diff --git a/etc/telegraf.conf b/etc/telegraf.conf
index 1fe44afa3..d6e0b165c 100644
--- a/etc/telegraf.conf
+++ b/etc/telegraf.conf
@@ -7328,6 +7328,9 @@
 #   ## Parses datadog extensions to the statsd format
 #   datadog_extensions = false
 #
+#   ## Parses distributions metric from datadog's extension to the statsd format
+#   datadog_distributions = false
+#
 #   ## Statsd data translation templates, more info can be read here:
 #   ## https://github.com/influxdata/telegraf/blob/master/docs/TEMPLATE_PATTERN.md
 #   # templates = [
diff --git a/plugins/inputs/statsd/README.md b/plugins/inputs/statsd/README.md
index 26cbe2628..a302f4095 100644
--- a/plugins/inputs/statsd/README.md
+++ b/plugins/inputs/statsd/README.md
@@ -50,6 +50,10 @@
   ## http://docs.datadoghq.com/guides/dogstatsd/
   datadog_extensions = false
 
+  ## Parses distributions metric as specified in the datadog statsd format
+  ## https://docs.datadoghq.com/developers/metrics/types/?tab=distribution#definition
+  datadog_distributions = false
+
   ## Statsd data translation templates, more info can be read here:
   ## https://github.com/influxdata/telegraf/blob/master/docs/TEMPLATE_PATTERN.md
   # templates = [
@@ -98,6 +102,10 @@ implementation. In short, the telegraf statsd listener will accept:
     - `load.time:320|ms`
     - `load.time.nanoseconds:1|h`
     - `load.time:200|ms|@0.1` <- sampled 1/10 of the time
+- Distributions
+    - `load.time:320|d`
+    - `load.time.nanoseconds:1|d`
+    - `load.time:200|d|@0.1` <- sampled 1/10 of the time
 
 It is possible to omit repetitive names and merge individual stats into a
 single line by separating them with additional colons:
@@ -172,6 +180,9 @@ metric type:
         that `P%` of all the values statsd saw for that stat during that time
         period are below x. The most common value that people use for `P` is the
         `90`, this is a great number to try to optimize.
+- Distributions
+    - The Distribution metric represents the global statistical distribution of a set of values calculated across your entire distributed infrastructure in one time interval. A Distribution can be used to instrument logical objects, like services, independently from the underlying hosts.
+    - Unlike the Histogram metric type, which aggregates on the Agent during a given time interval, a Distribution metric sends all the raw data during a time interval.
 
 ### Plugin arguments
 
@@ -195,6 +206,7 @@ the accuracy of percentiles but also increases the memory usage and cpu time.
 measurements and tags.
 - **parse_data_dog_tags** boolean: Enable parsing of tags in DataDog's dogstatsd format (http://docs.datadoghq.com/guides/dogstatsd/)
 - **datadog_extensions** boolean: Enable parsing of DataDog's extensions to dogstatsd format (http://docs.datadoghq.com/guides/dogstatsd/)
+- **datadog_distributions** boolean: Enable parsing of the Distribution metric in DataDog's dogstatsd format (https://docs.datadoghq.com/developers/metrics/types/?tab=distribution#definition)
 - **max_ttl** config.Duration: Max duration (TTL) for each metric to stay cached/reported without being updated.
 
 ### Statsd bucket -> InfluxDB line-protocol Templates
diff --git a/plugins/inputs/statsd/statsd.go b/plugins/inputs/statsd/statsd.go
index f74eb0ef4..a88fe847c 100644
--- a/plugins/inputs/statsd/statsd.go
+++ b/plugins/inputs/statsd/statsd.go
@@ -70,6 +70,11 @@ type Statsd struct {
 	// http://docs.datadoghq.com/guides/dogstatsd/
 	DataDogExtensions bool `toml:"datadog_extensions"`
 
+	// Parses distribution metrics in the datadog statsd format.
+	// Requires the DataDogExtension flag to be enabled.
+	// https://docs.datadoghq.com/developers/metrics/types/?tab=distribution#definition
+	DataDogDistributions bool `toml:"datadog_distributions"`
+
 	// UDPPacketSize is deprecated, it's only here for legacy support
 	// we now always create 1 max size buffer and then copy only what we need
 	// into the in channel
@@ -98,10 +103,12 @@ type Statsd struct {
 	// Cache gauges, counters & sets so they can be aggregated as they arrive
 	// gauges and counters map measurement/tags hash -> field name -> metrics
 	// sets and timings map measurement/tags hash -> metrics
-	gauges   map[string]cachedgauge
-	counters map[string]cachedcounter
-	sets     map[string]cachedset
-	timings  map[string]cachedtimings
+	// distributions aggregate measurement/tags and are published directly
+	gauges        map[string]cachedgauge
+	counters      map[string]cachedcounter
+	sets          map[string]cachedset
+	timings       map[string]cachedtimings
+	distributions []cacheddistributions
 
 	// bucket -> influx templates
 	Templates []string
@@ -190,6 +197,12 @@ type cachedtimings struct {
 	expiresAt time.Time
 }
 
+type cacheddistributions struct {
+	name  string
+	value float64
+	tags  map[string]string
+}
+
 func (_ *Statsd) Description() string {
 	return "Statsd UDP/TCP Server"
 }
@@ -237,6 +250,10 @@ const sampleConfig = `
   ## Parses datadog extensions to the statsd format
   datadog_extensions = false
 
+  ## Parses distributions metric as specified in the datadog statsd format
+  ## https://docs.datadoghq.com/developers/metrics/types/?tab=distribution#definition
+  datadog_distributions = false
+
   ## Statsd data translation templates, more info can be read here:
   ## https://github.com/influxdata/telegraf/blob/master/docs/TEMPLATE_PATTERN.md
   # templates = [
@@ -265,6 +282,14 @@ func (s *Statsd) Gather(acc telegraf.Accumulator) error {
 	defer s.Unlock()
 	now := time.Now()
 
