
 	opts = append(opts, "sdr")
 	cmd := execCommand(m.Path, opts...)
 	out, err := internal.CombinedOutputTimeout(cmd, m.Timeout.Duration)
diff --git a/plugins/inputs/ipmi_sensor/ipmi_test.go b/plugins/inputs/ipmi_sensor/ipmi_test.go
index a6f5148c1..3d45f2fa8 100644
--- a/plugins/inputs/ipmi_sensor/ipmi_test.go
+++ b/plugins/inputs/ipmi_sensor/ipmi_test.go
@@ -15,9 +15,10 @@ import (
 
 func TestGather(t *testing.T) {
 	i := &Ipmi{
-		Servers: []string{"USERID:PASSW0RD@lan(192.168.1.1)"},
-		Path:    "ipmitool",
-		Timeout: internal.Duration{Duration: time.Second * 5},
+		Servers:   []string{"USERID:PASSW0RD@lan(192.168.1.1)"},
+		Path:      "ipmitool",
+		Privilege: "USER",
+		Timeout:   internal.Duration{Duration: time.Second * 5},
 	}
 	// overwriting exec commands with mock commands
 	execCommand = fakeExecCommand
@@ -29,7 +30,7 @@ func TestGather(t *testing.T) {
 
 	assert.Equal(t, acc.NFields(), 266, "non-numeric measurements should be ignored")
 
-	conn := NewConnection(i.Servers[0])
+	conn := NewConnection(i.Servers[0], i.Privilege)
 	assert.Equal(t, "USERID", conn.Username)
 	assert.Equal(t, "lan", conn.Interface)