diff --git a/builtin/providers/http/data_source.go b/builtin/providers/http/data_source.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..221de4adf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/builtin/providers/http/data_source.go
@@ -0,0 +1,104 @@
+package http
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"net/http"
+	"regexp"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/helper/schema"
+)
+
+func dataSource() *schema.Resource {
+	return &schema.Resource{
+		Read: dataSourceRead,
+
+		Schema: map[string]*schema.Schema{
+			"url": &schema.Schema{
+				Type:     schema.TypeString,
+				Required: true,
+				Elem: &schema.Schema{
+					Type: schema.TypeString,
+				},
+			},
+
+			"request_headers": &schema.Schema{
+				Type:     schema.TypeMap,
+				Optional: true,
+				Elem: &schema.Schema{
+					Type: schema.TypeString,
+				},
+			},
+
+			"body": &schema.Schema{
+				Type:     schema.TypeString,
+				Computed: true,
+				Elem: &schema.Schema{
+					Type: schema.TypeString,
+				},
+			},
+		},
+	}
+}
+
+func dataSourceRead(d *schema.ResourceData, meta interface{}) error {
+
+	url := d.Get("url").(string)
+	headers := d.Get("request_headers").(map[string]interface{})
+
+	client := &http.Client{}
+
+	req, err := http.NewRequest("GET", url, nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("Error creating request: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	for name, value := range headers {
+		req.Header.Set(name, value.(string))
+	}
+
+	resp, err := client.Do(req)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("Error during making a request: %s", url)
+	}
+
+	defer resp.Body.Close()
+
+	if resp.StatusCode != 200 {
+		return fmt.Errorf("HTTP request error. Response code: %d", resp.StatusCode)
+	}
+
+	contentType := resp.Header.Get("Content-Type")
+	if contentType == "" || isContentTypeAllowed(contentType) == false {
+		return fmt.Errorf("Content-Type is not a text type. Got: %s", contentType)
+	}
+
+	bytes, err := ioutil.ReadAll(resp.Body)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("Error while reading response body. %s", err)
+	}
+
+	d.Set("body", string(bytes))
+	d.SetId(time.Now().UTC().String())
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+// This is to prevent potential issues w/ binary files
+// and generally unprintable characters
+// See https://github.com/hashicorp/terraform/pull/3858#issuecomment-156856738
+func isContentTypeAllowed(contentType string) bool {
+	allowedContentTypes := []*regexp.Regexp{
+		regexp.MustCompile("^text/.+"),
+		regexp.MustCompile("^application/json$"),
+	}
+
+	for _, r := range allowedContentTypes {
+		if r.MatchString(contentType) {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+
+	return false
+}
diff --git a/builtin/providers/http/data_source_test.go b/builtin/providers/http/data_source_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8ad73ce36
--- /dev/null
+++ b/builtin/providers/http/data_source_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,166 @@
+package http
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"net/http"
+	"net/http/httptest"
+	"regexp"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/helper/resource"
+	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/terraform"
+)
+
+type TestHttpMock struct {
+	server *httptest.Server
+}
+
+const testDataSourceConfig_basic = `
+data "http" "http_test" {
+  url = "%s/meta_%d.txt"
+}
+
+output "body" {
+  value = "${data.http.http_test.body}"
+}
+`
+
+func TestDataSource_http200(t *testing.T) {
+	testHttpMock := setUpMockHttpServer()
+
+	defer testHttpMock.server.Close()
+
+	resource.UnitTest(t, resource.TestCase{
+		Providers: testProviders,
+		Steps: []resource.TestStep{
+			resource.TestStep{
+				Config: fmt.Sprintf(testDataSourceConfig_basic, testHttpMock.server.URL, 200),
+				Check: func(s *terraform.State) error {
+					_, ok := s.RootModule().Resources["data.http.http_test"]
+					if !ok {
+						return fmt.Errorf("missing data resource")
+					}
+
+					outputs := s.RootModule().Outputs
+
+					if outputs["body"].Value != "1.0.0" {
+						return fmt.Errorf(
+							`'body' output is %s; want '1.0.0'`,
+							outputs["body"].Value,
+						)
+					}
+
+					return nil
+				},
+			},
+		},
+	})
+}
+
+func TestDataSource_http404(t *testing.T) {
+	testHttpMock := setUpMockHttpServer()
+
+	defer testHttpMock.server.Close()
+
+	resource.UnitTest(t, resource.TestCase{
+		Providers: testProviders,
+		Steps: []resource.TestStep{
+			resource.TestStep{
+				Config:      fmt.Sprintf(testDataSourceConfig_basic, testHttpMock.server.URL, 404),
+				ExpectError: regexp.MustCompile("HTTP request error. Response code: 404"),
+			},
+		},
+	})
+}
+
+const testDataSourceConfig_withHeaders = `
+data "http" "http_test" {
+  url = "%s/restricted/meta_%d.txt"
+
+  request_headers = {
+    "Authorization" = "Zm9vOmJhcg=="
+  }
+}
+
+output "body" {
