diff --git a/heartbeat/autodiscover/builder/hints/config.go b/heartbeat/autodiscover/builder/hints/config.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..60cc5d6cdf4f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/heartbeat/autodiscover/builder/hints/config.go
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+// Licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one or more contributor
+// license agreements. See the NOTICE file distributed with
+// this work for additional information regarding copyright
+// ownership. Elasticsearch B.V. licenses this file to you under
+// the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may
+// not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+//     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing,
+// software distributed under the License is distributed on an
+// "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY
+// KIND, either express or implied.  See the License for the
+// specific language governing permissions and limitations
+// under the License.
+
+package hints
+
+type config struct {
+	Key             string `config:"key"`
+	DefaultSchedule string `config:"defaults.schedule"`
+}
+
+func defaultConfig() *config {
+	return &config{
+		Key:             "monitor",
+		DefaultSchedule: "@every 5s",
+	}
+}
diff --git a/heartbeat/autodiscover/builder/hints/monitors.go b/heartbeat/autodiscover/builder/hints/monitors.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..bb2a7d16ca70
--- /dev/null
+++ b/heartbeat/autodiscover/builder/hints/monitors.go
@@ -0,0 +1,205 @@
+// Licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one or more contributor
+// license agreements. See the NOTICE file distributed with
+// this work for additional information regarding copyright
+// ownership. Elasticsearch B.V. licenses this file to you under
+// the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may
+// not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+//     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing,
+// software distributed under the License is distributed on an
+// "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY
+// KIND, either express or implied.  See the License for the
+// specific language governing permissions and limitations
+// under the License.
+
+package hints
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"sort"
+	"strconv"
+	"strings"
+
+	"github.com/elastic/beats/libbeat/autodiscover"
+	"github.com/elastic/beats/libbeat/autodiscover/builder"
+	"github.com/elastic/beats/libbeat/autodiscover/template"
+	"github.com/elastic/beats/libbeat/common"
+	"github.com/elastic/beats/libbeat/common/bus"
+	"github.com/elastic/beats/libbeat/logp"
+)
+
+func init() {
+	autodiscover.Registry.AddBuilder("hints", NewHeartbeatHints)
+}
+
+const (
+	montype    = "type"
+	schedule   = "schedule"
+	hosts      = "hosts"
+	processors = "processors"
+)
+
+type heartbeatHints struct {
+	config *config
+	logger *logp.Logger
+}
+
+// NewHeartbeatHints builds a heartbeat hints builder
+func NewHeartbeatHints(cfg *common.Config) (autodiscover.Builder, error) {
+	config := defaultConfig()
+	err := cfg.Unpack(config)
+
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unable to unpack hints config due to error: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	return &heartbeatHints{config, logp.NewLogger("hints.builder")}, nil
+}
+
+// Create config based on input hints in the bus event
+func (hb *heartbeatHints) CreateConfig(event bus.Event) []*common.Config {
+	var hints common.MapStr
+	hIface, ok := event["hints"]
+	if ok {
+		hints, _ = hIface.(common.MapStr)
+	}
+
+	monitorConfig := hb.getRawConfigs(hints)
+
+	// If explicty disabled, return nothing
+	if builder.IsDisabled(hints, hb.config.Key) {
+		hb.logger.Warnf("heartbeat config disabled by hint: %+v", event)
+		return []*common.Config{}
+	}
+
+	port, _ := common.TryToInt(event["port"])
+
+	host, _ := event["host"].(string)
+	if host == "" {
+		return []*common.Config{}
+	}
+
+	if monitorConfig != nil {
+		configs := []*common.Config{}
+		for _, cfg := range monitorConfig {
+			if config, err := common.NewConfigFrom(cfg); err == nil {
+				configs = append(configs, config)
+			}
+		}
+		hb.logger.Debugf("generated config %+v", configs)
+		// Apply information in event to the template to generate the final config
+		return template.ApplyConfigTemplate(event, configs)
+	}
+
+	tempCfg := common.MapStr{}
+	monitors := hb.getMonitors(hints)
+
+	var configs []*common.Config
+	for _, monitor := range monitors {
+		// If a monitor doesn't have a schedule associated with it then default it.
