diff --git a/salt/beacons/load.py b/salt/beacons/load.py
index cd05ce2a61..5c2ff509dc 100644
--- a/salt/beacons/load.py
+++ b/salt/beacons/load.py
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 __virtualname__ = 'load'
 
+LAST_STATUS = {}
+
 
 def __virtual__():
     if salt.utils.is_windows():
@@ -47,7 +49,7 @@ def validate(config):
                              'contain 1m, 5m and 15m items.')
                     return False
 
-            for item in config_item:
+            for item in ['1m', '5m', '15m']:
                 if not isinstance(config_item[item], list):
                     log.info('Configuration for load beacon: '
                              '1m, 5m and 15m items must be '
@@ -70,6 +72,15 @@ def beacon(config):
     and only emit a beacon if any of them are
     exceeded.
 
+    `onchangeonly`: when `onchangeonly` is True the beacon will fire
+    events only when the load average pass one threshold.  Otherwise, it will fire an
+    event at each beacon interval.  The default is False.
+
+    `emitatstartup`: when `emitatstartup` is False the beacon will not fire
+     event when the minion is reload. Applicable only when `onchangeonly` is True.
+     The default is True.
+
+
     .. code-block:: yaml
 
         beacons:
@@ -83,9 +94,17 @@ def beacon(config):
             15m:
               - 0.1
               - 1.0
+            emitatstartup: True
+            onchangeonly: False
 
     '''
     log.trace('load beacon starting')
+
+    if 'emitatstartup' not in config:
+        config['emitatstartup'] = True
+    if 'onchangeonly' not in config:
+        config['onchangeonly'] = False
+
     ret = []
     if not os.path.isfile('/proc/loadavg'):
         return ret
@@ -93,12 +112,42 @@ def beacon(config):
         avgs = fp_.read().split()[:3]
         avg_keys = ['1m', '5m', '15m']
         avg_dict = dict(zip(avg_keys, avgs))
+
+        if config['onchangeonly']:
+            if not LAST_STATUS:
+                for k in ['1m', '5m', '15m']:
+                    LAST_STATUS[k] = avg_dict[k]
+                if not config['emitatstartup']:
+                    return ret
+
+
+        send_beacon = False
+
         # Check each entry for threshold
-        if float(avgs[0]) < float(config['1m'][0]) or \
-        float(avgs[0]) > float(config['1m'][1]) or \
-        float(avgs[1]) < float(config['5m'][0]) or \
-        float(avgs[1]) > float(config['5m'][1]) or \
-        float(avgs[2]) < float(config['15m'][0]) or \
-        float(avgs[2]) > float(config['15m'][1]):
+        for k in ['1m', '5m', '15m']:
+            if k in config:
+                if config['onchangeonly']:
+                    # Emit if current is more that threshold and old value less that threshold
+                    # Emit if current is less that threshold and old value more that threshold
+                    if float(avg_dict[k]) > float(config[k][1]) and float(LAST_STATUS[k]) < float(config[k][1]):
+                        send_beacon = True
+                        break
+                    if float(avg_dict[k]) < float(config[k][0]) and float(LAST_STATUS[k]) > float(config[k][0]):
+                        send_beacon = True
+                        break
+                else:
+                    # Emit no matter LAST_STATUS
+                    if float(avg_dict[k]) < float(config[k][0]) or \
+                    float(avg_dict[k]) > float(config[k][1]):
+                        send_beacon = True
+                        break
+
+
+        if config['onchangeonly']:
+            for k in ['1m', '5m', '15m']:
+                LAST_STATUS[k] = avg_dict[k]
+
+        if send_beacon:
             ret.append(avg_dict)
+
     return ret