diff --git a/plugins/inputs/kafka_consumer/README.md b/plugins/inputs/kafka_consumer/README.md
index 67dbb539e..d794377fa 100644
--- a/plugins/inputs/kafka_consumer/README.md
+++ b/plugins/inputs/kafka_consumer/README.md
@@ -22,6 +22,9 @@ and use the old zookeeper connection method.
   ## Offset (must be either "oldest" or "newest")
   offset = "oldest"
 
+  ## Optional client id
+  # client_id = "my_client"
+
   ## Optional TLS Config
   # tls_ca = "/etc/telegraf/ca.pem"
   # tls_cert = "/etc/telegraf/cert.pem"
diff --git a/plugins/inputs/kafka_consumer/kafka_consumer.go b/plugins/inputs/kafka_consumer/kafka_consumer.go
index bf74dd5ab..72172bcb6 100644
--- a/plugins/inputs/kafka_consumer/kafka_consumer.go
+++ b/plugins/inputs/kafka_consumer/kafka_consumer.go
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import (
 
 type Kafka struct {
 	ConsumerGroup string
+	ClientID      string `toml:"client_id"`
 	Topics        []string
 	Brokers       []string
 	MaxMessageLen int
@@ -59,6 +60,9 @@ var sampleConfig = `
   brokers = ["localhost:9092"]
   ## topic(s) to consume
   topics = ["telegraf"]
+  
+  ## Optional Client id
+  # client_id = "Telegraf"
 
   ## Optional TLS Config
   # tls_ca = "/etc/telegraf/ca.pem"
@@ -114,6 +118,12 @@ func (k *Kafka) Start(acc telegraf.Accumulator) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
+	if k.ClientID != "" {
+		config.ClientID = k.ClientID
+	} else {
+		config.ClientID = "Telegraf"
+	}
+
 	if tlsConfig != nil {
 		log.Printf("D! TLS Enabled")
 		config.Net.TLS.Config = tlsConfig
diff --git a/plugins/outputs/kafka/README.md b/plugins/outputs/kafka/README.md
index 196e2e914..00544e99c 100644
--- a/plugins/outputs/kafka/README.md
+++ b/plugins/outputs/kafka/README.md
@@ -10,6 +10,9 @@ This plugin writes to a [Kafka Broker](http://kafka.apache.org/07/quickstart.htm
   ## Kafka topic for producer messages
   topic = "telegraf"
 
+  ## Optional client id
+  # client_id = "my_client"
+
   ## Optional topic suffix configuration.
   ## If the section is omitted, no suffix is used.
   ## Following topic suffix methods are supported:
diff --git a/plugins/outputs/kafka/kafka.go b/plugins/outputs/kafka/kafka.go
index 716e06c44..d61aaadd8 100644
--- a/plugins/outputs/kafka/kafka.go
+++ b/plugins/outputs/kafka/kafka.go
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ type (
 		Brokers []string
 		// Kafka topic
 		Topic string
+		// Kafka client id
+		ClientID string `toml:"client_id"`
 		// Kafka topic suffix option
 		TopicSuffix TopicSuffix `toml:"topic_suffix"`
 		// Routing Key Tag
@@ -68,6 +70,9 @@ var sampleConfig = `
   brokers = ["localhost:9092"]
   ## Kafka topic for producer messages
   topic = "telegraf"
+  
+  ## Optional Client id
+  # client_id = "Telegraf"
 
   ## Optional topic suffix configuration.
   ## If the section is omitted, no suffix is used.
@@ -186,6 +191,12 @@ func (k *Kafka) Connect() error {
 	}
 	config := sarama.NewConfig()
 
+	if k.ClientID != "" {
+		config.ClientID = k.ClientID
+	} else {
+		config.ClientID = "Telegraf"
+	}
+
 	config.Producer.RequiredAcks = sarama.RequiredAcks(k.RequiredAcks)
 	config.Producer.Compression = sarama.CompressionCodec(k.CompressionCodec)
 	config.Producer.Retry.Max = k.MaxRetry