+	for _, m := range s.distributions {
+		fields := map[string]interface{}{
+			defaultFieldName: m.value,
+		}
+		acc.AddFields(m.name, fields, m.tags, now)
+	}
+	s.distributions = make([]cacheddistributions, 0)
+
 	for _, m := range s.timings {
 		// Defining a template to parse field names for timers allows us to split
 		// out multiple fields per timer. In this case we prefix each stat with the
@@ -336,6 +361,7 @@ func (s *Statsd) Start(ac telegraf.Accumulator) error {
 	s.counters = make(map[string]cachedcounter)
 	s.sets = make(map[string]cachedset)
 	s.timings = make(map[string]cachedtimings)
+	s.distributions = make([]cacheddistributions, 0)
 
 	s.Lock()
 	defer s.Unlock()
@@ -601,7 +627,7 @@ func (s *Statsd) parseStatsdLine(line string) error {
 
 		// Validate metric type
 		switch pipesplit[1] {
-		case "g", "c", "s", "ms", "h":
+		case "g", "c", "s", "ms", "h", "d":
 			m.mtype = pipesplit[1]
 		default:
 			s.Log.Errorf("Metric type %q unsupported", pipesplit[1])
@@ -618,7 +644,7 @@ func (s *Statsd) parseStatsdLine(line string) error {
 		}
 
 		switch m.mtype {
-		case "g", "ms", "h":
+		case "g", "ms", "h", "d":
 			v, err := strconv.ParseFloat(pipesplit[0], 64)
 			if err != nil {
 				s.Log.Errorf("Parsing value to float64, unable to parse metric: %s", line)
@@ -658,6 +684,8 @@ func (s *Statsd) parseStatsdLine(line string) error {
 			m.tags["metric_type"] = "timing"
 		case "h":
 			m.tags["metric_type"] = "histogram"
+		case "d":
+			m.tags["metric_type"] = "distribution"
 		}
 		if len(lineTags) > 0 {
 			for k, v := range lineTags {
@@ -749,6 +777,15 @@ func (s *Statsd) aggregate(m metric) {
 	defer s.Unlock()
 
 	switch m.mtype {
+	case "d":
+		if s.DataDogExtensions && s.DataDogDistributions {
+			cached := cacheddistributions{
+				name:  m.name,
+				value: m.floatvalue,
+				tags:  m.tags,
+			}
+			s.distributions = append(s.distributions, cached)
+		}
 	case "ms", "h":
 		// Check if the measurement exists
 		cached, ok := s.timings[m.hash]
diff --git a/plugins/inputs/statsd/statsd_test.go b/plugins/inputs/statsd/statsd_test.go
index 4a129266d..7e6a78223 100644
--- a/plugins/inputs/statsd/statsd_test.go
+++ b/plugins/inputs/statsd/statsd_test.go
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ func NewTestStatsd() *Statsd {
 	s.counters = make(map[string]cachedcounter)
 	s.sets = make(map[string]cachedset)
 	s.timings = make(map[string]cachedtimings)
+	s.distributions = make([]cacheddistributions, 0)
 
 	s.MetricSeparator = "_"
 
@@ -430,7 +431,7 @@ func TestParse_Timings(t *testing.T) {
 	s.Percentiles = []internal.Number{{Value: 90.0}}
 	acc := &testutil.Accumulator{}
 
-	// Test that counters work
+	// Test that timings work
 	validLines := []string{
 		"test.timing:1|ms",
 		"test.timing:11|ms",
@@ -461,6 +462,63 @@ func TestParse_Timings(t *testing.T) {
 	acc.AssertContainsFields(t, "test_timing", valid)
 }
 
+// Tests low-level functionality of distributions
+func TestParse_Distributions(t *testing.T) {
+	s := NewTestStatsd()
+	acc := &testutil.Accumulator{}
+
+	parseMetrics := func() {
+		// Test that distributions work
+		validLines := []string{
+			"test.distribution:1|d",
+			"test.distribution2:2|d",
+			"test.distribution3:3|d",
+			"test.distribution4:1|d",
+			"test.distribution5:1|d",
+		}
+
+		for _, line := range validLines {
+			err := s.parseStatsdLine(line)
+			if err != nil {
+				t.Errorf("Parsing line %s should not have resulted in an error\n", line)
+			}
+		}
+
+		s.Gather(acc)
+	}
+
+	validMeasurementMap := map[string]float64{
+		"test_distribution":  1,
+		"test_distribution2": 2,
+		"test_distribution3": 3,
+		"test_distribution4": 1,
+		"test_distribution5": 1,
+	}
+
+	// Test parsing when DataDogExtensions and DataDogDistributions aren't enabled
+	parseMetrics()
+	for key := range validMeasurementMap {
+		acc.AssertDoesNotContainMeasurement(t, key)
+	}
+
+	// Test parsing when DataDogDistributions is enabled but not DataDogExtensions
+	s.DataDogDistributions = true
+	parseMetrics()
+	for key := range validMeasurementMap {
+		acc.AssertDoesNotContainMeasurement(t, key)
+	}
+
+	// Test parsing when DataDogExtensions and DataDogDistributions are enabled
+	s.DataDogExtensions = true
+	parseMetrics()
+	for key, value := range validMeasurementMap {
+		field := map[string]interface{}{
+			"value": float64(value),
+		}
+		acc.AssertContainsFields(t, key, field)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestParseScientificNotation(t *testing.T) {
 	s := NewTestStatsd()
 	sciNotationLines := []string{