diff --git a/notebook/notebookapp.py b/notebook/notebookapp.py
index 3985316f09..2417b3c38d 100755
--- a/notebook/notebookapp.py
+++ b/notebook/notebookapp.py
@@ -294,6 +294,7 @@ def init_handlers(self, settings):
         handlers.extend(load_handlers('services.nbconvert.handlers'))
         handlers.extend(load_handlers('services.kernelspecs.handlers'))
         handlers.extend(load_handlers('services.security.handlers'))
+        handlers.extend(load_handlers('services.shutdown'))
         
         handlers.append(
             (r"/nbextensions/(.*)", FileFindHandler, {
diff --git a/notebook/services/shutdown.py b/notebook/services/shutdown.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..78d1f2ad6e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/notebook/services/shutdown.py
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+"""HTTP handler to shut down the notebook server.
+"""
+from tornado import web, ioloop
+from notebook.base.handlers import IPythonHandler
+
+class ShutdownHandler(IPythonHandler):
+    @web.authenticated
+    def post(self):
+        self.log.info("Shutting down on /api/shutdown request.")
+        ioloop.IOLoop.current().stop()
+
+
+default_handlers = [
+    (r"/api/shutdown", ShutdownHandler),
+]