diff --git a/cmd/configuration.go b/cmd/configuration.go
index 3c986ada4..aca4b8b40 100644
--- a/cmd/configuration.go
+++ b/cmd/configuration.go
@@ -108,6 +108,7 @@ func NewTraefikDefaultPointersConfiguration() *TraefikConfiguration {
 	defaultConsulCatalog.Constraints = types.Constraints{}
 	defaultConsulCatalog.Prefix = "traefik"
 	defaultConsulCatalog.FrontEndRule = "Host:{{.ServiceName}}.{{.Domain}}"
+	defaultConsulCatalog.Stale = false
 
 	// default Etcd
 	var defaultEtcd etcd.Provider
diff --git a/docs/configuration/backends/consulcatalog.md b/docs/configuration/backends/consulcatalog.md
index f0a829dc6..eb83b0164 100644
--- a/docs/configuration/backends/consulcatalog.md
+++ b/docs/configuration/backends/consulcatalog.md
@@ -24,6 +24,13 @@ endpoint = "127.0.0.1:8500"
 #
 exposedByDefault = false
 
+# Allow Consul server to serve the catalog reads regardless of whether it is the leader.
+#
+# Optional
+# Default: false
+#
+stale = false
+
 # Default domain used.
 #
 # Optional
diff --git a/provider/consulcatalog/consul_catalog.go b/provider/consulcatalog/consul_catalog.go
index 1c9010ccd..995542f59 100644
--- a/provider/consulcatalog/consul_catalog.go
+++ b/provider/consulcatalog/consul_catalog.go
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ type Provider struct {
 	provider.BaseProvider `mapstructure:",squash" export:"true"`
 	Endpoint              string           `description:"Consul server endpoint"`
 	Domain                string           `description:"Default domain used"`
+	Stale                 bool             `description:"Use stale consistency for catalog reads" export:"true"`
 	ExposedByDefault      bool             `description:"Expose Consul services by default" export:"true"`
 	Prefix                string           `description:"Prefix used for Consul catalog tags" export:"true"`
 	FrontEndRule          string           `description:"Frontend rule used for Consul services" export:"true"`
@@ -186,7 +187,7 @@ func (p *Provider) watchCatalogServices(stopCh <-chan struct{}, watchCh chan<- m
 		// variable to hold previous state
 		var flashback map[string]Service
 
-		options := &api.QueryOptions{WaitTime: DefaultWatchWaitTime}
+		options := &api.QueryOptions{WaitTime: DefaultWatchWaitTime, AllowStale: p.Stale}
 
 		for {
 			select {
@@ -211,7 +212,7 @@ func (p *Provider) watchCatalogServices(stopCh <-chan struct{}, watchCh chan<- m
 			if data != nil {
 				current := make(map[string]Service)
 				for key, value := range data {
-					nodes, _, err := catalog.Service(key, "", &api.QueryOptions{})
+					nodes, _, err := catalog.Service(key, "", &api.QueryOptions{AllowStale: p.Stale})
 					if err != nil {
 						log.Errorf("Failed to get detail of service %s: %v", key, err)
 						notifyError(err)
@@ -259,7 +260,7 @@ func (p *Provider) watchHealthState(stopCh <-chan struct{}, watchCh chan<- map[s
 		var flashback map[string][]string
 		var flashbackMaintenance []string
 
-		options := &api.QueryOptions{WaitTime: DefaultWatchWaitTime}
+		options := &api.QueryOptions{WaitTime: DefaultWatchWaitTime, AllowStale: p.Stale}
 
 		for {
 			select {
@@ -305,7 +306,7 @@ func (p *Provider) watchHealthState(stopCh <-chan struct{}, watchCh chan<- map[s
 			options.WaitIndex = meta.LastIndex
 
 			// The response should be unified with watchCatalogServices
-			data, _, err := catalog.Services(&api.QueryOptions{})
+			data, _, err := catalog.Services(&api.QueryOptions{AllowStale: p.Stale})
 			if err != nil {
 				log.Errorf("Failed to list services: %v", err)
 				notifyError(err)
@@ -473,7 +474,7 @@ func getServiceAddresses(services []*api.CatalogService) []string {
 
 func (p *Provider) healthyNodes(service string) (catalogUpdate, error) {
 	health := p.client.Health()
-	data, _, err := health.Service(service, "", true, &api.QueryOptions{})
+	data, _, err := health.Service(service, "", true, &api.QueryOptions{AllowStale: p.Stale})
 	if err != nil {
 		log.WithError(err).Errorf("Failed to fetch details of %s", service)
 		return catalogUpdate{}, err