+		if _, ok := monitor[schedule]; !ok {
+			monitor[schedule] = hb.config.DefaultSchedule
+		}
+
+		if procs := hb.getProcessors(monitor); len(procs) != 0 {
+			monitor[processors] = procs
+		}
+
+		h := hb.getHostsWithPort(monitor, port)
+		monitor[hosts] = h
+
+		config, err := common.NewConfigFrom(monitor)
+		if err != nil {
+			hb.logger.Debugf("unable to create config from MapStr %+v", tempCfg)
+			return []*common.Config{}
+		}
+		hb.logger.Debugf("hints.builder", "generated config %+v", config)
+		configs = append(configs, config)
+	}
+
+	// Apply information in event to the template to generate the final config
+	return template.ApplyConfigTemplate(event, configs)
+}
+
+func (hb *heartbeatHints) getType(hints common.MapStr) common.MapStr {
+	return builder.GetHintMapStr(hints, hb.config.Key, montype)
+}
+
+func (hb *heartbeatHints) getSchedule(hints common.MapStr) []string {
+	return builder.GetHintAsList(hints, hb.config.Key, schedule)
+}
+
+func (hb *heartbeatHints) getRawConfigs(hints common.MapStr) []common.MapStr {
+	return builder.GetHintAsConfigs(hints, hb.config.Key)
+}
+
+func (hb *heartbeatHints) getMonitors(hints common.MapStr) []common.MapStr {
+	raw := builder.GetHintMapStr(hints, hb.config.Key, "")
+	if raw == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	var words, nums []string
+
+	for key := range raw {
+		if _, err := strconv.Atoi(key); err != nil {
+			words = append(words, key)
+			continue
+		} else {
+			nums = append(nums, key)
+		}
+	}
+
+	sort.Strings(nums)
+
+	var configs []common.MapStr
+	for _, key := range nums {
+		rawCfg, _ := raw[key]
+		if config, ok := rawCfg.(common.MapStr); ok {
+			configs = append(configs, config)
+		}
+	}
+
+	defaultMap := common.MapStr{}
+	for _, word := range words {
+		defaultMap[word] = raw[word]
+	}
+
+	if len(defaultMap) != 0 {
+		configs = append(configs, defaultMap)
+	}
+	return configs
+}
+
+func (hb *heartbeatHints) getProcessors(hints common.MapStr) []common.MapStr {
+	return builder.GetConfigs(hints, "", "processors")
+}
+
+func (hb *heartbeatHints) getHostsWithPort(hints common.MapStr, port int) []string {
+	var result []string
+	thosts := builder.GetHintAsList(hints, "", hosts)
+	// Only pick hosts that have ${data.port} or the port on current event. This will make
+	// sure that incorrect meta mapping doesn't happen
+	for _, h := range thosts {
+		if strings.Contains(h, "data.port") || strings.Contains(h, fmt.Sprintf(":%d", port)) ||
+			// Use the event that has no port config if there is a ${data.host}:9090 like input
+			(port == 0 && strings.Contains(h, "data.host")) {
+			result = append(result, h)
+		} else if port == 0 && !strings.Contains(h, ":") {
+			// For ICMP like use cases allow only host to be passed if there is no port
+			result = append(result, h)
+		} else {
+			hb.logger.Warn("unable to frame a host from input host: %s", h)
+		}
+	}
+
+	if len(thosts) > 0 && len(result) == 0 {
+		hb.logger.Debugf("no hosts selected for port %d with hints: %+v", port, thosts)
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	return result
+}
diff --git a/heartbeat/autodiscover/builder/hints/monitors_test.go b/heartbeat/autodiscover/builder/hints/monitors_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..d3d37f990908
--- /dev/null
+++ b/heartbeat/autodiscover/builder/hints/monitors_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,218 @@
+// Licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one or more contributor
+// license agreements. See the NOTICE file distributed with
+// this work for additional information regarding copyright
+// ownership. Elasticsearch B.V. licenses this file to you under
+// the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may
+// not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+//     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing,
+// software distributed under the License is distributed on an
+// "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY
+// KIND, either express or implied.  See the License for the
+// specific language governing permissions and limitations
+// under the License.
