diff --git a/plugins/outputs/all/all.go b/plugins/outputs/all/all.go
index 28354e7e45ad9..96091b2ade894 100644
--- a/plugins/outputs/all/all.go
+++ b/plugins/outputs/all/all.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	_ "github.com/influxdata/telegraf/plugins/outputs/amqp"
 	_ "github.com/influxdata/telegraf/plugins/outputs/cloudwatch"
 	_ "github.com/influxdata/telegraf/plugins/outputs/datadog"
+	_ "github.com/influxdata/telegraf/plugins/outputs/discard"
 	_ "github.com/influxdata/telegraf/plugins/outputs/file"
 	_ "github.com/influxdata/telegraf/plugins/outputs/graphite"
 	_ "github.com/influxdata/telegraf/plugins/outputs/graylog"
diff --git a/plugins/outputs/discard/README.md b/plugins/outputs/discard/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..e1c70b742450a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/outputs/discard/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+# discard Output Plugin
+
+This output plugin simply drops all metrics that are sent to it. It is only
+meant to be used for testing purposes.
+
+### Configuration:
+
+```toml
+# Send metrics to nowhere at all
+[[outputs.discard]]
+  # no configuration
+```
diff --git a/plugins/outputs/discard/discard.go b/plugins/outputs/discard/discard.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..4a6d634b70656
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/outputs/discard/discard.go
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+package discard
+
+import (
+	"github.com/influxdata/telegraf"
+	"github.com/influxdata/telegraf/plugins/outputs"
+)
+
+type Discard struct{}
+
+func (d *Discard) Connect() error                        { return nil }
+func (d *Discard) Close() error                          { return nil }
+func (d *Discard) SampleConfig() string                  { return "" }
+func (d *Discard) Description() string                   { return "Send metrics to nowhere at all" }
+func (d *Discard) Write(metrics []telegraf.Metric) error { return nil }
+
+func init() {
+	outputs.Add("discard", func() telegraf.Output { return &Discard{} })
+}