diff --git a/filebeat/beater/filebeat.go b/filebeat/beater/filebeat.go
index da046d14e00..9056508d849 100644
--- a/filebeat/beater/filebeat.go
+++ b/filebeat/beater/filebeat.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package beater
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"sync"
 
 	"github.com/elastic/beats/libbeat/beat"
 	"github.com/elastic/beats/libbeat/common"
@@ -16,8 +17,9 @@ import (
 
 // Filebeat is a beater object. Contains all objects needed to run the beat
 type Filebeat struct {
-	config *cfg.Config
-	done   chan struct{}
+	config  *cfg.Config
+	sigWait *signalWait
+	done    chan struct{}
 }
 
 // New creates a new Filebeat pointer instance.
@@ -31,8 +33,9 @@ func New(b *beat.Beat, rawConfig *common.Config) (beat.Beater, error) {
 	}
 
 	fb := &Filebeat{
-		done:   make(chan struct{}),
-		config: &config,
+		done:    make(chan struct{}),
+		sigWait: newSignalWait(),
+		config:  &config,
 	}
 	return fb, nil
 }
@@ -42,8 +45,16 @@ func (fb *Filebeat) Run(b *beat.Beat) error {
 	var err error
 	config := fb.config
 
+	var wgEvents *sync.WaitGroup // count active events for waiting on shutdown
+	var finishedLogger publisher.SuccessLogger
+
+	if fb.config.ShutdownTimeout > 0 {
+		wgEvents = &sync.WaitGroup{}
+		finishedLogger = newFinishedLogger(wgEvents)
+	}
+
 	// Setup registrar to persist state
-	registrar, err := registrar.New(config.RegistryFile, nil)
+	registrar, err := registrar.New(config.RegistryFile, finishedLogger)
 	if err != nil {
 		logp.Err("Could not init registrar: %v", err)
 		return err
@@ -65,7 +76,7 @@ func (fb *Filebeat) Run(b *beat.Beat) error {
 	}
 
 	crawler, err := crawler.New(
-		newSpoolerOutlet(fb.done, spooler, nil),
+		newSpoolerOutlet(fb.done, spooler, wgEvents),
 		config.Prospectors)
 	if err != nil {
 		logp.Err("Could not init crawler: %v", err)
@@ -92,9 +103,17 @@ func (fb *Filebeat) Run(b *beat.Beat) error {
 
 	// Starting spooler
 	spooler.Start()
+
 	// Stopping spooler will flush items
-	defer spooler.Stop()
-	defer publisherChan.Close()
+	defer func() {
+		// With harvesters being stopped, optionally wait for all enqueued events being
+		// published and written by registrar before continuing shutdown.
+		fb.sigWait.Wait()
+
+		// continue shutdown
+		publisherChan.Close()
+		spooler.Stop()
+	}()
 
 	err = crawler.Start(registrar.GetStates())
 	if err != nil {
@@ -106,6 +125,12 @@ func (fb *Filebeat) Run(b *beat.Beat) error {
 	// Blocks progressing. As soon as channel is closed, all defer statements come into play
 	<-fb.done
 
+	if fb.config.ShutdownTimeout > 0 {
+		// Wait for either timeout or all events having been ACKed by outputs.
+		fb.sigWait.Add(wgEvents.Wait)
+		fb.sigWait.AddTimeout(fb.config.ShutdownTimeout)
+	}
+
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/filebeat/beater/signalwait.go b/filebeat/beater/signalwait.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..56611ca6c80
--- /dev/null
+++ b/filebeat/beater/signalwait.go
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+package beater
+
+import "time"
+
+type signalWait struct {
+	count   int // number of potential 'alive' signals
+	signals chan struct{}
+}
+
+func newSignalWait() *signalWait {
+	return &signalWait{
+		signals: make(chan struct{}, 1),
+	}
+}
+
+func (s *signalWait) Wait() {
+	if s.count == 0 {
+		return
+	}
+
+	<-s.signals
+	s.count--
+}
+
+func (s *signalWait) Add(fn func()) {
+	s.count++
+	go func() {
+		fn()
+		var v struct{}
+		s.signals <- v
+	}()
+}
+
+func (s *signalWait) AddChan(c <-chan struct{}) {
+	s.Add(func() { <-c })
+}
+
+func (s *signalWait) AddTimer(t *time.Timer) {
+	s.Add(func() { <-t.C })
+}
+
+func (s *signalWait) AddTimeout(d time.Duration) {
+	s.AddTimer(time.NewTimer(d))
+}
+
+func (s *signalWait) Signal() {
+	s.Add(func() {})
+}
diff --git a/filebeat/config/config.go b/filebeat/config/config.go
index 8d8d2439c87..0b8cb1920f5 100644
--- a/filebeat/config/config.go
+++ b/filebeat/config/config.go
@@ -19,19 +19,21 @@ const (
 )
 
 type Config struct {
-	Prospectors  []*common.Config `config:"prospectors"`
-	SpoolSize    uint64           `config:"spool_size" validate:"min=1"`
-	PublishAsync bool             `config:"publish_async"`
-	IdleTimeout  time.Duration    `config:"idle_timeout" validate:"nonzero,min=0s"`
-	RegistryFile string           `config:"registry_file"`
-	ConfigDir    string           `config:"config_dir"`
+	Prospectors     []*common.Config `config:"prospectors"`
+	SpoolSize       uint64           `config:"spool_size" validate:"min=1"`
+	PublishAsync    bool             `config:"publish_async"`
+	IdleTimeout     time.Duration    `config:"idle_timeout" validate:"nonzero,min=0s"`
+	RegistryFile    string           `config:"registry_file"`
+	ConfigDir       string           `config:"config_dir"`
+	ShutdownTimeout time.Duration    `config:"shutdown_timeout"`
 }
 
 var (
 	DefaultConfig = Config{
-		RegistryFile: "registry",
-		SpoolSize:    2048,
-		IdleTimeout:  5 * time.Second,
+		RegistryFile:    "registry",
+		SpoolSize:       2048,
+		IdleTimeout:     5 * time.Second,
+		ShutdownTimeout: 0,
 	}
 )
 
diff --git a/filebeat/etc/beat.full.yml b/filebeat/etc/beat.full.yml
index b760baf2d26..bf0b27bd5d6 100644
--- a/filebeat/etc/beat.full.yml
+++ b/filebeat/etc/beat.full.yml
@@ -231,3 +231,7 @@ filebeat.prospectors:
 # the prospector part is processed. All global options like spool_size are ignored.
 # The config_dir MUST point to a different directory then where the main filebeat config file is in.
 #filebeat.config_dir:
+
+# How long filebeat waits on shutdown for the publisher to finish.
+# Default is 0, not waiting.
+#filebeat.shutdown_timeout: 0
diff --git a/filebeat/filebeat.full.yml b/filebeat/filebeat.full.yml
index 52bb9029c4d..12856794c26 100644
--- a/filebeat/filebeat.full.yml
+++ b/filebeat/filebeat.full.yml
@@ -232,6 +232,10 @@ filebeat.prospectors:
 # The config_dir MUST point to a different directory then where the main filebeat config file is in.
 #filebeat.config_dir:
 
+# How long filebeat waits on shutdown for the publisher to finish.
+# Default is 0, not waiting.
+#filebeat.shutdown_timeout: 0
+
 #================================ General =====================================
 
 # The name of the shipper that publishes the network data. It can be used to group