+
+package hints
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+
+	"github.com/elastic/beats/libbeat/common"
+	"github.com/elastic/beats/libbeat/common/bus"
+	"github.com/elastic/beats/libbeat/logp"
+)
+
+func TestGenerateHints(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		message string
+		event   bus.Event
+		len     int
+		result  common.MapStr
+	}{
+		{
+			message: "Empty event hints should return empty config",
+			event: bus.Event{
+				"host": "1.2.3.4",
+				"kubernetes": common.MapStr{
+					"container": common.MapStr{
+						"name": "foobar",
+						"id":   "abc",
+					},
+				},
+				"docker": common.MapStr{
+					"container": common.MapStr{
+						"name": "foobar",
+						"id":   "abc",
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			len:    0,
+			result: common.MapStr{},
+		},
+		{
+			message: "Hints without host should return nothing",
+			event: bus.Event{
+				"hints": common.MapStr{
+					"monitor": common.MapStr{
+						"type": "icmp",
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			len:    0,
+			result: common.MapStr{},
+		},
+		{
+			message: "Hints without matching port should return nothing in the hosts section",
+			event: bus.Event{
+				"host": "1.2.3.4",
+				"port": 9090,
+				"hints": common.MapStr{
+					"monitor": common.MapStr{
+						"type":  "icmp",
+						"hosts": "${data.host}:8888",
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			len: 1,
+			result: common.MapStr{
+				"schedule": "@every 5s",
+				"type":     "icmp",
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			message: "Hints with multiple hosts return only the matching one",
+			event: bus.Event{
+				"host": "1.2.3.4",
+				"port": 9090,
+				"hints": common.MapStr{
+					"monitor": common.MapStr{
+						"type":  "icmp",
+						"hosts": "${data.host}:8888,${data.host}:9090",
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			len: 1,
+			result: common.MapStr{
+				"type":     "icmp",
+				"schedule": "@every 5s",
+				"hosts":    []interface{}{"1.2.3.4:9090"},
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			message: "Hints with multiple hosts return only the one with the template",
+			event: bus.Event{
+				"host": "1.2.3.4",
+				"port": 9090,
+				"hints": common.MapStr{
+					"monitor": common.MapStr{
+						"type":  "icmp",
+						"hosts": "${data.host}:8888,${data.host}:${data.port}",
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			len: 1,
+			result: common.MapStr{
+				"type":     "icmp",
+				"schedule": "@every 5s",
+				"hosts":    []interface{}{"1.2.3.4:9090"},
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			message: "Monitor defined in monitors as a JSON string should return a config",
+			event: bus.Event{
+				"host": "1.2.3.4",
+				"hints": common.MapStr{
+					"monitor": common.MapStr{
+						"raw": "{\"enabled\":true,\"type\":\"icmp\",\"schedule\":\"@every 20s\",\"timeout\":\"3s\"}",
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			len: 1,
+			result: common.MapStr{
+				"type":     "icmp",
+				"timeout":  "3s",
+				"schedule": "@every 20s",
+				"enabled":  true,
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			message: "Monitor with processor config must return an module having the processor defined",
+			event: bus.Event{
+				"host": "1.2.3.4",
+				"port": 9090,
+				"hints": common.MapStr{
+					"monitor": common.MapStr{
+						"type":  "icmp",
+						"hosts": "${data.host}:9090",
+						"processors": common.MapStr{
+							"add_locale": common.MapStr{
+								"abbrevation": "MST",
+							},
+						},
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			len: 1,
+			result: common.MapStr{
+				"type":     "icmp",
+				"hosts":    []interface{}{"1.2.3.4:9090"},
+				"schedule": "@every 5s",
+				"processors": []interface{}{
+					map[string]interface{}{
+						"add_locale": map[string]interface{}{
+							"abbrevation": "MST",
+						},
+					},
+				},
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			message: "Hints with multiple monitors should return multiple",