+  value = "${data.http.http_test.body}"
+}
+`
+
+func TestDataSource_withHeaders200(t *testing.T) {
+	testHttpMock := setUpMockHttpServer()
+
+	defer testHttpMock.server.Close()
+
+	resource.UnitTest(t, resource.TestCase{
+		Providers: testProviders,
+		Steps: []resource.TestStep{
+			resource.TestStep{
+				Config: fmt.Sprintf(testDataSourceConfig_withHeaders, testHttpMock.server.URL, 200),
+				Check: func(s *terraform.State) error {
+					_, ok := s.RootModule().Resources["data.http.http_test"]
+					if !ok {
+						return fmt.Errorf("missing data resource")
+					}
+
+					outputs := s.RootModule().Outputs
+
+					if outputs["body"].Value != "1.0.0" {
+						return fmt.Errorf(
+							`'body' output is %s; want '1.0.0'`,
+							outputs["body"].Value,
+						)
+					}
+
+					return nil
+				},
+			},
+		},
+	})
+}
+
+const testDataSourceConfig_error = `
+data "http" "http_test" {
+
+}
+`
+
+func TestDataSource_compileError(t *testing.T) {
+	resource.UnitTest(t, resource.TestCase{
+		Providers: testProviders,
+		Steps: []resource.TestStep{
+			resource.TestStep{
+				Config:      testDataSourceConfig_error,
+				ExpectError: regexp.MustCompile("required field is not set"),
+			},
+		},
+	})
+}
+
+func setUpMockHttpServer() *TestHttpMock {
+	Server := httptest.NewServer(
+		http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+			if r.URL.Path == "/meta_200.txt" {
+				w.WriteHeader(http.StatusOK)
+				w.Write([]byte("1.0.0"))
+			} else if r.URL.Path == "/restricted/meta_200.txt" {
+				if r.Header.Get("Authorization") == "Zm9vOmJhcg==" {
+					w.WriteHeader(http.StatusOK)
+					w.Write([]byte("1.0.0"))
+				} else {
+					w.WriteHeader(http.StatusForbidden)
+				}
+			} else if r.URL.Path == "/meta_404.txt" {
+				w.WriteHeader(http.StatusNotFound)
+			} else {
+				w.WriteHeader(http.StatusNotFound)
+			}
+
+			w.Header().Add("Content-Type", "text/plain")
+		}),
+	)
+
+	return &TestHttpMock{
+		server: Server,
+	}
+}
diff --git a/builtin/providers/http/provider.go b/builtin/providers/http/provider.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e11b68346
--- /dev/null
+++ b/builtin/providers/http/provider.go
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+package http
+
+import (
+	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/helper/schema"
+	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/terraform"
+)
+
+func Provider() terraform.ResourceProvider {
+	return &schema.Provider{
+		Schema: map[string]*schema.Schema{},
+
+		DataSourcesMap: map[string]*schema.Resource{
+			"http": dataSource(),
+		},
+
+		ResourcesMap: map[string]*schema.Resource{},
+	}
+}
diff --git a/builtin/providers/http/provider_test.go b/builtin/providers/http/provider_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..dd21abd45
--- /dev/null
+++ b/builtin/providers/http/provider_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+package http
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/helper/schema"
+	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/terraform"
+)
+
+var testProviders = map[string]terraform.ResourceProvider{
+	"http": Provider(),
+}
+
+func TestProvider(t *testing.T) {
+	if err := Provider().(*schema.Provider).InternalValidate(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/command/internal_plugin_list.go b/command/internal_plugin_list.go
index 1b3302f0a..4f6ca9490 100644
--- a/command/internal_plugin_list.go
+++ b/command/internal_plugin_list.go
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ import (
 	googleprovider "github.com/hashicorp/terraform/builtin/providers/google"
 	grafanaprovider "github.com/hashicorp/terraform/builtin/providers/grafana"
 	herokuprovider "github.com/hashicorp/terraform/builtin/providers/heroku"
+	httpprovider "github.com/hashicorp/terraform/builtin/providers/http"
 	icinga2provider "github.com/hashicorp/terraform/builtin/providers/icinga2"
 	ignitionprovider "github.com/hashicorp/terraform/builtin/providers/ignition"
 	influxdbprovider "github.com/hashicorp/terraform/builtin/providers/influxdb"
@@ -115,6 +116,7 @@ var InternalProviders = map[string]plugin.ProviderFunc{
 	"google":       googleprovider.Provider,
 	"grafana":      grafanaprovider.Provider,
 	"heroku":       herokuprovider.Provider,
+	"http":         httpprovider.Provider,
 	"icinga2":      icinga2provider.Provider,
 	"ignition":     ignitionprovider.Provider,
 	"influxdb":     influxdbprovider.Provider,
diff --git a/website/source/docs/providers/http/data_source.html.md b/website/source/docs/providers/http/data_source.html.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a833959a4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/website/source/docs/providers/http/data_source.html.md
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+---
+layout: "http"
+page_title: "HTTP Data Source"
+sidebar_current: "docs-http-data-source"
+description: |-
+  Retrieves the content at an HTTP or HTTPS URL.
