diff --git a/api/server/server.go b/api/server/server.go
index 0f887a8aea..05d5e60690 100644
--- a/api/server/server.go
+++ b/api/server/server.go
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ package server
 import (
 	"bufio"
 	"bytes"
-	"code.google.com/p/go.net/websocket"
 	"crypto/tls"
 	"crypto/x509"
 	"encoding/base64"
@@ -21,6 +20,8 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"syscall"
 
+	"code.google.com/p/go.net/websocket"
+
 	"github.com/dotcloud/docker/api"
 	"github.com/dotcloud/docker/engine"
 	"github.com/dotcloud/docker/pkg/listenbuffer"
@@ -976,6 +977,11 @@ func writeCorsHeaders(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	w.Header().Add("Access-Control-Allow-Methods", "GET, POST, DELETE, PUT, OPTIONS")
 }
 
+func ping(eng *engine.Engine, version version.Version, w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, vars map[string]string) error {
+	_, err := w.Write([]byte{'O', 'K'})
+	return err
+}
+
 func makeHttpHandler(eng *engine.Engine, logging bool, localMethod string, localRoute string, handlerFunc HttpApiFunc, enableCors bool, dockerVersion version.Version) http.HandlerFunc {
 	return func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		// log the request
@@ -1044,6 +1050,7 @@ func createRouter(eng *engine.Engine, logging, enableCors bool, dockerVersion st
 	}
 	m := map[string]map[string]HttpApiFunc{
 		"GET": {
+			"/_ping":                          ping,
 			"/events":                         getEvents,
 			"/info":                           getInfo,
 			"/version":                        getVersion,
diff --git a/docs/sources/reference/api/docker_remote_api.md b/docs/sources/reference/api/docker_remote_api.md
index 8a490b52ee..47f4724b1a 100644
--- a/docs/sources/reference/api/docker_remote_api.md
+++ b/docs/sources/reference/api/docker_remote_api.md
@@ -36,6 +36,11 @@ You can still call an old version of the api using
 
 ### What's new
 
+`GET /_ping`
+
+**New!**
+You can now ping the server via the `_ping` endpoint.
+
 `GET /events`
 
 **New!**
diff --git a/docs/sources/reference/api/docker_remote_api_v1.11.md b/docs/sources/reference/api/docker_remote_api_v1.11.md
index ebaa3e6e44..53e07b380c 100644
--- a/docs/sources/reference/api/docker_remote_api_v1.11.md
+++ b/docs/sources/reference/api/docker_remote_api_v1.11.md
@@ -1162,6 +1162,27 @@ Show the docker version information
     -   **200** – no error
     -   **500** – server error
 
+### Ping the docker server
+
+`GET /_ping`
+
+Ping the docker server
+
+    **Example request**:
+
+        GET /_ping HTTP/1.1
+
+    **Example response**:
+
+        HTTP/1.1 200 OK
+
+        OK
+
+    Status Codes:
+
+    -   **200** - no error
+    -   **500** - server error
+
 ### Create a new image from a container's changes
 
 `POST /commit`