+			event: bus.Event{
+				"host": "1.2.3.4",
+				"port": 9090,
+				"hints": common.MapStr{
+					"monitor": common.MapStr{
+						"1": common.MapStr{
+							"type":  "icmp",
+							"hosts": "${data.host}:8888,${data.host}:9090",
+						},
+						"2": common.MapStr{
+							"type":  "icmp",
+							"hosts": "${data.host}:8888,${data.host}:9090",
+						},
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			len: 2,
+			result: common.MapStr{
+				"type":     "icmp",
+				"schedule": "@every 5s",
+				"hosts":    []interface{}{"1.2.3.4:9090"},
+			},
+		},
+	}
+	for _, test := range tests {
+
+		m := heartbeatHints{
+			config: defaultConfig(),
+			logger: logp.NewLogger("hints.builder"),
+		}
+		cfgs := m.CreateConfig(test.event)
+		assert.Equal(t, len(cfgs), test.len, test.message)
+
+		if len(cfgs) != 0 {
+			config := common.MapStr{}
+			err := cfgs[0].Unpack(&config)
+			assert.Nil(t, err, test.message)
+
+			assert.Equal(t, test.result, config, test.message)
+		}
+
+	}
+}
diff --git a/heartbeat/autodiscover/include.go b/heartbeat/autodiscover/include.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..cd4bf8bf0b62
--- /dev/null
+++ b/heartbeat/autodiscover/include.go
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+// Licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one or more contributor
+// license agreements. See the NOTICE file distributed with
+// this work for additional information regarding copyright
+// ownership. Elasticsearch B.V. licenses this file to you under
+// the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may
+// not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+//     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing,
+// software distributed under the License is distributed on an
+// "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY
+// KIND, either express or implied.  See the License for the
+// specific language governing permissions and limitations
+// under the License.
+
+package autodiscover
+
+import (
+	// include all heartbeat specific builders
+	_ "github.com/elastic/beats/heartbeat/autodiscover/builder/hints"
+)
diff --git a/heartbeat/cmd/root.go b/heartbeat/cmd/root.go
index 99cd9e5d4be9..d86e4291aa83 100644
--- a/heartbeat/cmd/root.go
+++ b/heartbeat/cmd/root.go
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ package cmd
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	// register default heartbeat monitors
+	_ "github.com/elastic/beats/heartbeat/autodiscover"
 	"github.com/elastic/beats/heartbeat/beater"
 	_ "github.com/elastic/beats/heartbeat/monitors/defaults"
 	cmd "github.com/elastic/beats/libbeat/cmd"
diff --git a/libbeat/autodiscover/builder/helper.go b/libbeat/autodiscover/builder/helper.go
index d9c1235f5fc8..e9c00abb340a 100644
--- a/libbeat/autodiscover/builder/helper.go
+++ b/libbeat/autodiscover/builder/helper.go
@@ -43,7 +43,13 @@ func GetContainerName(container common.MapStr) string {
 
 // GetHintString takes a hint and returns its value as a string
 func GetHintString(hints common.MapStr, key, config string) string {
-	if iface, err := hints.GetValue(fmt.Sprintf("%s.%s", key, config)); err == nil {
+	base := config
+	if base == "" {
+		base = key
+	} else if key != "" {
+		base = fmt.Sprint(key, ".", config)
+	}
+	if iface, err := hints.GetValue(base); err == nil {
 		if str, ok := iface.(string); ok {
 			return str
 		}
@@ -54,7 +60,13 @@ func GetHintString(hints common.MapStr, key, config string) string {
 
 // GetHintMapStr takes a hint and returns a MapStr
 func GetHintMapStr(hints common.MapStr, key, config string) common.MapStr {
-	if iface, err := hints.GetValue(fmt.Sprintf("%s.%s", key, config)); err == nil {
+	base := config
+	if base == "" {
+		base = key
+	} else if key != "" {
+		base = fmt.Sprint(key, ".", config)
+	}
+	if iface, err := hints.GetValue(base); err == nil {
 		if mapstr, ok := iface.(common.MapStr); ok {
 			return mapstr
 		}