+---
+
+# `http` Data Source
+
+The `http` data source makes an HTTP GET request to the given URL and exports
+information about the response.
+
+The given URL may be either an `http` or `https` URL. At present this resource
+can only retrieve data from URLs that respond with `text/*` or
+`application/json` content types, and expects the result to be UTF-8 encoded
+regardless of the returned content type header.
+
+~> **Important** Although `https` URLs can be used, there is currently no
+mechanism to authenticate the remote server except for general verification of
+the server certificate's chain of trust. Data retrieved from servers not under
+your control should be treated as untrustworthy.
+
+## Example Usage
+
+```hcl
+data "http" "example" {
+  url = "https://checkpoint-api.hashicorp.com/v1/check/terraform"
+
+  # Optional request headers
+  request_headers {
+    "Accept" = "application/json"
+  }
+}
+```
+
+## Argument Reference
+
+The following arguments are supported:
+
+* `url` - (Required) The URL to request data from. This URL must respond with
+  a `200 OK` response and a `text/*` or `application/json` Content-Type.
+
+* `request_headers` - (Optional) A map of strings representing additional HTTP
+  headers to include in the request.
+
+## Attributes Reference
+
+The following attributes are exported:
+
+* `body` - The raw body of the HTTP response.
diff --git a/website/source/docs/providers/http/index.html.markdown b/website/source/docs/providers/http/index.html.markdown
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c6d37f46c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/website/source/docs/providers/http/index.html.markdown
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+---
+layout: "http"
+page_title: "Provider: HTTP"
+sidebar_current: "docs-http-index"
+description: |-
+  The HTTP provider interacts with HTTP servers.
+---
+
+# HTTP Provider
+
+The HTTP provider is a utility provider for interacting with generic HTTP
+servers as part of a Terraform configuration.
+
+This provider requires no configuration. For information on the resources
+it provides, see the navigation bar.
diff --git a/website/source/layouts/docs.erb b/website/source/layouts/docs.erb
index c2b538e04..a945e8999 100644
--- a/website/source/layouts/docs.erb
+++ b/website/source/layouts/docs.erb
@@ -288,6 +288,10 @@
             <a href="/docs/providers/heroku/index.html">Heroku</a>
           </li>
 
+          <li<%= sidebar_current("docs-providers-http") %>>
+            <a href="/docs/providers/http/index.html">HTTP</a>
+          </li>
+
           <li<%= sidebar_current("docs-providers-icinga2") %>>
             <a href="/docs/providers/icinga2/index.html">Icinga2</a>
           </li>
diff --git a/website/source/layouts/http.erb b/website/source/layouts/http.erb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..782cd70db
--- /dev/null
+++ b/website/source/layouts/http.erb
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+<% wrap_layout :inner do %>
+  <% content_for :sidebar do %>
+    <div class="docs-sidebar hidden-print affix-top" role="complementary">
+      <ul class="nav docs-sidenav">
+        <li<%#= sidebar_current("docs-home") %>>
+          <a href="/docs/providers/index.html">All Providers</a>
+        </li>
+
+        <li<%= sidebar_current("docs-http-index") %>>
+          <a href="/docs/providers/http/index.html">HTTP Provider</a>
+          <ul class="nav nav-visible">
+            <li<%= sidebar_current("docs-http-data-source") %>>
+              <a href="/docs/providers/http/data_source.html">Data Source</a>
+            </li>
+          </ul>
+        </li>
+      </ul>
+    </div>
+  <% end %>
+
+  <%= yield %>
+<% end %>